Tag Archives: blogging

Slacking at the Pub

It is after 11 p.m. on Saturday, according to my clock (I know my WordPress timestamp disagrees). Time enough to make a Slacker Saturday Post.

The height of pandemic fashion.

Earlier today my friend Kim and I went to the End Zone Pub and Grub for a drink. I wore the mask she gave me for Christmas so naturally asked her to take my picture. I took one of her and the bartender.

A little backlit, but nice.

I also took a shot of the ceiling, which I always admire.

I think it is the original ceiling.

No, I really did take a picture of the ceiling. I did not drink too much and end up flat on my back staring upward. That may have happened a time or two back on the ’80’s, but We’re not talking about that now.

You may have come to the conclusion that I have slacked today as a result of wine consumed at the pub. I must confess, I slacked before that. But at least I made a blog post.

End Zone Pub and Grub is located at 129 N. Main St., Herkimer. They are open 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday, noon to 2 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 12 to 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

Hercule Poirot, Can You Help Me Now?

I had such great plans for a really good blog post today. Then I spent all day celebrating Christmas and now it is Lame Post Friday. Maybe I can share a few more Christmas pictures and be reasonably entertaining.

Obviously on the Naughty List

OK, this not a Christmas movie, but we are watching Murder on the Orient Express because there is a lot of snow. It stars Albert Finney, who is one of our favorite Scrooges. I’ll allow it.

Love the car.

Earlier we watched Hercule Poirot’s Christmas starring David Suchet, another worthy portrayal of the great detective. Steve gave me the DVD some Christmases ago. I spend the whole time critiquing the adaptation, but I enjoy watching it every year.

We watched other videos and DVDs today as well as a movie DVR’d from TCM just this afternoon. However, if I go chasing around the internet for pictures, I will miss the movie, which in fact we are watching at my suggestion.

Well, what does anybody want from me on Christmas and Lame Post Friday. I think I will look for one more photo from my Media Library and hit Publish. Merry Christmas, everybody!

Mom’s Christmas tree from last year.

I hope all my readers managed to be reasonably merry while staying healthy and safe, whether they celebrate the same holiday as me or not.

Christmas Past Post

As the Grinch famously said, “Tomorrow is Christmas. It’s practically here!”

“Looking for me?”

Since it is also Thursday, I chime in with a Throwback Thursday picture. This jolly old elf made his first appearance on our mantle in 2016. We acquired him from the Herkimer County Historical Society. It is, in fact, only half a Santa. He had blown into their yard during a windstorm. They posted him on Facebook, but nobody claimed him. I am certain I have told this story before, but as I often say, reduce, reuse, recycle.

There’s a happy girl!

This picture is from December 2017, a close-up of a busier area of decoration. I have mentioned that we were more elaborate in previous years. Perhaps we will be more so in the future. I started to put “No doubt,” but in fact I have my doubts. However, my purpose now is not to dwell on doubt but to enjoy Christmas Eve with a Throwback Thursday Post.

Here’s a fun bunch!

I skip ahead to December 2019. I think all of these decorations were acquired prior to that year. A few of them are still out. It is my way of making Christmas last all year. Oh, don’t start on how making Christmas last all year is about giving and goodwill etc (you know who you are). I KNOW THAT!!! I hate those holier than thou sorts.

Look at the size of that list!

I close with another shot from 2018. This Santa is in front of our fireplace this year. He is a Throwback piece himself; my mother found him for us in an antique shop in Pennsylvania while she was visiting my sister.

I hope everyone is having a delightful Christmas Eve and will have a Merry Christmas. Or, if you do not celebrate, a delightful Thursday and merry Friday. I personally plan on having a Lame Post Friday. As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

Will Santa Come Down That Chimney?

Who could blame me for having a Tired Tuesday Post on Tuesday of Christmas week when I am trying to learn a new job? Oh, you probably could (you know who you are).

It is increasingly difficult for me to write. I have barely written in the TV Journal.TV Journal. Writing is not the only thing that is difficult for me. Clean my house? Not likely. Shop for Christmas presents? Nope.

And just listen to me whine about it! What a pathetic display. Maybe I could lighten things up with a picture.

A jolly scene.

Here is a picture of my fireplace taken earlier this month. Regular readers may recognize it as a different angle from a picture I took for last night’s blog. You may notice the absence of fake poo.

What a difference a year makes.

This is my mantle I 2019. Steven did the decorating. I believe he has a knack for it.

Just look at all that stuff!

This is December 2017. If I was trying to cheer myself up with these blasts from Christmas past, the effort has failed. All I can feel is disappointed in myself for having such meager decorations this year. But let us not travel further down THAT road.

I occurs to me as I look at these pictures that Santa would have a hard time coming down this chimney, if he were inclined to do so. Lucky for him I was bad all year.

 

 

I Need a Little Christmas

Christmas is just days away. I wore Christmas socks and a Christmas vest today. I listened to Christmas music as I drove to and from work. And yet the Christmas spirit eludes me. Perhaps I can chase it down with a few Christmas pictures.

I draw your attention to the little Christmas trees.

My sister Diane sent me a picture of her mantle via instant messenger. I was delighted, because she used the garland of crocheted Christmas trees I made for her some years ago. I invented the crocheted Christmas tree back in the mid 1980’s. I was pretty pleased with myself.

It is not as elaborate as when Steve does it.

I naturally sent her a picture of my own mantle. Full disclosure: we did not make a concerted effort with this. We just put stuff up as we found or acquired it.

Pardon the mess.

And this is our fireplace. Yes, that is fake poop on top of a pile of scripts on an old television. I just now noticed it. When I took the picture, I was more annoyed with myself about the bottles and jars I left sitting n the stool with the wine light. Not annoyed enough to clean it up and re-take the picture, I’m afraid.

Now I am laughing at myself. Here is my messy house, with Christmas decorations and fake poo. It’s not quite the Christmas Spirit, but it’ll do.

Thank You, Elks and Others

People have been helping people a lot this year, and I have had my share. Today I got a free turkey from the Elks Club, an offer they made to everyone who was laid off from my previous place of employment.  They sent a letter with a form to fill out saying you wanted a turkey and how many in the household.  Then they sent a voucher with instructions for pick up.

This morning, I went to Mary Street, where Herkimer Elks Lodge is located, and there were not many cars in front of me.  I had my mask on, as did the volunteers, and I did not have to leave the car. 

The view from the driver’s seat.

Two volunteers met me at the end of the street and looked at my voucher.  As I drove past, I thought to grab my phone and take a couple of pics for a blog post.

I stuck my phone out the window to try for a better shot.

Santa Claus handed me two candy canes.  I said I had to get a picture of him for my blog.  The other volunteers told me I could take him with me if I wanted.

“Hop in!” I said, but he did not avail himself of the invitation.

It was quite a fine Santa suit.

In addition to the turkey, they gave us potatoes and a box of stuffing mix.  The food was in a nice reusable bag.  What a generous gift!  A paper in the bag told me it was from the Doug Christman Project.

Several organizations involved!

Now that I am gainfully employed again, I must find ways to pay this forward.  In the meantime, the turkey is in the freezer, and we may use some of the potatoes tomorrow in a Shepherd’s Pie.

 

Christmas Memories on Slacker Saturday

Today is a Slacker Saturday and I can only be grateful I am not making it tomorrow morning. The question is: do I have anything to say?

That voice!

I just shared this picture the other day, but earlier today we watched our DVD of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I have said it before and I will say it again: Boris Karloff is the only Grinch for me.

It’s the scariest!

I was so into Boris Karloff, I almost went on to a horror movie with him, but we both wanted Christmas.  I thought of the animated Christmas Carol produced by Chuck Jones.  When I was a kid, I thought it was so scary!  Then they stopped showing it on television.  Many years later, Steven found it on video.  Yay!

Rankin Bass, a cherished childhood memory.

We are now watching Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.  These Rankin/Bass specials were so important when we were kids!  It was so exciting when our favorites were coming on.  How terrible if it was a Sunday when Dad had a football game to watch!  Sometimes he would graciously agree to change the channel if it went into overtime.  It was years before I appreciated what a sacrifice that was!  However, it was usually a moot point, because my show would be on the same channel.

But enough of my silly reminiscences.  For one reason, I am over 200 words.  Score!  I’ve made my blog post!  Which Christmas video should I watch next?

 

Lame Predictive Text

I just love the Facebook memes where it gives you a sentence to finish with the middle predictive text (which I previously called “that predictive text thingy”). For example, Freddie is chasing you. Your salvation is (hit the middle predictive text)…

They do not always work out. Just now I found out my salvation is “the real reason I wanted to have to do so much.” And then I gave up. I thought I would like to do a blog post this way. For one reason, it might be OK for Lame Post Friday.

The beauty of my favorite people who just can’t bear it when other people get to the page of Where Are the Romans

That was me hitting middle predictive text apropos nothing. Not so blogworthy, eh? But what if I added the beginning sentence… (I try “This blog post is about”)

This blog post is about the same ring to it.

I do not care for that much. Let’s try another one. (I try “Lame Post Friday”)

Lame Post Friday and I have a lot of the things I could do this weekend

Yeah, this is not working out. This is good news for me. It means that when I feel able to write, I really am doing something. It is not something any computer could do for me.

I may make a Lame Post or two (or more), but I am writing. Sooner or later, I will probably write something good. At least, I daresay I will do it sooner than Predictive Text.

Plugging Away at the Blog

Yesterday I said I was not too tired for monsters. Today, I think I am. What a big baby I am! Four lousy days of work, what’s my problem? At least tomorrow is Friday. TGTF. Hmmm… doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Be all that as it may, I still want to make a blog post. I think I will speculate on some of the things I could do this weekend. The last Saturday before Christmas! Yikes! I have purchased very few Christmas presents for anyone.

Can Santa Claus help me now?

I could go to Mohawk Valley Community Market on North Main Street. I saw some sweet tree ornaments there as well as jewelry and other handcrafts. I admired some gorgeous handmade wood furniture by One of a Kind by GS. The beauty part about that is that after I shop, I can bop across the street for a drink at the End Zone Pub and Grub.

Gorgeous stuff by GS.
Animals and skulls at the Rose Quartz Stand.

Another Herkimer business I have not been in a while is the Rose Quartz Stand on Mohawk Street. I especially love the carved stone animals. Right down the street from that is the Emporium, another vendor market. After that I just may head on down to Valley Wine and Liquor for a nice bottle of wine.

How is that for a few plugs of local businesses?

Making Spirits Bright

Full disclosure: I don’t know anyone who does.

Earlier this evening I went for a walk and took several pictures with my phone. Let me tell you something about me: I don’t like posting on the Tablet, typing one letter at a time with the stylus. I find it well nigh unbearable on my phone. I got most of the pictures uploaded to WordPress. Now I am tired.

However, I still have the wherewithal for a Monstrous Monday Post. Before I left for the walk, I took picture of a couple of our own Christmas decorations that I think my readers will enjoy.

Yes, that is a Santa hat.

That ghost was in an upstairs window for Halloween. He was a little too bright to leave on all night. I brought him downstairs recently for that very quality. I added the Santa hat, because I found some for a good price. I also put a Santa hat on another Halloween friend.

Meet Elliot Ghoul.

He is still plugged in and occasionally lets loose with an evil laugh and an invitation to accompany him to the graveyard. The cool thing is you can see the reflection of our light-up Santa. I was unable to get Santa to light, but my husband Steven cleverly solved the problem.

Unlike me, he is a little too bright.

The beauty part is, I have several pictures and a couple of paragraphs saved as a draft. That means tomorrow’s blog post will be a breeze! I guess Mondays aren’t so bad after all.