Tag Archives: blogging

More Music? Yes, Please!

Here is yet another post about food, music, and a good time at Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort on a Wednesday night.

Our guy Phil

Once again we grooved to the tunes of Phillip Arcuri. A number of his fans were there. When he sang “Margaritaville” and got to the refrain, “Some people claim that there’s a woman to blame….” a woman sitting near us at the bar said it was Ron’s fault. I immediately blamed Steve.

“But he’s so quiet!” Phil said. For the rest of the song he included Ron and Steve in the refrain, adding Alex and Toni at the end. Toni, regular readers may remember, is our favorite bartender. I think Alex owns the place (how embarrassing that I don’t know).

Always a good show!

When Phil sang “Last Kiss,” of course Steve and I sang along: “Oh where oh where can my baby be?” I said to a guy sitting next to me that Phil always sings that song because we like it so much. I don’t know if that is strictly true, but he does seem to sing it every time we see him.

“You look familiar,” I continued. “Do I know you?”

He reminded me that he had moved one seat down for us at a previous visit to Fratello’s (perhaps you read my blog post about it). His name is Joe. I was delighted to renew the acquaintance.

You can see a little of the Christmas decor.

I do enjoy our Wednesday thing, even if I am too tired to make the blog post till Thursday.

Late Post, Random Pics

As so often happens, Monday’s good intentions went to hell on Tuesday. So here I am on Wednesday morning with not enough time for a real post but a few random pictures to share. I just now took the pictures. Does that count as Doing Something? Let’s pretend it does.

Aren’t they cute?

Steven has been after me to take a picture of the frog on the left. He purchased it from an artist friend.

I’d like to take a few detail shots.

Having more ambition than me, Steven Christmas-ized our mantle. You see the ghost had gotten into the, so to speak, spirit of things. Bonita is still working on her outfit.

You had me at Vincent Price.

Steven gave me the Vincent Price Pumpkin Spice coffee for an anniversary present in October. He put the bag around the bottle with the witchy stopper for photo op purposes, but I neglected to take the picture till just now.

Full disclosure: I may be late with my Wednesday post as well, because we plan to make our usual trip to Fratello’s in Frankfort, NY for food and music. Phillip Arcuri is playing.

Who Me? Mixed Up?

Looking back, I see that last week was a terrible blogging week. However, I can potentially salvage this week, since I have so far only missed Sunday. Some people feel that Sunday is actually part of last week and this week really begins Monday. I can see both points of view.

Are they scary trees?

I was trying to scroll through my Media Library in search of pictures for Monstrous Monday but clearly did not meet with success. Earlier I inadvertently changed my view of said library so the pictures are teeny tiny. I can see more of them at a time but cannot always tell what they are. I saw these spiky red trees and was intrigued. They were in The Knight Spot in Frankfort, NY, which is sadly now closed.

Graphic depiction of how I feel.

This time I went to pictures that were downloaded on my Tablet. We just watched The Blob yesterday. I DVR it from TCM pretty much every time I see it on the schedule. Likewise Mad Love.

Not exactly abominable.

This time I looked at pictures I took and found this adorable snowman. He was at A Little Touch of Country, a new gift shop in Herkimer that I need to write more about (Preview of Coming Attractions).

Oh, score! I am over 200 words! I think I’ll call this a Mixed-up Monday Post and drive on. Is Mixed-up Monday a thing? It is now!

Lots of Local on Shop Small Saturday

We have been having an utterly delightful time on Shop Small Saturday, obviously a day tailor-made for Mohawk Valley Girl, a lover of all things local. However, it is the bra off, sweats on, wine drinking portion of the day (full disclosure: I may have been sipping a little wine before it was the official time of day to do so). I will attempt to make some semblance of a Scattered Saturday post.

It’s so pretty!

We drove to Little Falls, NY, parking on Main Street. Our first stop was Joyful Vintage Designs, which boasts many items repurposed in imaginative ways. We also stopped ar Paca Gardens, where we made several purchases, although I foolishly did not take any pictures.

We drove to Canal Place, where we visited Fall Hill Bead and Gems, the Mustard Seed, and Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts. We also grabbed a bite to eat at the Cafe at Stone Mill.

The Mustard seed is part of Chicks Aong the Mohawk.

Next we stopped at Iron Rock Brewing Company, where we drank a glass of wine.

Actually a picture from an earlier visit.

Returning to Herkimer, we visited Mohawk Valley Community Market, again neglecting to take pictures. Then we went across the street to The End Zone.

Us and the bartender

We are now home, watching a Christmas movie at Steve’s request, although I am still longing for Halloween. Then again, as that great philosopher Mick Jagged once observed, you can’t always get what you want. It was a perfectly enjoyable Saturday. I can only hope Sunday is as good.

W(h)ining About Monsters and Blog Posts

Should I do a Monstrous Monday Post or a Monday Middle-aged Musings? I have not done one of the latter in a while. In fact, I think I even changed it to Monday Mental Meanderings. Fine blogger I am; I can’t even keep my features straight. However, I confess to enjoying these foolish posts where all I do is blather on for a while.

I’m afraid she’s not that into him.

I put in a romantic picture: the monster demands a mate, according to the movie advertising. Sadly, in the movie the match does not work out. Oh dear, should I have prefaced that with a spoiler alert?

Her outfit in the movie was less sexy.

Here is more Bride of Frankenstein art work from my Media Library. I should have had a bridal gown like that, although my figure was never quite that flawless.

But I wanted to give up around four this morning.

It is increasingly clear that I have little of substance to say. Full disclosure: I already had that glass of wine. I have been rejoicing that I only have a three day week (oh do not try to shame me, any of you who do not; I have been there, in fact, I just worked two six day weeks, so shut up already!). And I just realized: one down, two to go! Happy Monday, everyone!

Oh Crap, I Can’t Think of a Title!

I am thinking I could have made a better title for yesterday’s blog post. “Alliterations Aren’t All …” OK, maybe not. However, right now I can make a Scattered Saturday Post. Or can I?

I worked this morning. That is not blogworthy. After work, we went to the dollar store for a few fun accessories. That, too, is not particularly blogworthy. Next, however, we went to Ilion Little Theatre for a meet and greet with Santa Claus.

A fine Santa Claus.

I must make a full blog post about that. We also visited Ilion Wine and Spirits, and Valley Wine and Liquor. There was a tasting at the latter.

Adirondack Winery. Yum!

Later we stopped for a libation at End Zone in Herkimer, NY. We just tried to watch a DVR’d episode of Svengoolie, but I fear I did not pay much attention.

Can I make my make-up look like that?

I am not up to 200 words (my ridiculous autocorrect wants to say “00” as if ANYBODY can’t make a blog post of 00 words!). However, I am posting on Saturday, which I am not always able to do. I shall consider that a win.

It is almost 200 words, yes.

After All, Alliteration Isn’t Everything

Stand by for a really lame post.

I pause, as no words come to mind.

Yes, it is Lame Post Friday, although not a true Friday since I work tomorrow. But whatever the day of the week, my mind is blank. What the hell, me? Will this be yet another post concerning my inability to make a decent blog post? SAY IT AIN’T SO!!! Quick, throw in a picture.

Is that the secret formula for a good blog post?

I downloaded the above picture of Nosferatu last week, thinking I could use it for a Monstrous Monday Post. Then I didn’t have a Monstrous Monday. What kind of a Monday did I have? I forget.

The week has been a kind of a blur. I seem to remember thinking this might be the week I get my act together. It should surprise no one that that did not happen. Any suggestions on how I might proceed in the future?

THAT’S the problem! Somebody ate my brain!

I thought adding another picture might help. Could this be a Monstrous Friday Post? That’s not alliterative. Of course, neither is Lame Post Friday. Now I am getting silly. Oh wait, I started out that way. Happy Friday, everyone!

More Fun at Fratello’s

This past Wednesday my husband, Steve, and I experienced a little indecision as to whether or not we would go to Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort as usual. The reason was we had not seen any Facebook posts about any musical entertainment. Of course, the food alone is reason enough to go to Fratello’s, but we are just so into the local music scene these days. Finally Steve called and found out Max Scialdone would be there. Max Scialdone? Yes, please!

He is fine, yes.

When we walked in, a whole group of women was sitting on my preferred side of the bar. When they noticed me looking at them I explained I seemed to be staring because they were sitting where I like to.

“We like sitting over here, too,” Steve reminded me, leading me to the opposite side. Max Scialdone, who was setting up, told us there were seats on the perpendicular side as well; it was just his stuff in the seats.

“We like this side better,” I said, “so our back’s not to the music.”

We split a grilled chicken sub with French fries. Yum!

Another couple sat near us, and we soon got into a nice conversation with them. Their names were Shirley and Russ. Steve asked if we could get a selfie (I guess it’s an ussie in the plural. I was sceptical of my abilities to get a good one, but while we were situating ourselves, our favorite bartender, Toni, volunteered to take the picture.

From left: Russ, Shirley, Steve, and me

They said it was OK to use the picture in my blog post. They asked about the blog, and Russ even had me type the link into his phone. So I might have a new follower!

Good food, good music, good company… it was quite a delightful evening.

We loved grooving to the tunes!

No, You Shut Up!

Every week I say to myself, “This is the week! This is the week I start to get my act together! I will write more. I will work a little every day to get my house cleaned and organized. I will run. I will do those exercises for my back…” The list goes on. Oh, I do not expect to magically be the neat, organized, healthy, non-back-hurting, writing five pages a day paragon of my dreams (why five pages? why not ten? Oh yes, I am setting realistic goals). I expect myself to do a little every day. Ten minutes, just ten minutes. You can do a lot of cleaning in ten minutes. IT! COULD! WORK! (That is from Young Frankenstein, by the way.)

And then I don’t do much. Ten minutes of cleaning is apparently too much to ask. I hold tight to what little I manage to do: a few loads of laundry, at least three days of running (including Saturday and Sunday), a few blog posts (why is it so hard to be a daily blogger? I used to post every day! What the hell, me?). I put together a murder mystery, with lots of help from my friends. Doesn’t that count for something? I think it does.

One other thing: I was keeping this on the down low, because I was afraid it would not work out, and in fact it hasn’t. But week before last I wrote several pages of notes on a Victoria Holt-type romance novel, influenced also by Jane Eyre, with a little Georgette Heyer thrown in. It was a lot of fun writing the notes. I had a little trouble with character names. Unfortunately, I was unable to begin actually writing said novel. Still, I wrote a LOT of notes. Ideas just poured out of me! Surely that counts for something (and I will call you Shirley if I want to).

All this by way of trying not to beat myself up for not posting either Saturday or Sunday. Here I sit Monday morning, ten finger typing on the laptop (dining-room-tabletop, really) (I must buy myself a new laptop), and viewing the upcoming week with trepidation. Will this be the week I finally do it? That I finally do something?

At least I have written a blog post of over 400 words. I think some bloggers like to read that others have trouble writing. I personally do not find tough love helpful. You know, when they say, “There is no such thing as Writer’s Block! Just shut up and write!” But perhaps this week I will try to do just that. Only without the shut up part, because, you know, I like to make a blog post.

Is a Lame Post Better than No Post At All?

I am not sure if I am even up to a Lame Post Friday post. I am feeling fairly brain dead. However, I am equally disinclined to get up early enough in the morning to make my post and get to work by 5 a.m. Likewise, I do not want to miss a day. I have done that too many times already.

Let’s see, Lame Post Friday. I’ve always said this is the day for random observations and half-baked philosophy. Do I have either of those?

One observation I have made is that sometimes I can write and sometimes I cannot. I know some people will say you can ALWAYS write something, just quit whining and do it. Perhaps I was trying to write the wrong thing. Perhaps if I had gritted my teeth a little harder, clutched the pen a little more tightly, had just a smidgen more discipline…

But I did not.

As you have no doubt gathered, I have not been writing much. Fine observation. Can I explain why not with some half-baked philosophy? I’m afraid not, unfortunately, because it would nicely round out my Lame Post Friday post.

On the brighter side, I am approaching 200 words. As blog posts go, this one will have to do.