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I Did Not Wuss Out Of My Run

Posted on October 6, 2022 by mohawkvalleygirl

I knew it would be a good idea to run today.  I had neither run nor walked for two days.  Accordingly,  I spent part of my day at work telling myself I would run.  I pictured myself putting on running clothes and getting out there.  I planned how I would put in a load of laundry while I ran (pretty much the extent of my ability to multi-task).  I told myself it would make a good blog post.  What I specifically tried NOT to do was tell myself that I needed to run, or that I ought to run, or should run.  Thus I use these little semantic tricks to back into doing what is good for me.

Some readers are now waiting for me to explain how I succeeded in talking myself out of running (you know who you are).  My back hurt, I could run tomorrow, there was no 5K looming to get myself into shape for, etc.  Well, I did not succeed in that but rather went for a run and am now hoping to get some semblance of a blog post out of it.

It was a beautiful fall day, sunny and warm, but not too warm.  I got my laundry in.  I set out.  Where to run?  Which direction to take?  I decided to take German Street to Main and go by my beloved Herkimer Historic Four Corners.  For one reason, I could probably find a picture of that to illustrate my post.

Found one!

Ah, here is the 1834 Jail.  I love that place!  I ran by it and on down to Basloe Library (yes, autocorrect,  it is BASLOE Library, not the Be slow Library; what the hell kind of library is the Be slow Library, for heavens sake?) (and I did mean hell not he’ll!).  The library’s sign was missing (Basloe or Be slow).  I wondered what that was all about.

My body was not best pleased to be running, but I managed to keep it up for 20 minutes.  I saw some fun Halloween decorations along the way and petted a sweet puppy on my cool down walk.  I managed to get my load of laundry into the drier (and the non-drier items hung up elsewhere), but unfortunately that was the extent of my ambition.  The laundry is still in the drier, and this will have to do for my blog post.  I think it is OK for a Wuss-out Wednesday.

 

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Tired Post, Small Victory

Posted on January 5, 2022 by mohawkvalleygirl

This will be a Tired Tuesday Post, because, well, I am. I went for a run earlier, thinking to do a Running Commentary Post. Perhaps I could manage a Tired Running Commentary.

I spent part of my drive home from work rationalizing why I did not need to go running today. The other part was spent deciding that I did not need a rationalization; I could just decide not to run. Then I got home, put on running clothes, and got going. I put in a load of laundry before I went, which regular readers know is my favorite multi-task.

It was cold. Not too cold, really. My face and my fingers suffered. I could pull my fingers into the big part of my gloves and make fists, but there was no help for my face (cue unkind remarks like, “Ain’t that the truth!”). No matter. All I had to do was keep going.

And “keep going” was pretty much all I did manage to do. I did not run fast, I did not go up any hills, and I did not keep going for very long. Still, I thought 20 minutes and a mile and a half was good enough.

This is hardly up to my usual Running Commentary standards. No description of anything I saw, no anecdotes about people I spoke to or dogs I petted, no amusing (to me at least) inner dialogue. I apologize for that.

The point is, I ran, I made a blog post, and I did a load of laundry (I did manage to put it in the drier after the run) (fold it? Good God, what miracles do you want from me?). I must celebrate what small victories I can.

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I Ran! I Blogged!

Posted on December 29, 2021 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have not made a Running Commentary Post in a long time. That could be because I have not been running much lately. What can I say? It turns out I am really good at talking myself out of doing things. Um, some things. I can almost never talk myself out of, for example, eating cookies. But let us not speak of these things. I want to blog about my run.

The weather was conducive: not too cold and not precipitating. I got myself into running clothes, put a load of laundry in the washer (the extent of my ability to multi-task), and set out.

Immediately I regretted not wearing my reflective vest or ARMY shirt with a reflective decal. The sidewalks were not uniformly clear. I knew I would want to spend some time in the road, and I like to give myself every advantage. Well, I would just have to be extra careful.

I turned left onto German Street, so I could be left-side-facing-traffic in the road. There was a nice stretch of no cars coinciding with some icy-looking sidewalk. How often does that work out? When I hopped back to the sidewalk, I had to dodge onto grass to avoid a couple puddles. I hooked around and tried to spend the rest of my run on less busy streets.

The best thing about the run was all the Christmas lights still up. How I will miss them! I feel I have not taken enough runs, walks, and drives to enjoy the lights sufficiently. However, I feel that way almost every year. I can’t spend all my time looking at lights, after all.

I changed my mind about which way to go several times but was delighted to go by a house with lots of lights and the homeowner outside.

“I have to tell you, the lights are lovely,” I said as I ran by.

“Thank you very much,” he said.

“Thank YOU!” I replied.

It was a short but enjoyable run. Perhaps as I get back into blogging regularly, I can also get back into running.

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Once Again, Monsters to the Rescue!

Posted on May 20, 2021 by mohawkvalleygirl

I want to make a blog post. However, I do not want to make yet another post about how I just can’t seem to make a post. I also do not want to spend any time whining about my personal problems. I know! Mid-week Monsters! That will solve everything!

It’s easy to lose your head over these things.

Here are a couple of creepy guys from Pumpkin Junction in Sauquoit, NY. How many months till they open back up?

“May I have this dance?”

I’m not sure where I got this photo, but it appears to be a video case of one of our favorite movies, House on Haunted Hill. Old movie, old medium, I believe I am veering into Way-back Wednesday territory. Who says I can’t multi-task? Oh yeah, I usually say it.

Isn’t he cute?

Now I veer into cuteness, with this adorable little vampire. What a sweet smile! The awesome pot was sent to me by my friend, Marsha. She knows I love all things Halloween. The orange cloth is an old t-shirt which has a logo on it for a business I no longer care to promote.

Ooh, I am approaching 200 words. One more blog post in the books! By the way, in a very few days it will be ten years I have been writing this blog. Do you suppose I should celebrate? Discuss amongst yourselves.

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Add Monsters and Stir. I Mean, Hit Publish

Posted on September 13, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

How about some Mid-Week Monsters?  It’s a new feature, for when I forgo Monstrous Monday.  It is, in fact, another Pre-Rehearsal Post (I guess that could be a category, too), because we are soon to leave for rehearsal for Donate to Murder, the murder mystery dinner theatre LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company, is presenting at Herkimer Elks this Saturday, Sept. 15.  Steven and I are wearing our costumes, although I do not have pantyhose on (I’m certain my character would wear pantyhose).  Also, I could not find my grandmother’s pearls, which I thought would work for my character (full disclosure: they are not real pearls, but they look nice).  Luckily I have TONS of beads, vintage and otherwise.

What a long first paragraph.  I do babble on, don’t I?  I thought this was going to be a monster post.  Let’s see what I can find.

Not the best depiction of Julia Adams, but a pretty cool poster nonetheless.

Look, I can also include a foreign language lesson.  Sometimes I can so multi-task (although most days I barely manage just to task).  Steven and I just watched Creature from the Black Lagoon on Sunday.  Perhaps you read my blog post in which I mentioned it.  And while we’re visiting foreign countries…

I think this one has better artwork, but I like the lettering in the Spanish version.

And look at me, over 200 words on a Wuss-out Wednesday (I guess this post fits multiple categories).  I do like to include three pictures, so I will pull something from my Media Library.

“Love! Exciting and new!”

I never knew the Creature guest starred on The Love Boat. I suppose he is quite an actor. Perhaps I could use him in a murder mystery sometime.

 

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Two Runs, One Post, It’s Tired Tuesday!

Posted on February 28, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

Regular readers will recall that yesterday I was too tired after my run to make a blog post about it.  I went running again today and will attempt to make a Running Commentary post in lieu of my usual Tired Tuesday.  In fact, I am tired after my run but feel somewhat revived after my recovery beverage of chocolate milk.  I think I can manage at least 200 words.  Maybe I can write about both runs.  A double Running Commentary.  That is appropriate for a veteran like me, because in the Army we called running “double time.”  I’ll write it on the double (if anybody just made a rimshot noise, oh just shut up, you know these are the kinds of jokes I make).

For two days now temperatures have been above 40.  Yesterday my thermostat said 46, and today it said 50.  Woohoo!  That is shorts and short-sleeve weather for me.  I got some running clothes on and got out the door, first putting a load of laundry in the washer.  This is how I multi-task.  I did it yesterday, I did it again today.  I am way behind on my laundry.

Both days have really not been as warm as I like.  It is kind of like the entire earth hasn’t warmed itself up yet.  The sun felt warm, but the air felt cold, especially in the shade and/or when the wind blew.  No matter.  I knew I would warm up as I ran.  And if not, I had a sweatshirt waiting for me to wear on my cool-down walk, and the hot shower afterward would feel especially good.  I concentrated on how nice it is to have bare, dry sidewalks.  Except, of course, for certain patches of ice, mud and puddles.  I dodged around them, usually into more mud.  You’ll have that this time of year. I persevered.

I quickly realized I was going to have to persevere over my own body’s complaints as well.  My legs felt stiff and sore.  Yesterday I forgot to stretch out after I ran, probably because I went right down into the basement to put the laundry in the drier.  I’m not really good at multi-tasking.  Well, one thing I know how to do is persevere.  At least at some things.  At least for a little while.

Today’s run was two minutes shorter than Monday’s, 22 and 24 minutes respectively.  Yes, these are short runs.  I have not been running enough lately; I have to build myself up again.  I walked for ten minutes both days.  Yesterday I also skipped my recovery beverage.  You see, the doctor told me I was probably becoming intolerant to dairy.  I am not sure I believe him, since this is also the guy that told me sugar was causing all my headaches.  Don’t get me started on doctors.  Still, I cut way back on sugar and stopped drinking milk, in case I see him again and he asks. However, today I felt so ate up after the run (“ate up” is also an army expression), I said to hell with it, I’m having the chocolate milk.  It tasted good.  I also remembered to stretch.

Ooh, look at me, over 500 words.  That’s pretty good for a Tired Tuesday.  Anyways, I’m glad I went running two days in a row.  And I’m glad I managed to write a blog post about it.

 

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Soup’s On!

Posted on October 20, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I make my blog post while waiting for the water to boil.  I am daringly making my cooking post before I actually taste what I am cooking.  I’m just taking it for granted that will be OK.  Have I ever steered me wrong?  Well, not with cooking, at any rate.

Steven called me at work and suggested soup for dinner.   He said there was sausage in the freezer. I asked if we had a can of diced tomatoes.  I undertook to come up with something with what we have on hand.

I started, as I often do, with chopping an onion and putting it on to cook.  Since this will be soup, I put it in a pot instead of the cast iron frying pan.  As another innovation, I used a can of beer instead of olive or canola oil.  I figure if you can cook stuff in wine, why not beer?  For another reason, I got a case of Hamm’s for The Tempest cast party (get it?  Actors are hams!) and it did not all get drunk.  While the onions cooked, I peeled and crushed some garlic, then set the timer for 15 minutes (remember? So it can reach its full cancer-fighting potential).

Then I put a load of laundry in.  I don’t usually believe in multi-tasking, but sometimes you can get away with it (running to check the soup as soon as I typed that).

After a while, I added sausage.  When that was nearly cooked, I put in the can of diced tomatoes and some water.  Once it was boiling, I put in some frozen spinach and spices.  Basil, oregano, parsley and Salt-Free All Purpose Seasoning from the So Sweet Candy Cafe (just to plug them again).  Then I put on water for Ditalini pasta.  The water boiled and I put in the pasta when I ran out to check the soup just now.

I make bold to hit publish before eating the soup, because I took a sip when I stirred it just now, and yum.

Hope to see you all on Lame Post Friday.

 

 

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Is It Multi-Tasking to Vacation and Blog?

Posted on December 30, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have previously bemoaned the absence of Blogger Sick Days.  How about the absence of Blogger Vacation?  I am on vacation from my real job this week (also known as “shut down” in the factory world).  Why do I have to keep worrying about this silly blog?

Of course the short answer is that I don’t. For heavens’ sake, this is not a paid writing gig.  I don’t have a contract with anybody.  I daresay not a lot of people would even notice if I did not post every day (I like to think that some would).  The long answer is… perhaps not worthy of a blog post.  In fact, I’m not even sure if I know the long answer.  I only know another short answer:  I decided in my head that I would post every day, and that is what I do.

It has been quite a dreadful weather day in the Mohawk Valley today.  It snowed like the proverbial son of a bitch most of the day (a friend said on Facebook that it was “snowing like a bitch,” and I corrected her) (thus being both didactic and silly; who says I can’t multitask?).  I went out in it for stops at the library and grocery store, necessitating three times of brushing off my vehicle.  That’s a lot of snow. When I got home I shoveled the top layer of snow in my driveway.  Throughout the afternoon, I checked out the window occasionally as the sonofabitchy snow rendered my labor useless.

I did not get a whole lot else done.  I washed the dishes.  I cooked a pretty good dinner.  I encouraged local entrepreneurship by paying two young men to shovel my driveway after the snow had pretty much obliterated my earlier efforts.  They did a marvelous job.  Score!

And now I am going to think of a silly headline and call this a Non-Sequitur Thursday post.  I hope you’re all having a lovely week after Christmas.  Stay safe, if you are also getting hit with a lot of snow.

 

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