Tag Archives: Do Not Enter

Walking into the Weekend Once Again

I’m pretty sure I’ve used that headline before, but perhaps my readers will forgive me.  If not, well that is a silly thing to hold a grudge over, isn’t it?  Oh I know, you’re not mad, only disappointed.  Now I’m getting silly.  I had coffee instead of tea this morning.

Do Not Enter into silliness? Say it ain’t so!

I have been getting out walking almost every day this week, so I thought a brief Pedestrian Post would keep me in the daily blogging habit for another day.  I actually took this picture some days ago.  I was on my way to the Herkimer Elks Lodge.  I joined recently and have met some very nice people.  I hope to participate in some of their projects.  If nothing else, it will make for some good blog posts.

Not as clear as I had hoped.

On another walk, I noticed some bird prints and paused to take a picture.  That extended my walk, because I dropped a glove and did not notice it till I was two or three blocks away and had to go back.

Some guys from the press conference.

Just to show you I have not only been taking walks and hanging out with the Elks, I share a picture from a press conference I covered for Sentinel Media Company.  Regular readers may recall I cover a couple of village and town board meetings for them.  I like to pretend I am an intrepid girl reporter from a 1930s or ’40s movie, although I am really none of the three.

I do not know what the rest of my weekend will bring, but I hope something blogworthy.  In the meantime, I approach 300 words and hope I have been at least mildly entertaining.  I wonder if there is any more coffee…

By the way, I fixed the headline.  It originally read, “Walking into the Weekend,” which I had indeed used before.

 

Shed a Little Lame on the Subject

Here I am but not with the better blog post I so optimistically talked about yesterday. What did I think I was going to come up with on Lame Post Friday? I feel certain that none of my readers feel the least degree of surprise.

I am once again pecking in one letter at a time with a stylus on my cell phone.  At least the stylus works better than my fat finger (I never did get the hang of using my thumbs).

I should be so well dressed.

Hey, I just learned how to italicize the caption on a photo!  I looked for something silly in my Media Library, because I could use a laugh and I just imagine others could too.  The coffee filter landed on the cup by accident, and I thought it looked like a bonnet.  I wrote a whole blog post about it.

The story of my life.

This was the other photo that caught my eye.  Regular readers know that when I see a sign like this on a walk or run, I usually enter.  It gives me a little chuckle inside my head. Unfortunately it is becoming a kind of an ongoing metaphor with me:  I constantly do or say the wrong thing!

However, one cannot be right all the time. And perhaps my bad example will inspire others to be less wrong themselves. Yes, yes, that sounds like a massive rationalization.  What do you expect from me on Lame Post Friday?

Because I Felt Like It

AAAaaand we’re back to late blog posts.  My computer does not like the way I spelled “And,” but it is the way I said it in my head.  Also, we learned in junior high school English class never to start a sentence with “and,” “but,” or “because,” so ha ha on two counts.  I am in a kind of a rollicking mood this morning, and I intend to make a Non-Sequitur Thursday post.

It’s not hump day either.

I looked for a random photo and decided on this camel from the Utica Zoo. I guess the picture would be more appropriate for Wednesday, so you can see what a rebel I am.

These signs should be posted on my mind.

I searched for a while to find a “Do Not Enter” sign.  As regular readers know, whenever I am walking or running and encounter a sign that says “DO NOT ENTER,” I enter.  It makes me feel like a rebel.  Oh, I know, they are talking about vehicular traffic, not old ladies plodding along at whatever pace I can manage.  Give me a break; I have to get my chuckles where I can.

Herman is horrified that I am making my Thursday blog post on Friday.

I cannot make any promises about making my Lame Post Friday post on Friday.  Then again, I rarely make promises (but I often make typos) (I say that because it took me three tries to type “promises”) (but I digress).  I see I am approaching 250 words.  What, oh what, can I come up with for a headline?

 

A Colorful Walk

I had thought about doing a Saturday Running Commentary yesterday, but it never quite happened. Today I was too lazy to run but took a nice walk so perhaps a Pedestrian Post with Pictures is eligible.  This weekend has been quite wonderful, weatherwise, with lots of sunshine.  In addition to my run yesterday, I took a long walk.  Today I actually had a couple of photo ops.

One lone bloom bringing hope, always a good sight.

I set out to do a long-ish walk.  I paused to take a picture of one lone flower.  It just seemed so symbolic.

I gotta love it!

Part of my walk was by the construction that has been going on at the end of German Street for some time now.  They seem to be making progress.  I turned up Maple Grove and was delighted to see that someone had added to a detour sign. I’m sure a lot of people have felt this startled to see the bridge was out.

Pretty! 

Of course I had to take a picture of some fall color.  Perhaps things are not as vivid as other years, but I love what color I see!

A little more color.

I walked up behind Valley Health Center and past the Do Not Enter Sign into the parking lot.  I knew I had a picture of the sign in my Media Library but thought a picture of another autumn tree would be nicer.  Regular readers know I love to defy Do Not Enter Signs; I don’t always have to show them as illustration.

Not exactly on fire, but…

I was wondering if these were the kind of tree called the Burning Bush; I know their leaves turn all red this time of year.  In any case, is it some more color to add to my blog post.

I felt quite invigorated by my walk.  Of course I did not use the energy to do much afterwards.  It is Sunday, after all.  However, I see I have made a blog post of over 300 words.  That has to be worth something.  I hope all my readers are also enjoying fall.

 

Run Before Murder

Remember Saturday Running Commentary?  I would get up on a Saturday morning, go for a run, then write a blog post about it.  I have recently re-started running AGAIN, and I would like to do a Saturday Running Commentary post.  For one reason, if I do not make my blog post this morning, there is every chance I will not get to it later.  I do not want to break my streak!  Um, that is, my streak of blogging. I have never actually been streaking; sorry if that gave you an unfortunate mental image.

When I woke up this morning, I thought I would not run.  I must recruit my energies for Deadly Night Life, the murder mystery being presented at Salisbury Grange this afternoon.  However, after drinking some coffee and contemplating my day, I decided to go.  It could be a short run.  It will never be a fast run.  I could do this.

I thought I would run the way I walked to the Elk Lodge on Thursday.  It was an indirect route, amounting to about a half a mile.  Then I could keep going till it was a mile.  At least I would go a mile.  Maybe more.  Maybe 20 minutes.  No pressure.  Up to German Street and turn right.  I went as far as the path over what used to be a hydraulic canal, one of my favorite places to walk or run.

The spots are a little faded now.

I did not “Step, “March,” “Tiptoe,” etc. as advised by the printing at each painting.  I may do so if I ever walk the path with my great niece and nephew.  I continued to go through the County Office Building parking lot, so I could defy a couple of Do Not Enter signs.  Regular readers know how I love to do that.

Running past the Elks Lodge (which I cannot find a photo of in my Media Library, nor can I find a Do Not Enter sign), I saw a lady walking a cute dog.  I called good morning and asked if I could pet her dog.  The poocher was certainly eager to be petted.  The lady said it was a good reason to take a little break from a jog.

“It encourages me to keep going,” I told her.  We wished each other a nice day and moved on.  It is always a good run when I get to pet a dog.

I continued past my beloved Herkimer Historic Four Corners, going close to the 1834 Jail, so Chester Gilette could look out the window at me.

I thank whoever put him in the window!

I ended up running for 20 minutes.  I can’t tell you how much over a mile it was, because my Garmin is across the room from me, and I am recruiting my energies.  I have a murder mystery today, you know!

 

 

Nice Walk, But Little Spring in my Step

Monstrous Monday post on Tuesday, Tired Tuesday post on Wednesday, I’ve done it before and I will no doubt do it again.  I took a walk yesterday after work, thinking to do a Pedestrian Post with Pictures.  I took two but passed a few places I have pics of in my Media Library.  Let us see what I can come up with.

It was cold.  With Mother Nature’s macabre sense of humor, she gave us spring-like weather last week and winter weather on the first day of spring.  I dressed accordingly, wearing a lovely red cape/coat I picked up at a rummage sale but have rarely worn.  Searching for a hat worthy of it, I found one that had been crocheted for me by my dear friend Heather (I had sent her baby afghans for her beautiful newly-adopted twins) (oh, I also sent her a scarf I knitted; maybe the hat was in thanks for that) (and here I am bragging about stuff I send other people. What an ego!  What have I done for anyone lately?) (that last was a rhetoric question).

Where was I?  Ah yes, taking a walk.

Two venerable buildings.

I walked from my house to German Street, eventually turning down Main Street, where I passed my beloved Herkimer Historic Four Corners.  I continued down Main past the former Christ Episcopal Church, which I used to attend.  It is no longer a church, and the For Sale sign is gone.  I wonder what the future will bring for that lovely building.  The other building in the in the picture is the Herkimer County Courthouse.

There was a bank on the side of the road I was on.  I noted a Do Not Enter sign on the drive-thru. Regular readers know that I just love to enter when they say not to.  No cars were currently using the drive-thru, so I walked through it the wrong way.  I took a picture to commemorate the event.

I maintain my rebel cred.

The wind picked up as I continued my walk, so I cut things short.  I went through the park by Basloe Library (must make a trip there in the near future), went by a No Not Enter sign onto Bellinger Avenue and thence home.

I KNOW they mean cars, not old ladies walking; let me enjoy my little rebellions!

I took a selfie when I got home, thinking to post it on Facebook, so Heather would know I am still wearing her lovely hat.  I take terrible selfies.  They remind me that I am not nearly as cute as I like to think I am.  Then again, we are none of us the best judges of our own looks.  And I tell myself, “For heavens’ sake, how cute does a sixty-year-old lady have to be?”

Don’t look at me; look at the hat!

My walk ended up being 20 minutes, just under one mile.  I was and am glad I took a walk.  Exercise is a potent anti-depressant, and I need all the help I can get!

 

Starting Over on Tired Tuesday?

Have I enough oomph to make at least  Tired Tuesday Post before I retire for the evening?  I hope the answer is yes, but we shall see.  I had a certain amount of oomph earlier, which I used to get a few things done before rehearsal for The Man in the Bowler Hat,  the play I am in at Ilion Little Theatre  (preview of coming attractions).  As I drove home, of course I remembered several things I did not get done, but I can’t do everything, after all.

 

I went for a walk before work this morning.  It was not a very long walk, but I assured myself that was not important.  The important thing was that I walked.  Likewise, my run this afternoon was short.  It seems odd that I can only manage such short bouts of exercise after training for and running the Utica Boilermaker 15K in July, but so it is.  I feel that once again I am starting over.

I ran by this sign on today’s run.

I throw in a picture to pep things up.  Regular readers know how I love to enter where it says not to.  Don’t worry; I never do it when I am driving.

Earlier today I thought of posting as my Facebook status,  “How many times is one allowed to start over? Asking for a friend.”  I just imagined people would respond with encouraging words, but of course you never know.  In the end, I did not take the chance.

I see I have attained 250 words without mentioning that the reason I am so down is that I spent part of rehearsal thinking, “Oh, wait till I tell Steve about that!”  I know this is something I will have to deal with for the rest of my life.  I will, I am sure, learn how to deal with it eventually.  In the meantime, I may just continue to mention it occassionally in a blog post.

 

Another Day, Another Walk, Another Post

At the risk of being redundant (oh, who am I kidding? I say the same things over and over again all the time!), I make another Pedestrian Post.  Today’s walk was longer with no libations involved.  I first went to the post office again, this time with business correspondence in hand (what business, you ask? Nun-O-Yo Bidness!) (I’ve never actually said that to anyone, but I have always wanted to).  It was not as warm as yesterday but still perfectly comfortable for walking.

I should do something like this with Frankentree!

On the way to the post office, I paused to snap a picture of an Easter Egg Tree I have been admiring.  Maybe next year I will find enough oomph to decorate for the holidays.

After mailing my letter, I walked a long way home, going past Basloe Library.  When I left the house, I had had some notion of stopping there to work on my murder mystery (preview of coming attractions) but decided I would rather take a longer walk and work on it at home (full disclosure: I still have to do that).  Going through the parking lot, I decided to get a picture of the Do Not Enter sign I mentioned in my last Running Commentary Post (perhaps you read it) (I mean the post, not the sign, although you are welcome to read both).

Once again, I entered.

I walked past my street by two blocks, then up to German Street to get back home.  I was hoping to walk for a half hour, and I did.  For another seasonal picture, I got the cross in front of Trinity Lutheran Church.

Full disclosure: I may not go to church on Easter Sunday.

My walk was over a half hour and over a mile and a half.  I believe I mentioned how I have been seeking the mental health benefits of exercise.  I think this walk helped.  I hope to try another walk or run tomorrow, maybe even both.  But I might look for something else to blog about.  I hope you will stay tuned.

 

Running by the Rules

I had not gone running since Tuesday nor even taken a walk since Wednesday.  Yes, you can shake your finger at me, or your head, or your booty.  These things happen.   I did not even run Saturday.  So I made sure to go for at least a short one today.

Just 20 minutes, I told myself, just go for 20 minutes.  I had gotten up to 31 minutes last weekend, so by my Add Ten Percent rule I should have been up to 34 minutes today (I didn’t make that up, the guy at the Sneaker Store told me about it a long time ago; I guess it’s a thing) (although knowing me, I probably don’t do it right).  But after missing four days, I followed the Give Myself a Break rule.

It was much chillier than it was yesterday but not too bad.  Until the wind picked up.  Yikes!  Fortunately it did not blow fiercely for the entire run.

I started out taking the opposite direction from what I usually do, heading away from German Street.  Then I took a right onto Church Street, heading towards Valley Health, where there is a nice hill I could run up.  However, when I got closer I again followed the Give Myself a Break rule and turned into the high school parking lot.

You have to picture it without the leaves on the trees.

I  observed as I ran that I was heading the same way as the water.  When I run up to Herkimer College the back way (which I have not done in a long time), there is a little creek running downhill.  I always think the water is laughing at me, “Hey, you!  You’re going the wrong way! Downhill is much better!”  At the high school, it is a more gradual slope.

My run was not feeling bad.  My body did not protest much at all.  I turned a few corners, debating on the best way to get back home anand still take at least 20 minutes.  Additionally, I tried to run with the sun not too much in my eyes.  It is annoying and can give me a headache.

All the snow was gone today.

I ran through Meyer’s Park, as I often like to do.  I wanted to go up Prospect Street as far as the Do Not Enter sign on Bellinger Avenue.  Regular readers know how I like to enter when it says not to.

On another topic…

I was unsuccessfully  searching my Media Library for a picture of the Do Not Enter sign when I saw this utterly appropriate photo.  I personally am indulging in a little wine, not a blender of booze.  Additionally, I am not too devastated by the thought of Monday.  I will naturally feel differently tomorrow morning, but I can’t worry about that now.

About the run:  22 minutes, over a mile and a half, and it felt pretty good.  I was only sorry I was out of milk, so I could not have my usual chocolate milk recovery beverage.  Bring On the week!

 

 

Saturday? Sunday? Just Another Blog Post

It is a well known fact that I have never, at any point in my life, for one minute, ever had my act together.  It seems unlikely that I will achieve such a status at this late stage, even if I were to make the attempt.  Full disclosure:  I tend not to try.  At worst,  I survey the damage and make embarrassing weepy noises.  At best, I just drive on.  I am hoping for a drive on day today.

I am lounged on my couch, pecking in one letter at a time with the stylus on my Tablet, trying to remember why I did not make my Saturday blog post on Saturday.  I am further wondering if I can count this post for both Saturday and Sunday.  Would that be cheating?  I do not approve of cheating, even if it is on my own rules for me.  Still, one resorts to  these measures on occasion.

It has not been a bad weekend so far.  I went for good runs both yesterday and today, going further than last weekend and even including a few hills.  I petted a couple dogs today.

The sign is looking more faded now, and the trees in the background have no leaves.

I ran by this DO NOT ENTER sign yesterday.  Regular readers know I love to enter when it says not to.

That car wasn’t there today.

I ran by the post office today.  I walked there yesterday to mail my post cards and a letter.

I keep hoping for some of those endorphins to kick in.  One reason I try to be vigilant about running and walking is for the mental health benefits.  However, I don’t suppose anything will be a miracle cure.  Again I ask, why can’t I have a miracle cure?

And again I answer myself, never mind why, you can’t and that’s that.  However, it seems I can make a blog post.  It may be a late, foolish blog post, but what can you expect from someone who emphatically does not have her act together?