Tag Archives: depression

I’m Just a Little Mixed Up

I can’t quite decide if this is a Monday post or a late Sunday post.  I think I will go with late Sunday, because I do not have a real post in mind.  For one reason, my phone with the pictures in it is across the room, and you know how far away that can be sometimes (at least, some people are now rolling their eyes and huffing in scorn, but I know others are nodding their heads wisely in sympathy).  The phone is charging, and it really needs it.  When I returned from my far away adventures, I left my charging cords in the car.  Only I didn’t know it and wasted an inordinate amount of time searching again and again in the bags I had brought in.

“I know I brought the cords!  I REMEMBER putting them in a bag,” I wailed to myself.  And I just now realized I was spelling it “chords” like music.  In fact, it was music to my eyes when I found them (I know that is not really that expression, but I had to go with the play on words, you must see that I had to).

He’s saying, “Good grief, it’s almost Halloween!”

I throw in a picture to pep things up.  That vintage Santa Claus resides year round on the landing of my stairs.  Right now he has a Halloween scarf draped around him, after sporting my Kentucky Derby hat for a few months.  It reflects my mixed-up point of view, and life, that certain seasonal decorations adorn my house all year.

And I have babbled on for over 250 words.  Good enough for a placeholder post, I say.  Perhaps one more picture.

I put a spell on you!

The black and gold caftan is one of my go-to costumes.  Here I am being a silly wizard, but not for Halloween.  However, that is a story for a different blog post.

 

Help from Skeletons on Slacker Saturday

It’s going to be a Slacker Saturday and that is all there is to it.  I can’t even think of anything to say.  I can’t even bear to look at my phone to see if there are any pictures I have neglected to use.  Oh dear.

Somebody waiting for me to make a good blog post.

I think this picture was taken at an antique/second hand place that is now closed.  It is so sad to me when places I like don’t stay open.  At least I still have a picture of a skeleton to pep up a Slacker Saturday post.  And I see he is drinking a cuppa.  I have had a cup of coffee.  Perhaps another, or a cup of tea will pep me up as well.

A little color, for continued cheeriness.

I add another shot of fall foliage, because I am still reveling in the autumn colors.  I shall take a walk later, to enjoy more of it.  If I can manage to so bestir myself.

Can I roust myself out of the muck?

As you may have guessed, I am in something of a funk today.  However, it is early, especially for a Saturday.  I will try to get something done today, even if it is only to find some small bit of happiness on an October day.  I wish the same for all of you.

 

It’s All About Lame Old Me!

Oh crap, I have not made my Lame Post Friday blog post yet and it is almost one in the afternoon.  What is wrong with me?  I guess I have been a little busy.  I kind of alternate between running around doing things and sitting in my house in a huge funk, saying, “I Can’t Even.”  And I tend to spend more time doing the latter.  We must do something about that.  I speak with the Royal We, because I suppose in this case, I must help myself.

Who could be un-helped by blingy Minnie Mouse ears?

Here is a picture of me, all ready to help myself.  Is this not the picture of a woman who, in fact, Can Even?  I think so.  I only wish my mind were not so blank of something to blog about.

Hold on to your hat!

 

How about we make this post all about me?  I am taking care of myself today by getting my yearly mammogram.  Full disclosure:  before I got a mammogram last year it had been some years before I had had one.  However, it has been a year and a day since my last one.  I was amused to note I am getting my boobs squished on Dolly Parton Day (9/25, or nine two five), although Dolly would rather be known for books than looks.  I think that makes this post also a PSA:  hey, ladies, get your yearly mammograms!

And later on, I may strut my stuff!

After my mammogram, I will look for something fun to do.  The picture above is a rehearsal for a play I was in last year, which was of course fun, but such activities are not available to me today.  I include the picture, because I think I look cute (or do I flatter myself?).

Cheers to ME!

Yes, this is what I am likely to do later, lush that I am.  A glass of Chardonnay with friends.  If I cannot find any friends to hang out with, my knitting needles and an episode of Dateline or Columbo will have to do.  Happy Friday, everyone!

 

I Do Love Halloween

I don’t know what my problem is, but it seems I have one.  I was about to forget to make my Thursday blog post.  I think I can manage a Throwback Thursday.  Then I must, I really must at least attempt to do something useful.  I keep telling myself that no life is wasted, because one can always stand as a bad example to others, but that really leave a whole lot of unfilled time in an existence.

This would be a profitable use of my afternoon!

I thowback to October 2016 and a nicely decorated front porch.  Frankentree was not yet out of control.  I am not yet decorated for Halloween, but as it is still September, I shall not beat myself up over that.

I love that scarecrow lady peeking out!

I leap ahead to 2020, which is still a few years ago, and another good decorating year for me.  Will these pictures inspire me to get my Halloween house together?  I can only hope.

I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up!

And yet I fear my own lack of oomph.  I am like the half-buried skeleton and the dried up plant in the background.  I never did my container garden this year so do not have any dead plants to decorate with now.  You see how I fail to plan ahead.  However, one cannot change the past; we can only go on from here.  At least I have made a blog post of over 200 words. As always, I thank you for tuning in.

 

What’s a Ghoul to Do?

Hello and welcome to another Waste Not Want Not Wednesday blog post.  I was hoping to make this post when I was driving away from Ann Street Deli on Sunday and had occasion to wonder if I am not too obsessed with all things Halloween.  Specifically, do I see decorations where none are intended?  Looking at the picture, I think I could be excused for thinking this is some sort of ghoul.

Is he scary or just unhappy?

If I ever fix my outdoor spigot and get a hose, I am going to look for this sort of doodah to wrap it around.  I wish I could have a whole blog post of things that unintendedly look like spooks, but alas, this was the only one I found.

While taking a walk yesterday, I found only one thing worthy of stopping and taking a picture of, and it is not all that great of a picture.  I saw they had planted grass where they recently tore down a building next to Pete’s Tavern.

I peeked my phone through the chain link fence for the shot.

It is always nice to have more green space in the village.  I made myself take the walk, because I was feeling rather down yesterday.  I think I have mentioned that my depression is really kicking my butt these days.  However, one must persevere (one being me in this case, but I encourage perseverance in others as well).  With that in mind, I shall take myself off to swim this morning: exercise and sociability.  Stand up against that, depression!

In the meantime, I shall keep an eye out for more Halloween-like pictures.

 

Throwback to a Time Less Depressed?

I am just going to come out and say it. My depression is kicking my butt lately.  I do not know why.  I am taking my pills.  I am exercising.  I am being sociable with friends. I really hate to talk about these things.  For one reason, my mother reads this blog and I do not want her to worry.  I share it for two reasons:  one, it is my feeble excuse for doing a perhaps a dull, boring Throwback Thursday post (it can’t be a lame excuse, because it is not Friday).  Also, perhaps somebody else suffers from depression and they can feel they are not alone.

Why not make it a stinky post as well?

Ah yes, the Mohawk Valley Garlic and Herb Festival is this Saturday.  I do love garlic.  Perhaps I could cheer myself up by attending one of Little Falls’ premiere yearly events.  Little Falls, of course, has many marvelous events during the year, and Mohawk Valley Girl attends many of them.  This picture was taken in 2017.

A different memory entirely.

Ah, but who will I go to the Garlic Festival with?  I had an invitation from my sister Cheryl some weeks ago, but I do not know if she is still going.  Two of my Elks friends may go, so I could tag along with them.  The above picture, taken in Newport in 2019, is of course my two erstwhile adventure companions, Kim and Steve, one moved away, one sadly passed away.  This could be the root of my depression, but one must carry on.

My state of mind.

I close with a picture from September 2020, when things were a screwy for all of us.  I am, of course, ready for spooky season.

In my opening paragraph I mentioned a few of the things I am doing.  One thing I am NOT doing is giving up.  I feel depressed, but I will not merely sit home and feel that way.  I will get up and do something, or I will go outside and do something.  Then tomorrow perhaps I will write a blog post about it.

 

A Post with a Pause

You know you are having a Wrist to Forehead Sunday when you ask the Magic 8 Ball whether or not you should get in the shower.  It told me to ask again later, in case you are interested.

Probably not the best way to prepare for the week ahead.

Actually, I am not particularly dreading Monday.  I just wanted to throw in a picture to pep things up.

I miss my adventure buddies!

This picture is to denote passage of time.  I couldn’t think of anything to say, so I called my mother.  I am extremely blessed to have both parents alive and in reasonably good health, and I try to call them every day.  In the course of chatting with my Mom, I mentioned the Magic 8 Ball and asked it again should I get in the shower.  It said, Yes, Definitely.  As if the Magic 8 Ball has a sense of smell!  Maybe it just assumed I am a stinker (not an unreasonable assumption).  Anyways, I got in the shower and now I am clean and fresh and ready to finish the blog post.

The second picture is of my bestie Kim, who moved away, and my late, dearly missed husband Steve, on one of our many Mohawk Valley Adventures.  I will never be done missing my husband, but there is no point in wishing for what I cannot have, so I take a deep breath, look for a suitable pair of shoes, and get ready to head out in search of further Mohawk Valley Adventures.  Will I find any?  Or will I just walk around the block and return to sit on the couch, knit, and watch Dateline or Snapped?  A little uncertainty adds interest to my Sunday.

 

Better to Have Lamed…

Hello and welcome to another Lame Post Friday blog post.  It is, I am afraid, the best I can do today.  I am feeling down, but you’ll have that.  It is really no reason for concern.  I have not been out and about today, except to do some little bit of yard work (nothing work taking pictures and writing a blog post about, unfortunately).   But it is Lame Post Friday, the day when I indulge in random observations and half-baked philosophy.  What can I come up with today?

Oh! It’s a bird house!

When I looked at this picture all small in my Media Library, I had no idea what it was.  Silly me!  The picture was taken in 2020, when we were all hunkered down trying to avoid COVID.  I was putting up decorations here and there, trying to cheer the place up.  Perhaps I should make some efforts in that direction again.  First I have to clean.  Damn.

Sure looks different now!

Fast forward about a year from when the last picture was taken to August 2021, and look at all the Brown-Eyed Susans I had.  It was amazing!  This is actually the area of the deck I was working on this morning, once again battling the wild grapevines (if only I could  make wild wine, we could come to some sort of an agreement).  It does not look like this.  Not a single Brown-Eyed Susan do I have, alas.

I do not know if any of those count as random observations or half-baked philosophy, and I am thinking probably not.  However, I observe (not so randomly, unfortunately) that I am over 250 words.  I think that counts as good for a Friday blog post, Lame or otherwise (I guess all my posts are somewhat lame).  I philosophize that a lame post is better than no post at all.  Have I used that as a title already? I fear so.

 

A New Start? Or Another Lame Step?

Sometimes doing something, anything different can help you get out of a rut.  For example, making my Lame Post Friday blog post ON Friday, which I have not done in a number of weeks (yes, I know, one is a number) (some say it is the loneliest number, but that is rather a cliche, is it not?).  Where was I?  Ah yes, all week I have been making a post in the morning, as early as I could manage, for the previous day.  It is now Friday afternoon (by my clock if not by my WordPress timestamp), and I thought I would make my Lame Post Friday post.

Go ahead and fail me, feet; it’s Lame Post Friday.

This is a shot from 2019, and it is not very accurate to right now.  My toenails need repainting badly, but I don’t think I could stand a full pedicure.  Also, that pair of sandals broke ages ago.  I am hard on sandals, I suppose.  I may try to paint my own toenails and forgo the pumice stone.  Then I’ll take another feet picture.  Oh, and if the caption doesn’t make sense to you, it is a reference to an old saying, “Feet, don’t fail me now!”

My mood if not my weather.

Looking for another picture to illustrate my post, I found these dark clouds.  It is, in fact, a nice sunny day right now.  My current outlook is gloomy, but I will try to perk myself up.  I know what!  I will walk to the Herkimer County Historical Society and purchase post cards.  Then I will have something fun to send family and friends.  In sending them some cheer, I will manufacture a little cheer for myself.

 

I Didn’t Get To

I neglected to make my Wrist to Forehead Sunday blog post, but that isn’t really what I Didn’t Get To, as referenced in the title.  The title refers to the Utica Boilermaker 15K, which longtime readers know I have run in the past and I meant to run this year but was sidelined by my treacherous body.  Then again, perhaps it was me who betrayed my body by not training properly, not stretching enough, eating the wrong things, blah blah blah.  In other words, once again, Operator Error.  In either case, yesterday I swooned, dramatically posed with the back of one wrist to my forehead, because I could not join the other runners.

What I might have looked like after the race.

That is a picture from April of 2020, after I had just run a Virtual 5K to benefit, I think, a food pantry in Little Falls, NY.  These were my pre-Garmin, pre-Map My Run days, so I ran what I thought I remembered was the DARE 5K route, up the hill to Herkimer College (a formidable hill, in case you didn’t know).  Some people were impressed.

So I got on Facebook yesterday and saw all the good wishes for Boilermaker runners and video from WKTV, and I was, I admit it, a little down. So I said to myself, “You don’t get to.”  And isn’t that the truth?  Sometimes you just don’t get to.  I didn’t get to see my husband turn 70.  I didn’t get to win the Lottery.  I didn’t get to plant a vegetable garden this year.

I do not know why that little phrase should make me feel better, but somehow it does.  I did not get to run the Boilermaker.  Maybe next year I will.  Or maybe not.  A little uncertainty adds interest to 2027, does it not?