Tag Archives: dogs

Wrist to Forehead Walk

I am going to start a new feature and call it Wrist to Forehead Sunday (you know, that dramatic pose with a wrist to your forehead before you swoon from the stress). It seems I reach many Sundays convinced that I am utterly incapable of writing a decent blog post. Today I have at least three perfectly good Mohawk Valley topics to write on and I feel Blank. Rather than write yet another post about Why I Can’t Write a Post Today (which are, I guiltily admit, kind of fun to write), I dragged Steven and Tabby on a walk to the post office and I shall write about that.

To begin with I had written a letter to a friend (yes, I hand write letters which I send through the US Postal service and I delight in receiving one back). I had finished writing it earlier in the day, when I felt unable to write the blog post. I thought if I could write anything I could segue over. The segueing had not happened when Steven arrived home (I admit it: I had segued into doing a cryptogram puzzle in a puzzle book).

While he went up to look at the computer I had an inspiration that we would walk to the post office and I would write about that. First I had a Get Well card to write on Tabby’s behalf to a friend’s pet who is ailing. I wrote a letter from Tabby to Shadoe, utilizing the Historic Four Corners stationery I purchased at the Herkimer County Historical Society some time ago and had not used yet. I thought Tabby would appreciate having a letter from her written on stationery of one of her favorite places to walk.

We set out, walking down our street and admiring our neighbors’ Halloween decorations. One house had some cobwebs nicely covering the porch. I can never get those cobwebs spread out properly. They always bunch up. I pointed out to Steven some skeletons in a fishnet I had noticed earlier in the week.

We went through Myers Park to the post office. It had started to rain a little as we continued up Main Street. Steven put the hood of his jacket up, prompting Tabby to give him what I thought was a funny look. We bypassed the Historic Four Corners by going through a parking lot, in order to spend less time in the rain. This brought us out on Church Street, where I could show Steven the awesomely decorated house I had observed earlier.

They had added a coffin and more cobwebs. There were graves with a head and hand popping up I had not seen before, and some homemade graves I know were not there before. We pointed out to each other all the cool things, and I suggested we return for another walk after dark, because there are obviously things that light up.

After that it had stopped raining, so we continued up Prospect to German. We did not see any more Halloween decorations, but we observed a tree with some lovely orange leaves and a black cat on a porch. Nature’s own fall decor.

Well, I guess this turns out to be not a bad post after all. Or do I flatter myself? At any rate, I feel a lot less wrist to forehead now. See you on Middle-aged Musing Monday. Or Monster Movie Monday, depending on what I do for the rest of the day.

Saturday Running Commentary

I believe I said last week that Running Commentary Saturday would be my new weekly feature. It was this reflection that got me into my running clothes and out the door this morning, because I did NOT feel like running. For one thing, I still felt clean from last night’s shower. Who wants to get all sweaty and dirty? Oh, I know, some people do.

It was nice and cool, and a little cloudy as I set out. It had rained in the night (which was a good thing for me since I had not watered my container garden). I pondered where to run. I hadn’t run for four days due to heat, being busy and not feeling well. Four days is bad. Five would be worse. I was glad I had talked myself into it.

My legs didn’t feel too awfully unhappy for me. I turned down German Street, not in the direction of the hill up to Herkimer County Community College. I’m still rebuilding myself. I thought I’d take another day off from hills.

I saw a man and cute little dog a couple of blocks ahead of me. I like to stop running briefly to pet a dog. The dogs usually like it too. Would I catch up? I always have to laugh at myself when I see how long it takes me to catch up to a pedestrian. Who do I think I’m kidding when I say I’m running? It’s a middle-aged shuffle and some days it is slower than others. In this case, the dog stopped and sniffed enough so I was able to catch up.

“Can I pet your dog?”

“Sure, he’s friendly.” He was actually sniffing a bush at the time and paid me not the slightest bit of attention. I petted him quick, wished the man a good day and ran on.

Lots of porches for me to envy. I thought I might have an afternoon cup of coffee or tea on mine later. Few people sitting out. I saw one man leaning on the railing of an upstairs porch, watching the world. We exchanged greetings. I ran on.

Other than the dog, it was an uneventful run. I didn’t feel “Oh yeah, I can rock this,” but I didn’t feel too terrible, either. My goal is to NOT go four days without running next week, which may be problematic. I have rehearsals almost every day for Dirty Work at the Crossroads, the play which Ilion Little Theatre is doing. In fact, this blog may become All Dirty Work All The Time. I rather like that. It has a ring to it which All Harvey All The Time and All Boilermaker All The Time lacked.