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Flustered Thursday, Late Post, No Alliteration

Yesterday I was a whirlwind.  Sort of.  I had a few things I felt I had to get done and a limited amount of time to do them in.  Full disclosure: my problems mostly stem from lack of planning and organization on my part.  You are free to judge me or just quietly enjoy feelings of superiority if you so choose.  I am content to stand as a bad example.

I throw in a picture to pep things up.

The reason I was in such a hurry was that we were to rehearse Shooting at the Grange at Salisbury Grange, which is almost a half-hour drive from Herkimer.  My first chore was to throw in a load of laundry, so I would have clean work clothes for tomorrow. I actually acquired another pair of work pants yesterday, so now I have three. Still not enough to get me through the week, but one does what one can.

Laundry in, I put on old sneakers and a hat (to protect my complexion from the sun), went outside, hefted my defective garage door open (broken spring, not my fault), and pulled out my non-power lawn mower. My bunions told me I ought to seize the non-rainy day.  Additionally,  with a non-power mower, it doesn’t do to let the grass get too high.

I intersperse the post with pictures to show that rehearsal was on my mind throughout my gyrations.

Laundry in the drier or hanging on the indoor clothes-drying bars, I did the dishes I had neglected, a truly judge-worthy omission.  While scrubbing I kept an eye on the time.  I still had to shower and get dressed!

I managed it.  I even put together a fairly color-coordinated outfit, although I could not find the ideal blazer.  One settles for less than perfection in this life.  The only thing I did not have time for was supper.  I munched down a roast beef and cheese roll-up with the result that I had to brush my teeth, which I did not have time for.  Luckily Kim was a little late picking me up.

They look thoughtful. Trying to remember lines?

Rehearsal did not go too badly.  The Grange people are very excited about the sold-out show.  I succumbed to their enthusiasm and may write further murder mysteries for their benefit.

First I need to get a handle on making my blog posts on time.

 

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Is My Life Really So Monstrous?

Late posts continue, and I do not know why I feel the need to point out my deficiencies.  After all, if they are not obvious to the casual observer, can they be all that bad?  Discuss amongst yourselves.

In the meantime, it is Tuesday morning, and I chose to have a second cup of coffee and make a blog post (or some semblance thereof), rather than do the dishes (don’t judge me for not doing them as soon as they got dirty), fix my lunch, or do any of the other chores hanging over me like a hulking creature promising doom.

Hey, wouldn’t a hulking creature be a monster?  I have led myself right into a Monstrous Monday Post.

He’s scary!   But the movie is fun.

If it conquered the world, I do not feel that I am so much at fault if it keeps me from getting my stuff done.  Then again — Spoiler Alert! — it does not actually conquer the world, although it makes a good try.

Not exactly hulking, but definitely threatening.

This, of course, is from Nosferatu (1922), a delightfully frightening movie. I am afraid I resemble the person on the left, trying ineffectually to escape but not really doing anything of use. I get a little impatient with movie characters who can’t seem to do anything but stare, scream, run the wrong way, fall down, or some combination.  Then again, if the monster had no victims, it would not be much of a horror movie.  I suppose it could still work as suspense, but that is a longer discussion than I care to embark upon before breakfast.

Oh, I could just scream!

I end with an image from The Screaming Skull. I think skulls always look like they are smiling.  This inspires me to start my day with a smile.  After a smile costs me nothing and may brighten someone else’s day.  On that not so monstrous note, I bid you farewell and thank you for tuning in.

 

Tired Tuesday But Flowers

Hello, and welcome to another Tired Tuesday Post. Perhaps you expected as much after my Late Monday Post. Ooh, I just went into a time warp and thought it was a Late Sunday Post and today was actually Monday! Glad I was wrong about that!

I actually thought about making a post titled, “All I Have To Do Is Pick A Plot,” by which some of you may guess I had a better writing day. I kind of did but do not want to jinx things by talking about it. In fact, already I’ve said too much.

My second plan was to share a few pictures I took at The Flower Barn in Ilion on Saturday. Who could be uncheered by flowers (yes, uncheered, autocorrect, not uncharted. Sheesh!)?

Could my container garden look this good?

I thought about doing more work in the yard today but opted for inside chores instead. Only I fear I did too few of those. Alas, a blogger’s work is never done!

Ooh! Pretty!

I need to do a full post about The Flower Barn. And purchase some flowers there. In the meantime, I will just mention that they are located at 1480 Barringer Rd. In Ilion, NY, and are open 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. You can Like them on Facebook. I did.

Did I Slack?

Earlier this morning, I thought at least I will not have a Slacker Saturday!  Now I am not so sure.

I got up around five and immediately went running.  For one reason, it was supposed to rain.  For another reason… well, I don’t exactly remember the reasoning, bit I told myself to do it and I did it.  After a shower and some breakfast, I went to the grocery store, getting there early enough to miss the usual Saturday morning crowd.

After putting the groceries away, I went outside and once again had at my lawn.  Certain areas along the edges are getting a little put of control.  On the morning’s run, I noticed a fence almost obscured by numerous bushes and trees.  I said, “Yikes!”  So I did a bit with clippers, a hack saw, and my hands in gardening gloves.  Phew!

Not yet done with being useful, I did the dishes and wrote a few post cards.  In between these chores, I peeked at Facebook and called my Mom and Dad.  My final useful act was to drive by the post office and mail my post cards (I elected not to walk, because it was raining).  I could not extend the trip into further useful shopping, because I forgot to bring a mask.

So I have gotten a few things done, but writing an interesting blog post was not one of them.  Alas!  I can only hope to do better on Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

 

 

I’m Just Getting to the Good Part

OK, time for a fast Scattered Saturday post before I get back to enjoying my Saturday.  Full disclosure:  It has not been such a great Saturday for the most part — entirely my fault, but please don’t judge.  Oh, all right, go ahead and judge.  Shake your head, or your finger, or your booty at me.  Tell me I’m a worthless human being!  Call me out for whining!  Even — good heavens, not that! — stop reading my blog!

Got that out of my system.  Regular readers cannot be surprised if I become a trifle, shall we say, dramatic.  I am in the midst of putting together an interactive murder mystery dinner theatre (I am responsible for the theatre, not the dinner), and I am in the midst of writing another one.  By the time that’s finished, it may be time to audition for the summer Shakespeare production with LiFT, Little Falls’ theatre company.  I am so ready to speak forsoothly again!

Be all that as it may, I am getting to the good part of my Saturday, but I will give a quick overview of what went before.  My wonderful husband, Steven, and I were able to sleep in a bit, because he did not have to be to work till eleven.  I found some postcards I thought I had already sent so had a good selection to pick from for my weekly postcard writing activity.  The main problem I have with the postcards is that I get tired of writing them after three or four, and there are more people I would like to send them to.  I thought I might write more later in the day but have yet to do any such thing.

When Steven went to work, I drove to the post office to mail the above mentioned cards, then when to Cliff’s Local Market (formerly Nice-n-Easy) to use the ATM.  From there I drove into Ilion to Cornerstone Consignment, where they were having a sale.  I need a fabulous dress for Secrets at Suiter House, my upcoming murder mystery, and I would like a 1920’s-ish dress, in case I find an occasion to wear one in the near future.  As it happened, I found a couple of dresses that might have worked, but I just could not work up the oomph to try them on.  Fairly disgusted with myself, I went home.

At home, I managed to do a couple of chores (too boring to mention) and studied my murder mystery lines for a while.  Eventually it was time to walk to Asteroga Ale House, where I had plans to meet Steven when he got off work.  That was a nice little walk, and a nice interlude at the Ale House.  I may write a full blog post about that in the near future.

In the meantime, I am over 450 words.  I call that quite respectable for a Scattered Saturday.  As I mentioned earlier, I am getting to a very enjoyable part of the evening:  sweats on, bra off (don’t you DARE say TMI!), glass of wine to hand, and true crime show on TV.  Once I pick up my crochet, my life will be perfect.  Happy Saturday, all!

 

I Did the Damn Dishes!

It is Wrist to Forehead Sunday indeed.  I return to work tomorrow after two weeks off.  YES (with eyes rolling), I am GRATFUL I have a job and YES I am GRATEFUL I got a vacation, some people just can’t bear to hear anybody else complain about anything.  Sheesh!

Be all that as it may, I need to make a blog post before returning to enjoying what is left of my vacation and my Sunday.  I must say, I am really looking forward to next Friday, when it will really be Friday for me.  This past Friday, it being the last “real” day of vacation (since I normally have weekend off) (don’t hate), it felt not as delightful as a Friday ought, by rights, to feel.  But, again, be that as it may, on with the blog post.

I have long felt that there was no point in trying to get anything done on a Sunday.  Some Sunday I lament this, others I embrace the uselessness.  Today I actually did a few thing.  I took a short run (which, truth be known, I often do, even on the most useless of Sundays), I did the dishes, I did a load of laundry AND folded two baskets of previously done laundry, I laid out three outfits for work (I need five to get me through the week, but I only have so many pairs of work pants) (and I’ve gained weight, so they don’t all fit), I put away the dishes after the air and patience had dried them.

That is more than I have accomplished on previous Sundays.  However, as I typed in the preceding paragraph, I realized there are a number of areas where some reader (or the critics in my head) could judge me.  For example, why was there a pile of dishes to do first thing in the morning?  Why was there laundry previously washed but still waiting to be folded?  Why did I not immediately dry and put away the dishes, and where do I get off counting that as another chore and not part of “doing the dishes” as a normal person would?

To any such judgmental sorts, I explain, “Shut up!”  mentally thanking S.J. Perelman as I do so.    I see now I am over 350 words.  I call that respectable for Wrist to Forehead Sunday.  I hope you’ll tune in tomorrow for what I hope is not too Melancholy of a Monday.

 

Posting from the Deck

So I’ve gotten through most of Saturday before making my blog post and oh, what a day I have had!  OK, not really, but it was pretty scattered.  As I was working on one of my last chores/adventures of the day (and how much richer life is when one can feel the two are combined), I thought, “It used to be that on a Saturday when I had multiple adventures, I would spend the next week making multiple blog posts about them individually.  Now I blow my wad (so to speak) on one Scattered Saturday post.  What’s that all about?” (And here’s a Freudian slip I found on proofreading:  I originally put “blog my wad” instead of “blow my wad.”  Isn’t that awesome?) (Maybe I should have used that for the headline.)

I answered myself, “When I started this blog, I was in my late 40’s.  Now I am in my mid-50’s.  Who knew there could be such a difference in the decades?”  It was a silly answer, because, quite frankly, I have to keep reminding myself that I am in my 50’s.  For anyone who wants to know, I am 53, the same age as the Grinch (“Why for 53 years I’ve put up with it now!  I MUST stop Christmas from coming!  But how?”).  I like being the same age as the Grinch.  But this is not what I sat down to make a blog post about.

In fact, it is a little difficult to post right now, because I am sitting on my deck, and the sun is a little bright for computer screens.  I stubbornly remain out here, though, because I brought out all the cushions for our chairs.  I could have just brought out two, one for my butt, one for my feet (naturally one puts one’s feet up on the weekend).  Then I brought out for for Steven, who should arrive home in about an hour.  Then I brought out the fourth, because it seemed unkind to exclude just one (yes, I anthropomorphize chair cushions; I anthropomorphize EVERYTHING, I thought you knew that about me).

Where was I?  Ah yes, on the deck, admiring what I can see of my container garden so far. I feel I should purchase more plants, more pots and more dirt, going overboard as I have in years past (last year being a notable exception).  The important thing is, I have basil.  Fresh pesto, you will be mine!  I’m sure some of my readers will appreciate it if I post pictures.  I’ll be doing that one day soon.  For right now, I’m sitting with my feet up and drinking a beer.  Happy Saturday, everyone.

 

Stirring the Blog

Why do I persist in thinking I am going to get anything done on a Sunday? I am clearly not, and then I just feel bad about myself. Can’t I just embrace the uselessness and enjoy the day?

I interrupt my Sunday festivities to make my usual Wrist to Forehead Sunday post, and I lead off with my Facebook post from earlier.  I did not quite embrace my uselessness, unfortunately, but I am striving to enjoy the day.

Regarding usefulness, I did one load of laundry, the dishes (there were not that many, for which I was grateful), grocery shopped, chopped vegetables and made a salad for the upcoming week’s lunches, and I am in the midst of cooking what promises to be a delicious dinner (if I do say so myself).  I am cooking with wine, by the way, and have not put any in the food.

As a matter of fact, I need to go out to the kitchen, stir and add other ingredients, so I’d better blog quickly. I must confess, I do enjoy these off the cuff posts.  It is fun to sit here, typing away, and know that I will probably amuse somebody somewhere (OK, I suppose sometimes it is only myself; you don’t have to disillusion me) (you know who you are).   It doesn’t always work, you know.  Sometimes I start typing, then I erase it, then I say to hell with it, I’ll blog later (I think “blog” is a funny verb, don’t you?) (oh, YOU probably never have) (once again, you know who you are).

OK, what do we have here so far?  Some silliness, a couple of parenthetical comments, over 200 words.  I’d say that’s about par for the course for me.  I’m going to hit publish and call it a day.  For one reason, Steven just stirred dinner and it is time to add more ingredients. Happy Sunday, everyone.

 

Much Ado Monday

I’m a little early for All Much Ado All The Time, but yet, here I am.

And I just sat here staring at that sentence with no idea what to put next.  My plan had been to DEFINITELY write my blog post while on break at work, so I would only have to type it in.  Instead I studied my lines.  I hope nobody in the cast reads this, because they may wonder why I still don’t know my lines if I was studying them when I should have been writing.  Oh well, perhaps I know them better than I think I do.  We’ll see.

I mentioned yesterday that I got very little done over the weekend.  Among the chores still hanging over my head in a threatening fashion:  figure out and get together my costume for the Doodah Parade in Ilion on Friday,  find a few more costume pieces for my two characters in Much Ado About Nothing, finish learning my lines, unpaint my toenails, fix my work pants, wash my other work pants, clean my house, finish my container garden, work in my yard…

Why did I start listing those things?  Now I’m having a panic attack!  Not really, but it isn’t making my headache any better either.  And it isn’t making this blog post any more interesting.  Sorry about that.  However, there is not much I can do about it, because I have rehearsal tonight.  I have to look over my lines again.

 

Wrist to Run

I was undecided whether to do a Wrist to Forehead Sunday post or another Running Commentary, so I thought I’d just start typing and see what comes out.

I kind of impressed myself by running two days in a row, because I really did not intend to.  I had a number of chores to attend to and no desire to attend to any of them.  Just to bring up my mental woes as a slight change from my physical ones, I am fighting another bout of depression.  My biggest symptom this time seems to be a huge case of Don’t Wanna Do Nothin’ (the double negative does not make a positive in this case).  Actually, I’ve been wondering lately if my physical problems don’t stem from that.  My body is obliging me with a nice bout of psychosomatics, giving me a marvelous excuse to, in fact, do nothing.

Be that as it may, I knew I must get some things done.  I went to the grocery store.  I did the dishes.  I began to make my prompt book for Leading Ladies (we begin blocking rehearsals on Tuesday).  I looked at the clock and realized I had time enough for a two hour nap before my husband would return home from work.  Yes!  Nap!  Just what I needed.  I forgot to mention that we have a murder mystery rehearsal at three.  I had forgotten it myself until Steven reminded me.

Naturally I could not sleep.  I’ve been having dreadful insomnia lately.  It is not the least bit unusual for me to have insomnia, so I did not let it bother me unduly.  As I gave up on the nap I remembered that I was also supposed to do laundry today. I gathered a load and threw it in the washer.  Ah, the joy of having a washer and drier on the premises.  While it washed I indulged in a check of Facebook and in reading several other blogs.

When Facebook got old and I got tired of reading blogs, I began to think about running.  It was just after noon.  I had plenty of time for the length of run I am currently up to.  I decided to do it.

Then remembered the laundry.  It was done by now, so I went down and put stuff in the drier, carefully pulling out stuff to hang on the bars upstairs.  As I brought them upstairs, I decided I really wasn’t feeling all that well.  I would not go running.  I hung up the non-drier items.  What would I do instead?  Contemplating the other chores awaiting me, running started to sound a lot more pleasant.

So  I went. It would be nice to report that I got a good dose of endorphins and felt terrific afterwards.  That does happen sometimes.  It did not happen this time.  However, no run is without its rewards.  If nothing else, one can feel satisfied that one ran at all.  I worked on my ability to persevere and keep going despite it being not all that much fun.  Of course, it’s never all Plod and Persevere.  I had several moments of feeling Not Bad At All.  And I hope I don’t have a reason to feel bad about this blog post.  Happy Sunday, everyone.