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Tag Archives: Covid 19

And They Have a Dog!

Posted on February 13, 2021 by mohawkvalleygirl

I began my Valentine’s Day weekend by shopping at a new place for a gift for my husband Steven: Grand Colonial Bed and Breakfast in Herkimer, NY.

One does not usually think about a bed and breakfast as a shopping destination, but I saw on Facebook that Grand Colonial was opening their gift shop to the public on Friday and Saturday just for the occasion. I was naturally delighted to check it out, especially as they said they carried locally sourced items. Additionally, I am seeking a topic for an article for Mohawk Valley Living magazine. A local B&B might fit the bill.

The first thing I saw when I walked in the door was the nicest dog! I barely remembered to shut the door before I went over to let him. His name is Brick, and he loves people.

A rare still moment.

Linda Costanza and Michael Martin, two of the owners, could not have been nicer. When I told them I wanted to write about their place, they showed me around and answered all my questions. I took a lot of pictures. If I can’t write the article, I can definitely get another blog post or two out of it.

A lovely display.

I also accomplished my intention of purchasing a present for my husband.

I almost purchased something for myself as well.

They said they could offer testers of the Berkman 1802 products, but such things could not be left just out these days, due to COVID. Sadly, COVID has wrought havoc on their business. Problems continue as, for example, the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown goes virtual for their annual inductions. Obviously, these kinds of precautions are necessary during a pandemic, but I feel we are justified in saying, this really sucks (pardon my French).

Just a few more choices.

I think it was pretty smart of the folks at Grand Colonial to use Valentine’s Day to call attention to themselves and bring in a little gift shop business. I asked if the shop was open to the public at other times. Linda said anybody interested could give them a call and they would be glad to open.

“Ooh, private shopping by appointment,” I said. That would actually be a perfect way to shop during COVID times.

For anybody who wants to stop in for Valentine’s Day, the Grand Colonial will be open tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 13, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. They are located at 112 W. German St., Herkimer, NY, phone number 315-982-5004. You can visit their website at https://grand-colonial.com/. You can also Like them on Facebook.

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Posted on January 26, 2021 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have been sitting here, clicking back and forth from “Add new post,” thinking that I just cannot write another post about not being able to make a proper blog post. Which is silly, because of course I can; I do it all the time. Additionally, it is Monstrous Monday. Why shouldn’t I make another post of monster pictures and random remarks? Yet, I feel I should be making more posts about the Mohawk Valley.

A common complaint.

My lack of Mohawk Valley Adventures is really getting on my nerves. It is largely because of these COVID times. My beloved community theatres are dark. Some of my favorite local businesses are closing their doors, we hope temporarily. Community events are rare or virtual. Why am I going on about this? We all know it.

This was in The Emporium in Herkimer, taken during a past adventure.

The other reason for my lack of adventuring is that I went back to work. My body and brain really got used to sitting home. And, it just this minute occurs to me, I am NOT used to learning a new job. I was over nine years at by last job. No wonder I am so tired!

I’m buried in difficulties!

Or am I just making excuses?

I suppose I am. However, I have gotten up to 200 words, my rather arbitrary goal. I will look about me for more local topics for future posts. As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

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It’s Not COVID!

Posted on November 16, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

Although that would make me relevant to current headlines, wouldn’t it? See, you can find an upside to anything. My upside right now is, it is just a cold, it will be over soon. My downside is, this will be another not very good blog post. But as regular readers know, I like to post every day, so let’s see what I can come up with.

I haven’t reached mine yet, but stay tuned.

I have been spending most of the weekend watching Snapped on Oxygen. Today is the Greed Marathon. Earlier this week was the Ex-Best Friends Marathon. They probably had a different marathon every day, because they were working up to some landmark episode, but alas, I did not make a note of them.

“You’re sick? Get back!”

 

I have long bought into the mentality that when you’re sick, you have to just keep going as best you can.  Of course, there have been times when I said, no, dammit, I need to take a day to nurse myself!  But I never thought too much about keeping my germs to myself.  In my defense, my bosses were not too worried about it either.  “Get yourself in here! You have to work!”  is what a distressing number of them said.

But the times they are a-changing, as the song goes.  I feel sick?  I am doing the right thing to stay home alone and watch Snapped!  However, as my headline says, it is not COVID.  I took my temperature, and I don’t have most of the symptoms. This is good news for me.  I should feel fine in another day or so.  Then I will be out of the house,  on job seeking and bloggable adventures!   As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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Maybe Not Balanced, But a Good Lunch

Posted on July 9, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

Steven and I just had a delightful lunch with our friends, Phyllis and Jim.  Was wine involved?  Could be!

A truly delightful couple.

We met at Applebee’s in Herkimer, NY.  In general, Mohawk Valley Girl prefers to stick to locally owned businesses.  On the other hand, local people work at Applebee’s.  Why should I not support them?  Oh well, right or wrong thing to do, we met at Applebee’s.

Jim in a mask.

Naturally we wore masks on our way to the table.  I was intrigued by Phyllis and Jim’s masks.  They told me they  were their granddaughters’  artwork and had come from a website called artsonia.com.  I do not put it in as a link, because I have not yet checked it out myself.  That may have something to do with the second or third glass of Cabernet Sauvopignon, but let us not worry about such things now.

Applebee’ s was concerned with social distancing, with some booths blocked off.  This is always good to see.

We did not sit there,.

We talked about the problems of businesses reopening.  Were our facemasks enough to stop the spread of COVID-19?  We can only so the best we can do.  Phyllis observed that if we cannot have time with the people we love, we do not have anything.  I had to agree.

Other bloggers can make these mirror selfies work! Me, not so much.

When we got back home it was still pretty warm.  I put on a shirt Jim had given me.  I felt the snowman motif was appropriate for our current situation.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable lunch.  I agree with Phyllis: we need time with those we love most!  Let us strive to maintain a balance from our own mental health and the physical health of all!

 

 

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A Gem of a Store

Posted on July 6, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yesterday I noticed on Facebook that The Rose Quartz Stand was open from eleven to three.  I had been meaning to stop down there since retail started to re-open, so I decided to celebrate my Fourth of July by helping support a local business.

Lots of merchandise in a relatively small space.

The Rose Quartz Stand is a gem and mineral shop.  They have a lovely little retail space on Main Street in Herkimer,  but they do most of their business at shows and festivals.  Unfortunately, these have all been cancelled due to COVID.  I thought I would do what I could, with a purchase and a blog post.  Additionally, I love the little stone animals you can buy there!

As I browsed the aisles, I chatted with the owner.  He admitted they were taking a hit with all the cancellations but agreed that people’s health (including his own!) was more important.  We both kept our masks on and kept our distance.

I could look at them all day!

I love looking at all the different stones.  Some are supposed to have certain qualities, but I am not very knowledgeable about these things.  I admired some beautiful Herkimer Diamonds.   I could seriously consider taking up jewelry making, just to use such fabulous raw materials.

There are even more skulls and animals than these.

I hesitated over some skulls but eventually purchased a small animal (full disclosure: I don’t know what it is) (hell, I’m no zoologist), a frog for Steven, and a plastic dinosaur just because.

Aren’t they nice?

The Rose Quartz Stand is located at   105 South Main St., Herkimer, NY, phone number 315-868-5199.  They are open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.  For more information,  you can visit their website,  www.therosequartzstand.com.  You can also Like them on Facebook.  I did!

 

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Merely Monday

Posted on May 19, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hi Ho! Hi Ho!  It’s off to work we go!

That song started playing in my head this morning, and I thought, “Don’t call me a ho!”  Then I thought I would open my blog post with that little exchange.

Yes, I am once again working for a living, wearing a mask and keeping a 6 ft. distance from my co-workers.   Actually,  the mask will reside around my neck for most of the day, since my co-workers are at least that distant most of the time.  Phew!  I feel so sorry for folks that have to keep their masks on constantly.

Really, when you look at all my advantages, I ought to have no complaints about returning to the beastly grind.  In fact, when I got the call to come back, I experienced a good half hour of pure happiness.  I had not realized how worried I was that furlough would turn into lay off.

You may have guessed by now that today’s post will be a Middle-aged Musings Monday.  Hmmm… considering how incoherently I have rambled so far, perhaps a Monday Mental Meanderings or even a Muddled Monday would be more appropriate.  So much alliteration.  So little substance to the blog post.

The important thing here is that I sat at work before my shift and WROTE.   It felt pretty good.  I think I’ll try it again tomorrow.  Maybe I can come up with something better than  Tired Tuesday Post.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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Not Useful But Perhaps Entertaining

Posted on April 18, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yes, my days are blurring one into another, as the Quackenbush Quarantine (as my husband Steven dubbed it) continues.  And yet I will indulge in Lame Post Friday.  For one reason, it is difficult to make a post that is not at least somewhat lame these days.  If I was a more talented and imaginative writer, my posts would be better, and here we come to the ugly truth about me.

But never mind that.  Let me just make a blog post and try to be as entertaining as possible while I do it.

Quarantine hair and turkey neck, what’s a blogger to do?

This morning I tried to make a mask from a sock, using a recipe I got from Facebook.  I was not impressed with my results, but of course I took a picture, for the amusement of others.  I may not be a particularly useful sort of person, but at least I am good for a laugh.

At least I am trying to do something to shield my fellow human beings from whatever germs I may have.  I try to stay home as much as possible and to keep my distance when I do go out.  But this is nothing new and entertaining to add to my Lame Friday Post.  What can I add in the categories of random observations and half-baked philosophy?

I guess I got nuthin’. This is nothing unusual.  However, I am over 200 words.  A lame post is best kept short.  Will I come up with something better for Saturday?  Time will tell.  Time is certainly a blabbermouth (a joke I have made before,  but I am rather proud of it).  Happy Friday, all.

 

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Throwback Thursday During Dateline

Posted on April 17, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

I am kind of ignoring a DVR’d episode of Dateline in order to make my blog post while I feel so inclined. 20/20 is on OWN tonight, but the 5 p.m. episode was not one which interested me.  I like a nice personal murder for a normal reason like greed, revenge or jealousy.  Greed is my favorite.

I just can’t get enough murder and mayhem.

I thought I would do a Throwback Thursday post and share pictures of things we cannot do right now but look forward to doing in the future.  Will that make me feel better or worse about my current quarantine?  Time will tell.  Time is certainly a blabbermouth.

 

Theatre is my life!

Here we are crowded backstage for Morning’s at Seven, the play I was in at Ilion Little Theatre last year.  What a fun experience!   I love community theatre.

A little scenery chewing going on around here.

And here is a rehearsal for a murder mystery that was going on around the same time as Morning’s at Seven.  I cannot recall the title.  How bad of me!  But what a fun cast we had.  I would love to work with these people again.

Two of my favorite people.

Here are my friend Kim and husband Steven at Meeples Mug House in Little Falls, NY.  Yes, things as simple as going out with friends are what I long for.  I’m thinking we all do.  But one must put up with necessities such as quarantine to protect our lives and the lives of others.  Sorry to get profound.  I’ll go back to watching Dateline.  Happy Thursday, everyone.

 

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Is This a Blog Post to be Happy About?

Posted on April 15, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

I guess this is going to be a Tired Tuesday post.  It’s Tuesday.  I’m tired.  But one must keep one’s spirits up.  At least, I am trying to do so.  For the main reason, I feel I should not be a burden on others with my anxiety and depression.

Earlier today I went for a walk to the post office.  I took my Tablet with me, thinking to take some cheerful spring pictures.  Alas, the wind blew coldly and I was disinclined to make any stops.  I was skeptical of my ability to get good pictures in any case.

Oh dear, this is not a cheerful post, despite my best intentions.  Well, we are many of us struggling with our emotions these days.  These days have such a weird, unnatural quality,  and the future is impossible to predict.  Additionally,  I am feeling a great amount of guilt about how little I am accomplishing during this period of enforced inactivity.

However, it does me no good to dwell on these negative thoughts.  What did I just say in the first paragraph about keeping my spirits up?  Yes, I am trying to do so.

One thing I can feel kind of sort of happy about is that I have made a blog post.  Perhaps not one of my best, but one cannot always meet the highest standard, can one?  Or can one?  Could I in fact meet the highest standard every day if I tried?  Discuss amongst yourselves.

 

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Who Is That Masked Blogger?

Posted on April 10, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

The CDC has recommended that we wear face masks in public, and I notice that a number of people are taking that advice.  For most of us, not medically employed or immune compromised, a home made mask is good enough, and preserves the medical grade ones for those that really need them.

I had to go to a doctor’s appointment today and decided it would be a good idea to wear a mask.  Naturally I went to Facebook for advice.  One video said you can use a bra to make a mask.

Nailed it!

I thought the result was so attractive (pronounced “ah-trah-ctive”), I posted a picture on Facebook.  A friend commented that I could also make a mask from men’s underwear.  My husband Steven was happy to loan me a pair (YES they were clean!).

I would rather use the pair with the red hearts.

OK, I was just being silly.  When I was done with nonsense (for the moment), I followed the directions from a video I found on the Covid-19 Information Center, using an old t-shirt.

I had to finagle my earrings out from under it.

On the advice of another friend,  I pulled it further up my nose and put my glasses on top of it to keep them from fogging.  A nurse at the doctor’s office complimented me on my homemade mask, so that made me happy.

After returning home, I put my mask in the laundry, as advised by the CDC.  I shall fashion another one if I have to go out tomorrow.  Luckily I have a number of old t-shirts.

Stay safe, everyone!

 

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