Tag Archives: health

Once Again, I Hope to Break a Lame

I was going to further interrupt my bout of All Prescription: Murder All The Time for a Lame Post Friday post, but I fear it will be a Blogger’s Sick Day as well.  What a headache I am getting all of a sudden!  On the brighter side, it is more lightheadedness than pain.  Let us by all means count our blessings.  A nap did not help.  Perhaps some coffee?

Picture to denote passage of time while I put on a little coffee.

I have only gone over my lines once so far today.  That does not seem like enough.  Oh dear.

Picture to denote passage of time while I look over my lines one more time.

I just looked over my lines again, but I am not sure it did me any good.  However, it seems the coffee is ready.  I did not put a picture to denote passage of time while I got a cup (I think it is funny when I do that, but perhaps I flatter myself).  The picture is me at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer at one of their tastings. The pourer often has to take a picture to show their boss that they are so pouring samples.  I always let them take mine, cheese-eating grin and all (only I don’t say cheese) (see what I did there?).

I just wore that skirt yesterday. The slippers are worn out.

The coffee is steadying my nerves as well as helping my headache.  Or perhaps it is getting the blog post done that helps.  However, I am still a bundle of nerves, seeing as tonight is opening night for Prescription: Murder, the play I am in at Ilion Little Theatre (ILT) (perhaps you read some of my blog posts about it).  I encourage myself with a rehearsal shot from one of my stage triumphs, The Busy Body, which ILT put on some years ago. You may think I am flattering myself by saying “stage triumph,” but everybody said I was very successful in the part.

In any case, I have rattled on for over 300 words.  I had better make sure I have done everything I need to do to get ready for tonight.  I’m sure it will be fun.

 

Running Commentary Is Back! I Hope

Yesterday began what is supposed to be a stretch of warmer weather in the Mohawk Valley, so I threw caution to the wind (which had died down) and went running for the first time in months.  I didn’t really throw caution to the wind; I just thought it would be funny if I added the parenthetical comment, since it has been so horridly windy lately.  In fact, I dressed appropriately, stretched a little before I ran, and ran at a pace suited to conditions.

I ran in the road, although in general I prefer sidewalks.  You just can’t count on people driving to notice little old ladies like me.  OK, I’m not so little, but I may go on the South Beach Diet, and with that and running, I may shrink.  Not Incredibly, like the guy in the movie, but somewhat.  Anyways, the roads were pretty much bare, and I tried to stick to the quiet ones.

I didn’t Map My Run but relied on my Garmin, which I tended to look at a lot, hoping for encouragement. It really didn’t feel too bad to begin with.  The frisson of virtue that I was finally running and the delight of almost springlike weather helped.  I had it in my head to run for 20 minutes.  As my body started to get a little tired, I thought I would at least do a mile, because that would probably be 15 minutes.  YES, that is a damn slow mile; one has to start somewhere!

At one point, I saw a lady walking down the sidewalk toward me.  When she got closer I asked, “Can you tell I’m running or am I too slow?”

She laughed and assured me I was doing great.  My first mile was indeed over 15 minutes.  By that time I was still at least five minutes from my house, so my 20 minute goal worked out fine.

Me feeling good about myself.

Since I had not Mapped My Run to share on Facebook, I took a selfie for my Facebook Friends’ entertainment.  Naturally I had to share my triumph on Facebook.

And now I have shared my triumph with my blog readers.  I plan to run again today.  I feel more Running Commentary Posts are in my future!

 

Pre- and Post-Rehearsal Tired

I have less than an hour before I have to go to rehearsal for Prescription: Murder, the play I am in at Ilion Little Theatre (tickets went on sale today!).  I neglected to take pictures at the last rehearsal I attended, so perhaps it would be a good idea to finish this post after rehearsal and add some illustration.  That way I could study my lines some more.  Hmmm…  study my lines, make a blog post.  Study my lines, make a blog post… It is a rough decision.

Picture from Media Library to denote passage of time.

I looked over my lines and went to rehearsal but forgot to bring my phone so took no pictures  The above is a shot from auditions.  None of the fellows pictured were at tonight’s rehearsal, but I thought we could stretch a point.  Full disclosure:  looking over my lines some more was not as effective as I had hoped, because I did not know them very well at rehearsal.  However, I have time to improve.

My cold continues to plague me as I strive to get things done.  I managed a few things today before rehearsal.  The beauty part is there is no place I have to be tomorrow and no chore I absolutely must get done.  I think.  I hope.  I guess I will find out.

In the meantime I have managed over 200 words on a Tired Tuesday post.  Or was this a Blogger’s Sick Day?  Discuss amongst yourselves.

 

Another Non-Sequitur Lame Post Friday

This feels like a really late Lame Post Friday post, because Thursday felt like Friday, and yesterday felt like Saturday, so today should kind of feel like Sunday.  It is in fact early Saturday morning (I consult my watch and my Chromebook to confirm). Only I am not sure that it feels like anything as I got very little sleep last night.  But let us not dwell on my myriad problems and my tendency to whine about them; let us attempt some semblance of a blog post.

Well isn’t red a Christmas color?

OK, about that picture.  As I typed the first paragraph, my headache rolled back in.  I thought to throw in a Christmas illustration but the headache got more obtrusive as I searched my Media Library so I clicked almost at random, hit Save, and went elsewhere on my Chromebook till the weird feeling subsided (I should type up a few paragraphs describing the sensations of this headache, not for blogging purposes but to inflict on my neurologist). I typed and sent a couple of emails.  It is funny how you can do some kinds of writing sometimes.  Ooh, that is a bit of half-baked philosophy, is it not?  This IS a Lame Post Friday post!

Yesterday I took a real trip to Little Falls, NY with my sister Cheryl, and I took a number of pictures at our various stops.  Later on I stopped by the Wine Tasting Room at Raindrops on Roses Bed and Breakfast in Herkimer for a chat with the delightful proprietors.  I continued to a delicious dinner at Salvatore’s.  In between bouts of headache, it was quite the enjoyable day, and I hope to make more detailed posts about the places I stopped.

I quite forgot where I was going with this blog post, but I see I am approaching 300 words.  I say that is not bad, and I am hungry for my breakfast.  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

I Guess I Was a Non-Sequitur

I meant to make my Thursday blog post on Thursday.  In fact, I went out in hopes of finding something to blog about.  It did not work out so well.  You see, I had this weird headache and I could not seem to quite do anything.  Don’t tell my mother; I don’t want her to worry.  Oh dear, she might read this post.  Never mind; I’ll think of something good to tell her.

Anyways, the headache was as much light-headedness as pain, and it kind of came and went, so during one of the times it went, I ventured out of the house.  I had an idea to check out a new store in Ilion, BB Music Center at 141 Central Ave., then have lunch at the new Jessie’s Grill at 200 Otsego St. (that cool wedge-shaped building). Unfortunately I found out Jessie’s was not to open till later, so I decided to go to Little Falls.

I hadn’t been here in a while.

I had not realized how cold it was till I walked from my car to the Little falls Antique Center at Canal Place. It was nice to look at all the beautiful wares again. Ooh I was loving the vintage jazz they were playing!  But these were not the Christmas presents I was thinking of purchasing for my loved ones.  Still, I know some of my siblings would love to accompany me there for another shopping trip one day.  I thought it might be a good idea to have lunch before going on.  For one reason, my headache was starting to come back.

Unfortunately I could not make up my mind to go into any of the eateries at Canal Place.  Perhaps I could find something on Main Street that would work.  Accordingly, I drove there and parked.  Ooh, there was Chickweed Boutique.  I love that place.  But… food.  I locked my car and started down the street.  I had parked close to one end of Main so I had a good ways to walk, and a few good eating places to walk by and choose from.

The wind had died down a little, so with my shawl, hat and gloves, I was not too cold at all.  It felt good to walk.  I walked by several places and ended up turning right and continuing to walk up a hill.  My headache was feeling much better.  There are not enough hills to walk up in Herkimer.  I was enjoying this.  I walked up the hill till there was no outlet then turned around and walked back to Main Street.

I decided to walk back up to my car and go home.  I had not consulted my watch when I parked, but I thought I had been walking for at least 20 minutes.  As I turned up Main Street, I wondered what if I ran into somebody I knew and they asked what I was doing.  I would have to say something like, “Well I don’t really know,” or, “It’s kind of hard to explain.”  I am a little sorry I did not run into anybody.

The beauty part was I noticed CVS Pharmacy before I got to my car and remembered I needed some supplements I have been taking for my migraines.  Alas that I forgot I also meant to purchase some hair gel.  I did amuse myself at CVS.  While waiting at the Pharmacy to pay for the B2 (I do not know why that should be a controlled substance) I saw myself on a television overhead, and it kept saying “recording.”  It made me nervous, but I reminded myself I was not buying poison.  It took a few minutes as the clerk needed to look up the price, so I thought to turn the image of me to good use by adjusting my headband.  When the clerk returned to complete the transaction, I told her the recording could be my alibi if I was accused of murder.  Do you suppose I watch too much Dateline?

I was a little annoyed with myself for not paying for the magnesium (oh dear is it a HIPAA violation that I told you both supplements I am on?) at the same time as the riboflavin (that’s another word for B2) when I couldn’t find anything else to buy (remember, I forgot about needing the hair gel).  Then I had a pleasant conversation with a man waiting to pay and with the clerk, so I felt happy about that.

Holy crap, I have blathered on for over 750 words about what was, so I thought, a rather uneventful interlude. If anybody has read till the end, thank you!  I hope you had a lovely Thursday and have a wonderful Friday.

 

Once Again, I Get By With A Little Help From My Fiends

I am feeling rather monstrous this Monday.  I am looking pretty monstrous as well, but I will spare my readers the sight of that.

Not me.

I am wondering if it is a sinus infection that plagues me lately.  However, other people’s health issues are rarely of interest to the general blog reading public.  Then again, I feel my readers must be people of uncommon taste and discernment, not at all general.  Then again, all my aches and pains are probably not of much interest to you either.  Let’s get back to the monsters.

I positively must go back on the South Beach Diet.

This is a decoration from Pumpkin Junction in Sauquoit, NY, one of my favorite seasonal places.  I hope to be making a trip there soon for blogging and Halloween shopping purposes.

He seems nice.

Searching my Media Library for other monsters, I came across this picture I downloaded in March 2017.  I didn’t worry too much about where I found pictures in those days.  Full disclosure:  I don’t get too exercised over it now, either.

Friendly? Or about to fight?

Continuing the non-movie monster theme (if this silly post can be said to have a theme), here are a couple of bugs we used in a murder mystery.  I like fake bugs much better than real ones.

“I still don’t know why they wanted me to be in this blog post.”

OK, one movie monster to end with:  my beloved Nosferatu from the eponymous 1922 silent. The caption is a reference to a light beer commercial from the 1070’s.  “Tastes great!” yell half the people at the bar.  “Less filling!” yell the other half.  Then some guy at the bar says, “I still don’t know why they wanted me in this commercial.”

 

It’s Late! It’s Lame! It’s a Blog!

Have I used that headline before?  I somehow think I have but as usual am too lazy to go back and check (as if saving this sentence and clicking “all posts”  and typing… oh wait a minute, it is a lot of trouble).  I thought of “It’s Late! It’s Lame! It’s a Blog Post!” as I was making my way downstairs this morning.  Then as I was switching out my Tablet (easier Facebook scrolling) for my Chromebook, I remembered Underdog:  “It’s a bird!”  “It’s a plane!”  “It’s a frog!”  “A frog?”  “Not bird nor plane nor even frog, it’s just little old me (CRASH!)… Underdog.”

A picture of Underdog would be really great right now, but I still haven’t figured out how to download pictures onto the Chromebook.

The headline is pretty much all I have going for me this morning.  Yesterday (the real Friday), I felt marginally better than Thursday and got myself through work.  I actually did improve during the day and took a nice longish walk after work.  Walking is often a good idea.

A place I often walk or run to or by.

Regarding the weekend ahead, I do not know what I will do.  I made a list of things to get done while I was at work (it was during a moment of down time) (in case one of my bosses reads this blog) (which is really unlikely, now that I think about it).  I think the list is still in my work pants pocket.  One thing I did not do was mow the lawn on Friday.  If my bunions were correct and it rains today, I will be unfortunate.

“I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”

I often put that caption on that photo, because my sister Diane told me it was funny.  I add it to end on a note of humor, and to depict my current level of difficulty in getting things done.  But I persevere.  I fear this is a rather dull blog post, even for a Late Lame Post Friday post.  Perhaps I could find one more silly picture.

It’s still summer till tomorrow!

How about Bonita in her summer outfit, with her friend Bonaparte?  My late, dearly missed husband Steve, dressed her.  He purposely left the tag showing on the headband, because he was going for a Minnie Pearl thing.  Younger readers may not appreciate the reference, but us older folks are pickin’ and grinnin’!

 

I Oversleep, But I Post

I overslept, my coffeemaker is taking a long time to brew, and my eyes have that filmy thing going on which blinking only helps temporarily.  Sounds like a good basis for a late Tired Tuesday post.

I neglected once again to take a picture of last night’s rehearsal for a proper Post-Rehearsal Post.  It was a disappointing rehearsal, because two cast members were absent.  They both had good reasons, and the three of us that were there read through the script twice.  We meet again tomorrow (Thursday) when I fear I will not be present.  Oh dear.

Random picture to denote passage of time while I get coffee.

I am in fact using the same coffee cup as yesterday but feel it is excessive to use the same picture two days in a row (the eye film thing almost made me miss that I had at first typed “feet” for “feel”).  I will confess that I am not feeling well and have not felt well all week.  Nothing serious, I’m sure, just severe allergy symptoms getting me down, I think.  I feel a little bad whining about it. Not bad enough not to whine, apparently.

Fun picture to distract from my whining.

So we have another placeholder post.  Why is this better than no post at all?  Discuss amongst yourselves.

 

Off a Long Pier

Yes, I have missed an entire week of blog posts.  In my defense, I have no defense.  Right now I am fighting yesterday’s migraine (these things rarely last more than a day, so I feel quite ill-used) and wondering if neglecting my morning’s walk to make a blog post is really the right thing to do.  My fingers, happily dancing across the keyboard, say it is.  That voice in my head that continually badgers me probably says not, but I can’t really hear it this morning.

A few days ago I was feeling less than adequate but wanted to take a walk.  It was the weekend so a long walk was eligible.  I said to myself, “Take a long walk.”  And a voice in my head said, “Off a short pier.”  The voice did not have a mean or snarky tone, though.  It was kind of like Drew Barrymore at the beginning of E.T., when she was repeating what her older brother said, “A deformed kid.”  A quiet, cute little voice.  Remember little Drew Barrymore in E.T.?  Another Barrymore to love (regular readers know I adore Lionel Barrymore and am quite the fan of John and Ethel).

I love that guy!

Here is Lionel Barrymore in Devil Doll.  I don’t have a picture of any of the other Barrymores.

But here is a Freudian typo I almost made:  Marrybore instead of Barrymore.  Like you were going to marry somebody boring.  I may use that in a murder mystery sometime.  I often make up silly names, like Jeribilt for a set designer (just a hint of my upcoming murder mystery).

I see I am over 250 words.  Score!  I think I will bill this as a Non-Sequitur Thursday and hope it is the beginning of a new era of daily blogging for your host, Mohawk Valley Girl.

PS.  I was inspired to continue the blog by a comment on a previous post.  I have the best readers!

And I still have time for a short walk.

 

 

Would Shirley Mind a Slacker Saturday?

AAaaand we’re back to late blog posts.  Yesterday was indeed a Slacker Saturday.  The heat wave is technically over, but my house was not a comfortable place to be.  Additionally, I had a terrible headache.  It came to me during the night, when I tried to fight it with acetaminophen  (I had to look up the spelling, but at least I did not call it acetaphetamine, as I used to).  Surely coffee on rising (I slept later than usual for a Saturday) would help (I call myself Shirley in times of stress).  Then a long walk.  All the while drinking water, because, hydration.

I started with a full bottle of water, then refilled it at the spring.

At last I ate a few crackers, took some Migraine Relief, and laid back down.  It was starting to storm by now, so I told myself to just listen to the thunder (I had stopped calling myself Shirley by then).  When I woke up an hour or so later, my headache was better, but I was dreadfully sick to my stomach.  I did not mention earlier that the nausea had come and gone a couple times during my walk.

Would you believe washing the dishes helped my stomach?  The dishes have been looking at me resentfully for the last few days (don’t judge me) when with one thing and another, I just did not do them (oh, go ahead and judge me).  I thought to myself I would do a few dishes, till the nausea was too much, then sit or lie down for a while, then try a few more dishes.  It was one way of passing the time.  Well, I managed to do all the dishes and felt much better.  A cold shower, and I felt ready to enjoy the rest of my Saturday.

Which I did, without doing anything particularly blogworthy.  But I see I am approaching 300 words with this nonsense.  What will Sunday bring?  A trip to Brookwood Market?  A show at Ilion Little Theatre?  Or just more coffee and delight at NOT having a headache?

I’m already anticipating Monstrous Monday.