Tag Archives: murder mystery

Not Too Crappy to Contemplate Murder

I feel less crappy than yesterday!

But crappier than tomorrow!

You know,  to the tune of “I love you more today than yesterday.”   I didn’t know that was a song for the longest time.  I noticed that lots of people (girls, mostly) (not to buy into gender based stereotypes, but such was my observation) would use it in the Valentine messages you could put in the newspaper.  Imagine my surprise to learn they were quoting a song.

Be that as it may, my aching head is saying, “I can’t write a blog post!”  Yes, in a pathetic, whiny voice.  I am sufficiently disgusted with myself.  And I know for a fact that it isn’t so.  I just kind of sort of wrote something.  I could probably share it here.  For one reason, it would up my word count.

You see, our friends at the Herkimer County Historical Society asked us (meaning me and my murderous actor friends) to revive a murder mystery we did some time ago at the Herkimer Elms Lodge.  I think Caryl referred to it as “the one with Tucker and the bugs.”  Kind of sounds like an episode of Friends, doesn’t it?  Today she messaged me asking for a few specifics for their newsletter.

First I had to find the script, which I had unaccountably not saved in the same place as the other murder mysteries in my laptop.  It too some clicking, but eventually I located it.  Luckily I had already been thinking about some modifications to make the script more suitable for the historical society.  Here is what I managed to send to Caryl:

Eric O’Chevsky, who describes himself as an organizer and community builder (although some call him a shady wheeler dealer, or so I have heard), has discovered that the Herkimer County Historical Society recently received a major grant. He organized this dinner for his associates to pitch their ideas for good uses for the money. Some of their ideas may seem to have a tenuous connection to local history, but you know, people have to follow the money.

The people vying for a donation are:

Meryl Barrymore, a community theatre actress, wants to do a historical play (assuming she can find one with a glamorous enough lead). Flora Fortenza, who is something of a flower child, wants to plant lots of flowers around the Suiter House and perhaps all around the Historic Four Corners. Phoebe Larkspur wants to place bird houses all around, perhaps patterned after historic buildings. Dudley Turnbull wants to place poop bags for people walking their dogs. Isn’t that corner a popular dog walking place? Harold Greene, an environmentalist and brilliant scientist, is partnering with Dudley’s project and wants to invent a biodegradable poop bag. Renwick Spaulding is hoping to mount a display of bugs. Historic bugs of course.

The title is Donate to Murder.  It will be presented on March 27 at the Travel Lodge in Little Falls.  More information to follow!

Looks like a suspicious bunch to me!

 

 

Cheered by Murder Mysteries

I wrote another sentence on the post I just couldn’t seem to write yesterday.  Now I am going to have my usual Lame Post Friday.  I feel sure many of my readers have been expecting it.

A happy couple, and may I say a handsome one.

I am sitting here with my dear husband Steven, and it is a little difficult to make a blog post when we keep wanting to talk.  We started reminiscing about murder mysteries, starting with the most recent, Fabulous and Fatal.  Above is a picture of the two of us, looking fabulous (or do I flatter myself?).  I should share a picture of the whole cast.  That was a great show.

As much fabulousness as allowed by law!

There are more murder mysteries on the horizon.  A plan is afoot to revive Rubbed Out at Rubies  to benefit RCIL.  More informative about that later!

Who killed Benny the Bootlegger?

There will be a couple of cast changes, and I intend to find another outfit. I’ll post more pictures as soon as I have them.

This is an even better cast photo.

My writing struggles continue, but it certainly makes me feel better to think about murder mysteries.  I may have to write a few new scenes for Ruby’s.   Then maybe a new murder mystery…

I’ll keep you posted!

 

Deadly Women on Tired Tuesday

I loves me some Deadly Women!

I open with this picture, because I am posting while watching Deadly Women on ID.  I don’t usually like re-enactmentfests, as I call them, but this one is fun.  I like Candace DeLong, who hosts.

For anybody who wonders if I am still feeling sick and whining about it, well, yes.  I’m  trying not to whine too much, with some small success.  Hot tea with lemon and honey helps.  So will going to bed early, especially if I can have that frisson of virtue from making my blog post.

Ah, but can I truly enjoy the frisson if my blog post is stupid?  Quick, Cindy, say something entertaining!

Sexy ladies, no?

Here are some deadly women of the theatrical variety.  At least, it is me and two friends in 1920’s garb for the Ritz and Ragtime at Rutger Park fundraiser.  Each of us has been the murderess for one or another of my murder mysteries, although no untimely deaths occured at the time this picture was taken.

She was pretty hot. I believe she still is.

Here is a theatrical version of a real life deadly woman (though some would say she was just a girl).   Ellen McQueeney went to school with my husband back in the day.  She is very beautiful and talented.  I recently saw a true crime show about Amy Fisher.  Although they talked about the media frenzy which ensued, they did not mention the musical.

So here is my Tired Tuesday blog post.  I hope I have entertained.

 

It’s ALL About ME!

It has not been a good blogging week for Mohawk Valley Girl (cue unkind remarks about the lousy quality of most of my blogging weeks).  And here I am about to do another post about not being able to make a post. No!  It can’t be true!  Ooh, I know what: I’ll look in my Media Library and do a Throwback Thursday post.

I’ve always had sexy legs.

Here is one of my favorite pictures: me as Ruby VanRensselaer from the 1920’s murder mystery Rubbed Out at Ruby’s.

Who, me? Drink beer?

And here I am at the Ommengang Brewery in Cooperstown NY.  I wonder if I should make this post all pictures of me.  What an ego!  Then again this is a personal blog.  It’s All Me All the Time, even when I am plugging local businesses and events.

I miss that ‘do.

And I find there are not all that many pictures of me in my Media Library.  At last I found this one of me on St. Baldrick’s Day, helping raise money for cancer research.  I’d like to do one of those events again, although I hesitate to ask my friends and family to donate.  It seems everybody is raising money for a good cause these days.  Then again, people can always tell me no.  Something to think about.

In the meantime,  I am over 200 words.  Yay!  I’ll call it a blog post.  As always, thank you for tuning in.

 

Another Late Post About Not Writing

I guess I am not a daily blogger any more.  Or else I need more blogger sick days.  At any rate, yesterday evening I got a bad headache and could not even manage to type in “Please excuse Mohawk Valley Girl…”  I would like to say, “In my defense, I did some writing earlier,” but it is not really a defense.  Even if I had, for example, hand written a post in my notebook on breaks at work, I may not have had the wherewithal to type it in last night.  What a wimp! I used to be able to function with a headache!

I have been trying, once again, to turn over a new writer’s leaf (or would that be a page?) (probably; metaphor is not my forte).  So far, not so good, I guess.  I hesitate to say what I have been working on, because I don’t want to jinx it.  I even had what seemed like a great idea for a murder mystery.  It came to me in a dream, so in the light of day, it may not seem so good.  Once again, we won’t jinx it by premature discussion.

OK, so I’ve talked about why I didn’t write anything last night and a couple of things I will not talk about today.  I think I should make Not Writing an official category of Mohawk Valley Girl.

 

A Few Fabulous Photos

A truly fabulous cast!

This post is going to be heavy on pictures, but I think that will be acceptable, because they are fabulous pictures!  These were taken by the Herkimer County Historical Society of Fabulous and Fatal, the murder mystery we put on as a benefit last Friday (perhaps you read a few of my blog posts about it).  Things did not go as rehearsed, because one actor decided at the last minute not to participate.  But that is the excitement of live theatre!  We made it work.  The audience was entertained, and we had fun.

Steve and I: the couple that plays together, stays together!

 

Who says a drag queen can’t have a beard? I think he’s pretty!

 

For that matter, who says a drag queen can’t be a woman!

 

And here is a true Drama Queen!

 

“J’accuse!”

I end with a most dramatic shot.  They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  I certainly hope that is true, because I have not attained my usual 200 words. I’m going to call it OK for a Tired Tuesday.

 

Murder, Wine, Just Another Scattered Saturday

I shall attempt a Scattered Saturday post,  but no promises. I am still tired and shaken after what turned out to be a wonderful theatre experience with Fabulous and Fatal, our murder mystery at the Travel Lodge in Little Falls to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society.

Quite frankly, I expected to wake up hung over.  However, I did not, and remembering how much I actually drank, that is not surprising. I nursed my Cabernet Sauvignon, because I was performing.  Incidentally,  the performance went awesomely.  I will write more about it when I have some pictures to share.

This morning I went for a run.  Later we had some breakfast at Mona’s in Mohawk.  Later yet we went to a wine tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer.  Yum!  Then it was a quick trip to the Marina in Frankfort, NY and a drink or two at Heelpath Brewing Company.  Untamed Red by Rustic Ridge Winery in Burlington Flats.  Yum!

Now we are home, having arrived at the bra off, sweats on, wine drinking, movie watching portion of the day.  What Halloween movies will we watch?  I may list them tomorrow, having a Saturday and Sunday Cinema post.  As always,  no promises,  but I hope you will all stay tuned.

 

 

Wrist to Forehead Friday

The show must go on!  Said in a dramatic voice with gestures, of course.  I had thought I was going to make a routine Lame Post Friday post before hurrying off to Fabulous and Fatal, our murder mystery (I believe I’ve mentioned it once or twice).  Well, just now one of my actors called in sick.

OH CRAP!!!

That’s all right, though. The important thing is that the audience does not suffer.  We must still be fabulous.  We must still be fatal.  We have a couple of desperate pleas for understudies out, and I am looking over the script thinking, “I can say this one, and Helen Damnation can say this one…”

In the meantime, I still have not yet assembled Ophelia Upp’s costume nor gotten Roxanne Rolls’ jewelry together.  I’m thinking my blue topaz from Weisser’s Jewelers and possibly some rhinestones…  yes, I am easily distracted.

And flustered.  In fact, I am too flustered now to make it to 200 words.  I’ll update you on how things turn out later.

 

What Would Peter Cushing Do?

I’m thinking all I can manage right now is a Non-Sequitur Thursday post.  We had our final rehearsal for Fabulous and Fatal,  the murder mystery we are presenting to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society tomorrow night.  Yikes! Then Steve and I had some dinner at Salvatore’s in Herkimer.  Now we are home, looking at 20/20 on OWN, and feeling a little sorry we did not tune in earlier sooner,  since it is a case we also saw covered on Snapped.

OK, I just scrolled all the way through my Media Library twice looking for a graphic of 20/20.  How do I not have such a graphic? No matter, I suppose.  Only, a blog post pops more with illustration. I wonder if I can find something else.

No, I can’t.

“Then what am I doing here?”

I realized anything could work on Non-Sequitur Thursday,  so I hit on this shot of Christopher Lee as The Mummy.  He looks rather sad.  I don’t remember seeing this movie, but cannot be sure I haven’t seen it.

“I want my mummy!”

I guess he does not necessarily want his mummy, but I thought it would be a funny caption.  There is a window nearby out of which Michael Meyers looks.  I must get a picture of it.

“Haven’t I been in another blog post like this?”

Regular readers will not be surprised that I close with Nosferatu.  I say anything goes on Non-Sequitur Thursday.  If only I can think of a catchy title…

 

Lots of Stuff on Scattered Saturday

Ah yes, I must make a blog post today. I think I can manage a Scattered Saturday post.

We slept in till a little after six.  Full disclosure: I spent a good deal of early morning time wishing I could sleep, but I got in a couple of REM cycles.

I ate some breakfast and did a load of laundry before I went for a short run.  On the run I got inspired to decorate our porch by looking at other folks porches. However, before doing anything to my own porch, I went to a rummage sale at Mohawk Reformed Church.

After helping my husband, Steve, hang lights and get our witch and ghost set up (we want to put out further decorations,  but this was enough for day one), I went to the New 2 You Consignment Store in Ilion, NY.  I found a fabulous dress for our upcoming murder mystery.

After I got home, we were both hungry so went to Salvatore’s in Herkimer for lunch.  Then it was on to Heelpath Brewing Company at the Frankfort Marina,  then to the End Zone Pub and Grub in Herkimer.

We came home after that and are watching television.  Once I finish this I can knit. I do love to knit and watch television.  My only question is: true crime or old movie?  A little suspense adds interest to my evening.