Tag Archives: murder mystery

Flustered Thursday, Late Post, No Alliteration

Yesterday I was a whirlwind.  Sort of.  I had a few things I felt I had to get done and a limited amount of time to do them in.  Full disclosure: my problems mostly stem from lack of planning and organization on my part.  You are free to judge me or just quietly enjoy feelings of superiority if you so choose.  I am content to stand as a bad example.

I throw in a picture to pep things up.

The reason I was in such a hurry was that we were to rehearse Shooting at the Grange at Salisbury Grange, which is almost a half-hour drive from Herkimer.  My first chore was to throw in a load of laundry, so I would have clean work clothes for tomorrow. I actually acquired another pair of work pants yesterday, so now I have three. Still not enough to get me through the week, but one does what one can.

Laundry in, I put on old sneakers and a hat (to protect my complexion from the sun), went outside, hefted my defective garage door open (broken spring, not my fault), and pulled out my non-power lawn mower. My bunions told me I ought to seize the non-rainy day.  Additionally,  with a non-power mower, it doesn’t do to let the grass get too high.

I intersperse the post with pictures to show that rehearsal was on my mind throughout my gyrations.

Laundry in the drier or hanging on the indoor clothes-drying bars, I did the dishes I had neglected, a truly judge-worthy omission.  While scrubbing I kept an eye on the time.  I still had to shower and get dressed!

I managed it.  I even put together a fairly color-coordinated outfit, although I could not find the ideal blazer.  One settles for less than perfection in this life.  The only thing I did not have time for was supper.  I munched down a roast beef and cheese roll-up with the result that I had to brush my teeth, which I did not have time for.  Luckily Kim was a little late picking me up.

They look thoughtful. Trying to remember lines?

Rehearsal did not go too badly.  The Grange people are very excited about the sold-out show.  I succumbed to their enthusiasm and may write further murder mysteries for their benefit.

First I need to get a handle on making my blog posts on time.

 

I Wuss Out on my Post Rehearsal Post

Wuss-out Wednesday follows Tired Tuesday,  we all know that.  Or I could call this All Shooting at the Grange All The Time. Full disclosure: I am ready to call it a day and go to bed, with or without a blog post.  What, me go to bed without making a blog post? Say it ain’t so! Additionally,  I am working on my Tablet with a stylus pen that does not work as well as some I have worked with.

Might as well share this again.

I think I heard they have sold out for Saturday.  This is bad news for some cast members who had loved ones who would like to see the show.

When I was better about getting rehearsal shots.

I put in a picture from another murder mystery rehearsal, because I did not get any pictures of tonight’s activities.  I hope to get pictures tomorrow,  when we plan to rehearse at the Grange.

From my Media Library,.

The Grange will look different tomorrow.  They will have tables set up for that sold-out crowd.  We must decide where we will do our part.  Actually I use the term “our” lightly as I do not have an actual role in Saturday’s script.

So this is my Wuss-out Wednesday Post for the week.  Thank you for tuning in.

 

Oh Yeah, Tired Tuesday

I just this minute remembered I ought to make a blog post today.

Just to make it look like I have been doing something.

Earlier tonight I had a rehearsal for Shooting at the Grange, the murder mystery we are putting on to benefit Salisbury Grange on April 29.  I think it went OK.  Herkimer Elks Lodge graciously allowed us to use their space for our rehearsal. I love those guys at the Elks Lodge!

We plan to rehearse at the Elks Lodge again tomorrow then at the Grange on Thursday.

I can’t wait for everybody to see the Grange!

Here is a photo from when I visited the Grange’s Open House a couple weekends ago.  One of my cast members went there too.  I was so pleased!  I think it is a great space and I am very excited to perform there.  I am only disappointed I do not have a role in this murder mystery.

I had hoped to take a couple of rehearsal shots from tonight’s run-throughs for this post.  However, since I was reading one of the parts myself, I neglected to do so.

Not exactly a related photo.

I searched my Media Library for a picture from another murder mystery at the Elks Lodge and found this one from Donate to Murder in November 2021.  It was to benefit Herkimer County Historical Society.  This fall we may do one to benefit the Elks.  After all, they have been so nice to us about rehearsal space!

 

Rehearsal at the Elks for the Grange

I just returned from a rehearsal for Shooting at the Grange, the murder mystery we are putting on to benefit Salisbury Grange on April 29.  We rehearsed at Herkimer Elks Lodge,  which was gracious enough to accommodate us.  Now I am hoping to make my blog post before going to bed. Full disclosure:  I had a couple of glasses of wine at the Elks.  I was not driving,  I add for those who might be concerned.

Making this a Way-Back Wednesday.

This is the room at the Elks Lodge we were in, although it is a shot from September 2018, when we did Donate to Murder for the Elks.

Earlier today, after I learned that two actors could not make today’s rehearsal due to illness, I vowed this would be my last murder mystery.  It is too difficult,  I said, to find actors, to schedule rehearsals, etc. etc…

Well tonight I heard myself talking to the head Elk (the Grand something or other, how embarrassing that I don’t remember) about doing a murder mystery for the Elks this fall.  My feeling is,they are being so nice about letting us rehearse there.  Additionally , I have been having such a nice time sitting st the bar, arranging for rehearsals then before and after rehearsal,  Why would I not want to do something for these people?

Oh, OK, one more time.

I throw in the information about Shooting at the Grange, just for good measure.

 

One Chore Done on Tired Tuesday.

I knew it was Tuesday.

It has been that sort of a day.  Not a bad day really, but my list of things I need to get done grows ever longer while my ambition to do them ever shrinks. But one must persevere.

I got one thing done thanks to Basloe Library in Herkimer, NY.   I needed to print out a few copies of the script for Shooting at the Grange, the murder mystery we are putting on to benefit Salisbury Grange on April 29 (thus I sneak in another plug for the event).  I was a little worried about getting to my email to get to the scripts, which I had sent to myself for the purpose.  It seems emails don’t like you to log into your account on strange devices.  Sometimes they want you to use two tiered identification or whatever they call it, and that is far too complicated for me.

Well, they didn’t ask to send a code to a cell phone I don’t have, but I still needed help getting to the inbox.  The nice people who work at the library helped me.  The whole process took less time than I spent worrying about it.

“You know the feeling when you have a huge list of things to get done and you get one thing done,” I said as I paid for my copies.  The lady at the desk knew the feeling.

One of my favorite places.

I seem to think the sign is not currently there, but I thought the picture would make a good plug for the library.

Speaking of plugs.

I close by showing once again the information for our murder mystery.

 

Not Exactly Cinema But Not a Bad Sunday

I thought I might make a Sunday Cinema Post, but I am only on my first movie and getting tired.  I did watch the rest of a Columbo episode I started last night.  I suppose that counts.

She was divine!

The movie I am currently enjoying is Death on the Nile, a star-studded Agatha Christie romp (come on, autocorrect, Agatha is a well-known name!).  This is the wonderful Angela Lansbury as Salome Otterbourne, alcoholic writer of sexy romance novels.  I would SO love to play that character!  I kind of did when I was Ruby VanRenssalaer in Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, a murder mystery of my own devise.

Two more delightful divas.

Here are two more stars who stud the movie, Bette Davis and Maggie Smith.  So delightful to watch these two old pros playing off each other.

I have done a few useful things today.   I ran,  I did laundry,  I went grocery shopping, I wrote a letter which I walked to the post office.  From the post office, I walked to Herkimer Elks Lodge, where I secured space for Wednesday’s rehearsal of Shooting at the Grange, our upcoming murder mystery.

Back home, I watched Columbo before putting in the aforementioned Agatha Christie but also made a salad for the week’s lunches.  I call this not a bad Sunday.  Is it not a bad blog post?  You decide.

Today there is not “one more thing.”

 

At the Grange

Yesterday I drove to Salisbury Grange for their open house.  In addition to my interest in historic buildings, I wanted to scope out the space for Shooting at the Grange ,  our upcoming murder mystery.

I like the stage.

It is a gorgeous place, all beautifully stained wood.  I don’t know why I didn’t take a shot of the ceiling.

It looks solemn to me.

They had it set up the way it used to be for meetings back in the day.  Each officer had their own podium.  Some of them were also Masons, and they borrowed some of the ceremony and symbolism.

“Ooh, the Masons,”  I said.  “They were intense.”  Full disclosure:  my knowledge about the Masons comes mostly from the movie From Hell.

Mason stuff.

 

Another view.

I spent a lot of time chatting with the Grange volunteers.  They are very excited about the murder mystery and have already sold a number of tickets.  They have great plans for the Grange; they hope it will become a real community center with many different events.

Maybe even a sing-along!

I was taking pictures to show my cast as well as for use here.  I hope we will be able to rehearse at the Grange next week.  It will make a great blog post.

Just to re-iterate the information.

 

April Lame!

OK, I said I was going to make my Lame Post Friday post on Friday and here I am.  Unfortunately,  I got nuthin’.  That should not matter on Lame Post Friday, but somehow it does.

Remarkably similar, yes?

I thought a picture might spark more words and found this one from April 2021.  I confess it does not look a whole lot different from more recent pictures of crocuses,  yet I cannot stop from taking pictures of what they look like this year.

J’accuse!

Here is a different April shot.  I just SEARCHED through my posts from April 2019 to find that the title of this murder mystery was Murder by the Book.  I am not inclined to also do a Google (or even a Duck Duck Go) search to see if “J’accuse” is the proper French spelling.

Earlier today I went to a wine tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer.  I also spent some time sitting on my front porch, enjoying the weather. I sipped a little wine while I did so.  I also spent some time planning my Mohawk Valley Adventures for tomorrow.

I need to get such a short ‘do again!

Just to give another picture from April, here are my friend Kim and I at Gerber’s 1933 Tavern in Utica in April 2017 for their Prohibition Party.  I love to dress up!

Ooh look, I have gotten myself over 200 words.  Not bad for a Lame Post Friday post,  I say.  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.

 

By the Way, Happy Easter

Late posts on the weekend.  It’s a thing.  Anyways, here I sit early Sunday morning, lounged on the couch, pecking in one letter at a time with the stylus on my Tablet.  I have pecked in that sentence many times, according to the predictive text thingy, but it is the case so I make bold to repeat it.

My favorites are the two-tone ones.

I thought instead of an actual post, I would share the rest of the pictures I took with my phone the other day.  I saved all the pictures on my phone to my blog before returning the phone and cancelling my cell service (long story, and I don’t look so good in it).

But the deep purple is pretty, too.

 

This one looks a little wilted.

There weren’t any yellow ones, of which I usually get one or two.  Also, the ones in the front yard haven’t gotten beyond a few pretty green shoots.  Further updates as events warrant.

I didn’t plant these.

I also saw some white flowers over by the fence. I don’t know how they got there, but I was happy to see them.  There is only a parking lot on the other side of the fence, so it is unlikely the neighbors planted them.

I admit, not the best picture.

I guess these flower pictures are appropriate, being as it is Easter Sunday.

And then there’s this.

I end with a preview of coming attractions.  I am hard at work on the next murder mystery.  I hope to make a post about rehearsals next week.  I hope you’ll stay tuned.