Tag Archives: depression

It’s All About Lame Old Me!

Posted on September 26, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

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

Posted on September 24, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

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.

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Posted in humor, personal, Throwback Thursday and tagged blog post, blogging, depression, Halloween, Halloween decorations, not writing, writing. Bookmark the permalink.

What’s a Ghoul to Do?

Posted on September 23, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

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.

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Posted in humor, personal, Waste Not Want Not Wednesday and tagged blog post, blogging, depression, ghouls, green space, Halloween, Halloween decorations, walking. Bookmark the permalink.

Throwback to a Time Less Depressed?

Posted on September 11, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

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.

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Posted in humor, personal, Throwback Thursday and tagged blog post, blogging, depression, Elks friends, friend Kim, garlic festival, husband Steven, lame post, Little Falls NY, Mohawk Valley adventures, Mohawk Valley Garlic and Herb Festival, Newport NY. Bookmark the permalink.

A Post with a Pause

Posted on August 31, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

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.

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Posted in humor, personal, Wrist to Forehead Sunday and tagged blog post, blogging, depression, dreading Monday, friend Kim, husband Steven, Magic 8 Ball, Media Library, Mohawk Valley adventures, mom and dad, parents. Bookmark the permalink.

Better to Have Lamed…

Posted on August 8, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

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.

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Posted in humor, Lame Post Friday, personal and tagged blog post, blogging, brown eyed susans, depression, half-baked philosophy, Media Library, random observations, yard word. Bookmark the permalink.

A New Start? Or Another Lame Step?

Posted on August 1, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

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.

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Posted in humor, Lame Post Friday, personal, Uncategorized and tagged blog post, blogging, depression, feet, herkimer county historical society, mood, pedicure, post cards, weather. Bookmark the permalink.

I Didn’t Get To

Posted on July 13, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

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?

The Boilermaker Blues

Posted on July 10, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hello and welcome to another Lame Post Friday post! I am waiting for my new smarter-than-me phone to charge a little more before I head out to the Health and Wellness Expo for the Utica Boilermaker 2026. Normally this blog would be All Boilermaker All The Time at this point, as I dealt with last minute training and carbing up, Boilermaker Butterflies, decisions about what to wear, where to park, and anything else I could come up with to dither about. Regular readers know, that will not happen this year.

My feet failed me now.

Those are my sneakers in 2020, a virtual Boilermaker year. Running was a great solace to me during COVID shut-down. I have long relied on walking and running to supplement my anti-depressant drugs, counseling, etc. These days I keep giving myself a good talking-to when I start to feel sorry for myself over the way my body has betrayed me this year, because for heavens’ sake, it could be much worse.

I waited till way too late in the game to transfer my bib or get a medical deferral. Partly because I was spending time immobile and incommunicado, partly because I kept hoping there would be some miracle. That was silly of me, but then, you know me. Silly. I emailed the race director on Wednesday and told him my tentative plan to pick up my bib and glass, then go to the race after-party on my crutches and drink beer with the finishers. He emailed back that he thought it was a great idea. How sweet was that, that he took time to email me back!

Not the best picture.

The Boilermaker gives you a glass instead of a t-shirt. This is from the first time I ran the Boilermaker in 2010. I have not run it every year, but I have run it several times (please don’t ask me to do the math!). Sorry the picture is so dark. I first had to wander around my messy house looking for a place to take the picture at all; I couldn’t be bothered to worry about the lighting as well.

I see I am over 350 words with neither a random observation nor a bit of half-baked philosophy to show for it. What is Lame Post Friday coming to? On the brighter side, it is just about time to take off for the Expo. Another glass to drink my chocolate milk recovery beverage out of, if I am ever able to run again!

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Posted in humor, Lame Post Friday, personal and tagged blog post, blogging, Boilermaker, COVID, depression, health, Health and Wellness Expo, not running, running, Utica NY, Virtual Boilermaker. Bookmark the permalink.

I Lame Myself

Posted on May 8, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I think I have whined a couple of times about my mysterious leg pains. I keep putting off calling the VA to make another appointment in hopes that it mysteriously resolves itself as pains sometimes do. In the meantime, it has been causing some problems, because I rely on my nearly daily walks and runs to supplement my anti-depressant medications. I gradually become more open in talking about my depression in hopes of doing my little part to remove the stigma still attached to mental health. Was that virtue signalling? Oh dear. All I really set out to do was make a Running Commentary blog post. Quick, throw in a picture to distract from my word salad.

Decidedly not where I ran today.

I did run up this hill recently. Incidentally, it is more intimidating when you are on it than it looks in this picture. Getting back to today. My legs and back usually feel pretty good when I first get up, so I thought I would try at least a short run. I am registered for the Boilermaker 15K, and I would really hate to miss it. Additionally, I am putting on weight. And I LIKE to run! With everything in my favor, I got my gear on and set out.

And it felt pretty good. I did not attempt any hills and I set a rather slow pace. I considered trying for two miles, figuring in my head how many weeks I have till the big race and how fast I ought to try to improve. Doing math in my head is a good way to pass the time while I run. A drill sergeant told me many years ago that running was just a matter of distracting yourself from how much it sucks to run.

I had looped around and was heading towards my house when my left calf started to ache just a little. I was about 20 minutes into the run. I had been going to make a turn and run another block or two, but then I thought, don’t be stupid. Twenty minutes is fine after more than a week off. I went home. I think it was a good thing I did, because when I stopped running and stood still, my leg started hurting like a sonofabitch! I couldn’t do my cool-down walk! I couldn’t do my stretches! I made it into the house, sat down on the couch, and put my feet up. And made this blog post.

That brings us up to date. I see I have babbled on for over 400 words, and I just remembered something: This is Lame Post Friday. I find that strangely appropriate.

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Posted in humor, personal, running commentary and tagged aches and pains, blog post, blogging, Boilermaker 15K, depression, pain, running, virtue signalling, walking. Bookmark the permalink.

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