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Tag Archives: Ilion NY

Remembering Ambition Past

Ambition is overrated.  Or is that sour grapes on my part, because I have none?  Last Sunday I was semi-ambitious.  Perhaps I could write a little about that in lieu of my usual Wrist to Forehead Sunday Post.

I actually did not mean to leave my water bottle in the shot.

I drove to Ilion Marina and took a walk along the Erie Canalway Trail.  It was a very pleasant interlude.  I petted a dog and found a four leaf clover.

It looks peaceful.

I did not sit on this bench but do not rule out doing so on some future date.

I didn’t park in the driveway!

After leaving the Marina, I drove down Route 5 to And Stuff of That Nature,  a farm stand I have been following on Facebook but had not yet visited.  I looked at all their stuff and purchased some basil for my hoped-for container garden (preview of coming attractions).

Pretty!

I may go back for some flowers.  They also carry honey and eggs.

The reason for my ambition was that I wanted something to write about for Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  I wrote and submitted the articles. I hope they like at least one of them!

I hope to muster a little more ambition for more Mohawk Valley Adventures.  For one reason, it makes for better blog posts.  Or do I flatter myself?

 

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Make Lunch, Not War!

I just got back from Rome, NY, where my family was celebrating my mother’s birthday.  I believe she is 29, same age as my older sister.  OK, I do not really believe that, but I don’t see that it is my business to go blabbing other people’s ages across the internet.  I am just really, really grateful that both my parents are around and in reasonably good health.

After driving to Rome from Ilion (where I work),  having a lovely time with family,  then driving back to Herkimer (where I live), I am tired.  However, I was hoping to make my blog post before I sleep.  I figured I could manage a Non-Sequitur Thursday Post.  Hence, the headline which does not appear to have much to do with the post.

To explain:  I said it to myself this morning.  The coffee had not kicked in yet,  and I was trying to get all my stuff done.  “Make your lunch,” I told myself.  Then I thought of “Make lunch, not war.”  I felt it was so clever, I put off making my lunch long enough to post it as a Facebook status.  I daresay I flatter myself.  Driving home from Mom and Dad’s house, I thought it might be a suitable title for a Non-Sequitur Thursday Post.

Agree?  Disagree?  Please feel free to comment, and as always, thank you for tuning in.

 

Why I Didn’t Make a Blog Post This Time

I guess the entire week is late posts.  Yesterday I went in search of rehearsal space for Shooting at the Grange, the murder mystery we are working on.  I wanted to ask at Basloe Library, which closed at five on Thursdays, so I hustled home from work so I could get in a shower and make myself presentable, no easy task.  I managed it in pretty good time, though, and was soon on my way.

It turns out the library is under construction, so my first thought of a room was unavailable.  I had a very nice conversation with the lady there, though.

“The construction workers have all their stuff in there,”the lady said.

“Rats!” I said.

“I hope not rats!” she said.  Good point.  We chatted some more about other things as well as aboit the murder mystery.  If we cannot find another space, we might be able to sit in their cafe and run lines, just keeping our voices down.

I tried the Marine Corps League in Ilion.  They have big signs up, saying, “Members Only, No Exceptions,”  which I found a little intimidating, but they were very nice.  I have to call a guy to see if there is a room available when we need it.  I thought I should buy a drink, since I had parked in a space marked “Customers Only,” but a guy was buying the house a round and included me. I thought that was very nice of him.

After I got home, I decided to walk to the Elks Lodge, which is near my house.  We rehearsed there for murder mysteries that were performed there, so I thought maybe they would be so kind.  It turns out they would, if the space is available.  I stayed for a glass of wine there as well.  The people at the  Elks are very nice, too.

So when I got home, I still had to fix supper, and I was tired.  I have been running around every day this week.  What the hell, me?  Tonight I mean to stay home and make my Friday blog post on Friday.  As always, I hope you’ll stat tuned.

Just to throw in an illustration.

 

Blog Before Run, Or Am I Too Lame?

Last week I hoped I was ushering in a new era of Not Late Lame Post Friday posts.  Alas, it was not to be.  Here it is Saturday morning, and I sit on my couch (lounge, really), listening to what I think is some kind of pigeon (maybe a mourning dove? It sounds pretty sad) and wishing I was already out running. One thing I love is running or walking in the morning and hearing the birds sing (or is it a morning dove with no emotion attributed?  I don’t know from birds).

One reason I am blogging before my run is that I am waiting for it to be light out.  I just can’t trust the sidewalks and roads this time of year.  I have wiped out on the ice too many times this year just walking (one hideous incident on my uneven concrete front steps).  I emphatically do not want to do it while running.  At my age I could break a hip.  Well, maybe not a hip, but something.  At least I would bruise my body and damage my fragile self-esteem.

My day stretches before me in a fairly threatening fashion.  That run to take, post cards to write, a house to clean, a murder mystery to write AND this afternoon auditions for murder mystery actors.  It is a general audition;  I want to develop a pool of actors to draw from as murder mysteries arise to be cast.

Now I feel threatened, because there is a something inside me (my depression?  the aforementioned fragile self-esteem?) strenuously insisting that I CANNOT POSSIBLY do a murder mystery at this time.  I MIGHT be able to write it (low self-esteem aside, I rarely admit to being unable to write something) (yes, yes, there are times when I say I CAN’T write a blog post, but I just mean I can’t write it right now).  But print it out, get a cast, schedule and go to rehearsals…

What am I saying?  Of course I can do all that!  The voices in my head are full of beans!

Talked myself right into that, didn’t I?  Guess I’ll go for my run now.

For local readers interested in theatre, auditions are today, March 18, at 1 p.m. at Ilion Little Theatre,  13 Remington Ave., Ilion, NY.  For more information,  you can visit the theatre’s Facebook page.

 

 

More Memories

I said posts were going to be sporadic, but I did mean to make a few.  This morning I noticed that a Facebook friend had commented (I almost always share my posts to Facebook) that she enjoyed seeing the memories and would like to see more.  For anyone just tuning in, I lost my husband, Steve, recently.  I draw great comfort from my memories.

Which one is the silliest?

One of Steve’s great legacies is his humor.  My best memories are of the laughs we shared.  The above was taken at the HALO Hoedown, a fundraiser for the cat rescue operation based in Little Falls, NY.

Cheers!

Steve was also a great partner in my Mohawk Valley Adventures.  Here we are at Woodland Farm Brewery in Marcy.

A fun bunch, indeed.

There he is, in the back with me.  This is a pre-show ussie from Leading Ladies, the show I directed at Ilion Little Theatre.  Steve was such a good actor.  He was a pleasure to work with.

Handsome men!

One more memory:  a memorable lunch at Gerber’s 1933 Tavern in Utica, with our dear friends Phyllis and Jim.  Phyllis left us in 2021 and I will never be done missing her.

Here’s all four of us.

I know there will be more good times with friends and family.  Right now I just have to feel sad until I start to feel a different way.  Thank you for letting me share.

 

Monday Memories

I think I will try for Monday Memories instead of my usual Monstrous Monday Post.  I feel it will be a good idea for me to make a blog post, and the easiest way to do that is with the help of my Media Library.

That was one of his favorite sweatshirts.

Regular readers know I am mourning the loss of my husband, Steve, so naturally I feel inclined to share memories of him.  This is from October 2016 at Pumpkin Junction in Sauquoit, NY.

“The bathtub?”

Have I shared this picture recently?  It is from the Ilion Little Theatre production of Harvey in 2011.  I think I have, but it is one of my favorite pictures.  Steven referred to it as our big scene.  I don’t have a picture of the part where I almost fainted into his arms.

He looks so cute and intellectual.

This was outside the library in Arlington, VT.  Back then our laptop was really a laptop.

Good times with a good friend.

One more picture:  a great time at the Waterfront Grille in Herkimer, NY, with our good friend Tracy.  So I have shared memories of my husband and plugged a couple of local businesses.   One does what one can.

 

This Blog Post Is a Problem

There I was, all excited and pleased with myself that I made my Friday blog post on Friday,  then I let all of Saturday slip by with not a word written.  In my defense… Never mind my defense; it is often tiresome to listen to  other people’s problems.  Not always, of course.  I am often honored when somebody trusts me enough to share.  Additionally, I like to hear stories about people.  However, since I tend to do more than my fair share of whining, griping, and complaining, today I shall attempt to refrain.

In fact, already I’ve said too much.

A cheery frog will make the post brighter.

I add a picture to pep up the post.  This sweet plate is at Farmhouse Reataurant in Ilion, NY.  I thought of getting breakfast there yesterday but for one reason or another did not.  I am tempted to go there today.  It is my usual Sunday thing after all.

Hmm… I seem to be having difficulty thinking of anything to say.  Perhaps I need more coffee.  Never mind.  I do not always need to get to 200 words to call it a blog post.  That is just my arbitrary rule for myself.  I will call this a Blogger’s Sick Day and ask my readers’ (if any) indulgence.

(It is over 200 words! Yay!)

 

Look at Me, Having a Scattered Saturday!

Look at me, making my Saturday blog post on Saturday.  And I think I can do a Scattered Saturday Post.  I have not done one of those in a long time.  For one reason, I have not done enough to scatter around at all on recent Saturdays.  Let us see how well I can do today.

I slept in a little this morning and made my Lame Post Friday post when I got up.  After coffee, I went running.  I thought of doing a Saturday Running Commentary Post, noting my caution about ice under the snow and speculating on my thoughts of running the Boilermaker 15K in Utica this summer.

After doing the dishes (judge me if you are so inclined), showering, and calling my mother, I wrote a very few post cards. Regular readers know I write some every week.  I only covered my regulars this Saturday.  I went to the post office, where I ascertained that my post cards needed first class stamps not post card stamps, and purchased some of each.

After the post office I went to Ilion, NY, to the new premises of Melfe’s Shoes.  Imagine my chagrin when I found out they no longer do repairs!  However, I was able to purchase a new pair of running shoes.  Boilermaker 15K, here I come!

They have upped their clothing game!

Returning home,  I attempted to do something useful, with no notable success, and found out my friend Kim, my usual partner for Mohawk Valley Adventures, had a debilitating headache.  After some debate, I decided to go out for some lunch on my own.  Well, why not?

I went to the Tin Cup Tavern in Little Falls (actually I would call it between Herkimer and Little Falls,  but nobody asked me).  I had a delightful time and a delicious sandwich.  I asked the bartender,  Jenna, if I could take her picture for my blog post.

She graciously agreed.

On the way home, I stopped at Valley Wine and Liquor for a bottle of Great Western Brut, a flute of  which I am sipping as I type this (actually peck this in one letter at a time with the stylus).  My husband, Steve, and I have watched a couple movies.

It has been an enjoyable Saturday so far.  And I am feeling inordinately pleased with myself that I made my Saturday blog post on Saturday.  I think this calls for another glass of Brut.

 

Not Really Friday and I Want a Beer!

Look at me, making my Lame Post Friday post on Friday.  Only it is not really a Friday for me, because I have to work on Saturday.   I feel so ill-used!  I know, I know, many people have to work on Saturday.  I used to be one of them.  I mean, I used to have to work every Saturday of my life.  So I must count my blessings that I do not have to work every damn Saturday.

I believe it would make a dull post to spend 200 words complaining about having to work tomorrow,  so I will change the subject.  I know!  I will search my Media Library for a picture to pep things up.

Some people have no perception.

In fact, sometimes I am piddle-puttering.  I wonder if that word is hyphenated?  According to the plaque, lolly gagging and dilly dallying are not.

It often is.

I did have a rather stressful day.  However, I have had worse, and so once again I count my blessings.  I did indulge in a libation when I got home, but it was not beer.  I may go to Beer Belly Bob’s in Ilion, NY, and purchase some one day soon.

I don’t know if the bottom sign is still applicable.

Just to complete my post with a shout out:  Route 51 Beer Belly Bob’s Discount Beverage Center is located at 70 Otsego St., Ilion, NY, phone number 315-895-0936.  They are open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and  Saturday,  11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.