Tag Archives: running

Graveyard, Nosferatu, What’s Not to Like?

Posted on October 5, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was feeling better than I felt yesterday, so I went running.  I was going to do a Running Commentary post, but in the first place, the run was not that memorable.  In the second place, my headache is back and I have to start thinking about dinner.  As I was looking through Facebook, hoping for a little inspiration (oh, don’t give me that hoary cliche that inspiration follows writing, sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t, and sometimes you do so get it before you write).  Where was I?  Ah yes, I found a monster movie picture, and you know how I love to make a post of monster movie pictures.

SO atmospheric! I love it!

It is from the James Whale Frankenstein.  It reminded me of another picture of a cemetery in another horror movie.  I knew I had seen it on Facebook at some point but could not remember what page.  I went to The Golden Age of Monster Movies, a group I am in, and began scrolling through their photos.  Of course I could not find the one I was looking for, and I do not have all night to search for an obscure picture.  However, I soon found a shot of my favorite guy, Nosferatu.  I must share Nosferatu.

I remember this shot from the first time I saw this movie, when I was in the sixth grade. I was scarred for life, but, you know, in a good way.

So I gave up on doing a graveyard theme and just looked for a couple more pictures I liked.  I soon found the following:

We recently watched this one. I should write a blog post about it. I haven’t written about a cheesy horror movie in a long time.

 

I have no idea what this is from, but Peter Lorre, Vincent Price, a severed head, what’s not to like?

So this is my Wuss-out Wednesday post for the week.  I don’t say I won’t have another day of monster movie pictures and silly commentary, but at least I won’t call it Wuss-out Wednesday.  As always, thank you for tuning in.

 

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No Pictures, But Lots of Plans

Posted on September 30, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Well, here I am, after 7 p.m. on Lame Post Friday and no post anywhere in my brain.  So I sit down, start typing, and hope for the best.  Before I started typing, I went to Facebook and looked for an image to download from the show we’re watching.  It is Dateline: Secrets Uncovered on Oxygen.  We watch a lot of Oxygen, because they show a lot of Snapped, one of my favorites.  This particular episode of Dateline was a case that was also covered on Snapped.  I LOVE to see the same crime on more than one show!

Oxygen has what they call “Crime Time Weekends,” where they show LOTS of true crime shows.  I am a well-known addict of true crime.  Um, not committing it. Reading about it and watching television shows about it.  The real documentary shows, not what I call the reenactment-fests.

However, I do not intend to have a “Crime Time Weekend” of my own.  I have plans.  Tomorrow I am going to go running (preparing for the East Herkimer Fire Department 5K Race!)  I may also walk to the post office, after writing my usual post cards, just for a little more exercise.  Later on Saturday, I plan to attend the Flood Relief Benefit for Rocky Rockwell, an area veteran who lost his house to flooding earlier this year.  In between these two activities, I have to figure out what to wear to the latter, always a traumatic experience for me (perhaps that will form the subject of Saturday’s blog post) (preview of coming attractions).

Sunday will be spent watching Halloween movies with my lovely husband, Steven, with a few breaks to work on our lines for A G.R.A.V.E. Murder, the murder mystery dinner theatre we are doing to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society.  I think I know my lines pretty well, but it is well to be sure about these things.

So this is my Friday Lame Post.  No pictures but lots of plans (would that be a good title for this post?  I’ll ask Steven).

 

 

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Firefighters, Here I Come!

Posted on September 29, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought I’d open with this catchy logo.

I ended Sunday’s Running Commentary post wondering if I could find a nearby 5K any time soon.  Ask and you shall receive!  Just a couple of days later, my husband Steven showed me an article on Facebook about a new 5K right here in Herkimer, NY. It is the East Herkimer Fire Department 5K, a new race. I said LET’S GO!!!!!  It got even better.

It is to benefit East Herkimer Fire Department.  I LOVE fire departments!  They save lives and property. During the flooding in 2013, fire departments traveled from across the state to Herkimer to help pump out people’s basements.  Three different departments cheerfully pumped us out three different times.  I think firefighters are GREAT!

The run will take place Saturday, Oct. 14.  Steven is on vacation, so he can attend and cheer me on.  Later that day, we will participate in A G.R.A.V.E. Murder, the murder mystery dinner theatre we are doing to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society.  That will make for an entire fun day!

Run, then murder. Life is full for Mohawk Valley Girl!

Then I noticed that registration is through RunSignUp.  I love those guys!  It is so simple and straightforward to register through them, and they don’t try to sell you anything.

So, feeling all happy and determined to participate in this 5K, what did I do but take three days off running.  In my defense, it has been hot and humid, and my body has not been in the best of health (but you already know that; I spent my other posts this week whining about these things).  I went running today.  In fact, my intention was to make a Running Commentary post.   However, I see I am approaching 300 words, so how about a Registration Commentary post?  We’ll call it a win for Non-Sequitur Thursday.

 

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Sandy Start to Scattered Saturday

Posted on September 23, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I actually don’t know how scattered my Saturday will be, but you know how I love alliteration.  This is actually Saturday Running Commentary, which I have been wanting to bring back for some time now.  I didn’t run far, I didn’t run fast, but I think I can get a few paragraphs out of it.

Of course I did not feel like running as soon as I got out of bed about 5:30 this morning.  No, I didn’t party hearty last night.  I fell asleep on the couch then went to bed early.  Yes, I’m old, don’t judge.  I had thought about getting right out, since I love beginning my run in the dark and ending it in the light.  I decided to have some coffee first, comforting myself with the thought that it is fall.  Days will get shorter, and I will have plenty of dark runs.

Sure enough, after a little caffeine I felt more inclined to exercise.  The sun was up, but it was foggy, so I put on one of my ARMY t-shirts with the reflective decal on the back.  Additionally, I revised my plans for where to run.  I had wanted to go out Main Street and up a steep hill, coming out on Steuben Road.  I decided to go someplace with less traffic and/or a larger shoulder.  True, there isn’t always a lot of traffic on Steuben on a Saturday morning, but some people really like to gun it up that hill.  I like to give myself every advantage.  Accordingly, I ran down German Street in the direction of Herkimer College.

However, as I ran I felt not up to tackling that hill.  I have not run it since before the Boilermaker 15K.  I mostly like to run it so that I can post on Facebook that I did and impress my friends.  I thought I could save it till Sunday, when I usually increase my running time by the recommended 10 percent.  I ran up the hill by Valley Health and into the residential area I call the suburbs.  I knew I would find some major and minor hills there.  I want to start running more hills, to build myself up, but I really felt like sticking with the minor ones this morning.

I hoped to run on different streets from the last time I ran in the area, but of course I could not remember where I turned, so I just picked a street.  I saw a man in his front yard with a very cute little puppy. I think she was a yellow lab.  They were apparently having a business meeting, but the pup looked as if he wasn’t quite sure what he was supposed to do.

“Can I pet your dog?”  I asked.

“Sure,” he said.  “She might nip you; she’s only eight weeks old.  Her name is Sandy.”

Sandy jumped up eagerly while I petted her. She didn’t nip me, but she licked my hand and in general acted like a sweet, friendly pooch.  The man and I wished each other a good day, and I returned to my run.  As I did, I thought of the title for today’s post.  Just now I think maybe some of you thought I went running in the sand.  That would be nice, but I know of no handy beaches around here.

My run was not bad.  My legs felt pretty OK, with a few twinges in my knees and one bunion.  I was puzzled by the bunion’s pain, since it is not supposed to rain before next Wednesday.  I realized my breathing felt fine.  This delightful state of affairs deteriorated towards the end of the run, but I kept up for a full 36 minutes, which is how long I ran last Sunday.  I feel sure I will be up to forty minutes tomorrow, yes!

As I finished my run, I saw a neighbor and her sweet dog, Rocky, out walking.  I was happy to meet them on my cool-down walk.  Around the corner, I met and petted another nice dog.  I do love to pet a dog.  As I continued my walk, I reflected that I am now in 5K shape.  I ran for 36 minutes; I can run a 5K in 36 minutes.  And if I can’t run it in 36 minutes, by the time I am 36 minutes into a 5K, I can certainly finish.  Now, to find a 5K nearby…

 

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Hang In There, Me, It’s Almost Halloween!

Posted on September 20, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

So here I sat, feeling too tired and out of it to even make a Tired Tuesday post.  How pathetic is that?  I went running, thinking I could make another Running Commentary post, even though I just did one on Sunday.  It was a boring run.  You don’t want to read it, and I don’t want to write it.  I didn’t even feel like trolling Facebook for monster movie pictures.  Then I looked up and saw this cheerful fellow smiling at me.

Who could be uncheered by the ghost of a Jack-o-Lantern?

He actually wasn’t sitting there when he smiled at me, but when I went to take a picture of him, it seemed too cluttered.  After trying a couple of places, I put him on the stairs.  Brown carpeting, white wall, it seemed neutral enough.  Then I kept having the problem of him turning around.  You see, it is a pick, and I didn’t push the pointy stick into, say, a flower pot or piece of styrofoam, but just placed it in a little bottle we had on our shelf (it once contained Q brand of gin.  My nickname was “Q” in the army, so naturally I had to try the gin).

I recently purchased the decoration at Northstar Orchards in Westmoreland.  I know, I should write a blog post about the visit. How remiss of me that I have not.  I’ll try to get to it before the week is out.  In the meantime, I thought I would round out this blog post with a couple more pictures.  You see, Steve recently did some Halloween shopping himself.  Yesterday, I came home to find this waiting for me on the couch.

Actually, after coffee, I pretty much am a morning person.

Isn’t he adorable?  Yes, I like scary vampires too, like Christopher Lee or Bela Lugosi.  But I think this one is a sweetie.  As you see, I put it back on the couch to take the picture.  I will need to take the cute vampire out of the cup and use it one morning soon.  And here is the other decoration Steven bought.

I think he’s pretty awesome. Or is it a she?

I returned to the stairs for this shot.  And now I have run out of what little steam I had, but I see I am approaching 400 words.  I call that quite respectable for a Tired Tuesday.  I’ll try to come up with a real post tomorrow and forgo Wuss-out Wednesday for once.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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What Does My Body Know, Anyways?

Posted on September 17, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I felt sick to my stomach this morning, so I did not feel like going running.  However, I’ve found that sometimes the counterintuitive thing is the right thing to do (OK, why is my computer underlining “counterintuitive,” one of my favorite words by the way.  I looked it up in Webster’s, it is so spelled right!)  (OH, computer wants me to hyphenate it, counter-intuitive.  Well, I’m not going to, so there.)

Where was I?  Ah yes, running, although my body seemed to be telling me not to.  Oh well, my body is a well-known lazy bum, as is my mind on many occasions.  Additionally, I wanted to work up a good sweat so a shower would feel extra good.  So I got ready to go.  No worries about being cold, as we’re getting a last little bit of summer before the equinox.  Oh, anybody who is going to screech, “TMI!” if I mention bras, don’t read the rest of this paragraph, because you know I don’t want to hear that.  I took the unprecedented step of wearing three sports bras.  The first two I put on did not feel secure enough, and I was too lazy to take them off and start over (others who wear D cups or above will understand).

It was grey and foggy out.  I like fog.  It’s so mysterious.  I headed down German Street toward Valley Health.  That is about the only hill I am up to these days, but I hope to build myself back up.  As I slowly made my way up, I reflected that at my age I can’t just jump on and off the running wagon.  It takes much less time to get out of shape and a lot longer to get back in.  By the time I reached the top of the hill I was seriously considering bagging the running and switching to walking.  Ah, long leisurely walks.  How pleasant would that be?  Other people stay in great shape by walking.  That could be me.  Then I thought of a few of my friends that run and felt that I really am not ready to quit that club just yet.

I had originally meant to run immediately back down the hill and around the sidewalks nearer my house.  Then a street that went downhill and ended in a cloud of fog beckoned me.  Of course I knew what was there:  it is a housing development I have run through many times.  Still, it felt like more of an adventure to turn.  I ended up not going down the hill (which I would only have had to run back up) but took the next left.  I admired some of the houses.  Many were ranch houses build into hills so the garage was in the basement.  That would be handy.

There are some major hills in that area (I call it “the suburbs,” although I know that is not strictly accurate), but I managed to avoid them.  Eventually I made my way to Lou Ambers Drive so I could stop and get a drink at the spring.  I looked up the hill to Herkimer College and sighed.  Another week, maybe two, and I might be ready for that one again.  The spring water tasted good, but I still had a ways to go to meet my goal of 36 minutes (I did 33 last week).  I’m sure those times don’t seem very impressive to some of you.  Well, it’s where I’m at, I might as well own it.

I ended up running faster as I neared the 36 minute mark, because I wanted to get all the way home and not run for more than 36 minutes (hey, don’t judge, I was tired!).  I almost ran too fast and had to go by the house or run up and down the driveway a couple of times (don’t judge, but you can laugh at me if you like, I do).

As I finished my cool-down walk, I realized I was still sick to my stomach.  At first I thought, so much for the counterintuitive solution.   Then I thought, hey, I’m no worse off.  My stomach may still have been upset and this way, I got a run in.  And now I’ve gotten my blog post written.  On the rest of my Sunday chores!  I hope you’re having a lovely weekend.

 

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Tired, But I Ran!

Posted on September 13, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have been trying to get back into the running habit, with some small amount of success.  I ran two consecutive weekend days, took yesterday off, and managed to run today.  Having written no blog post earlier (I DID write while on break and work AND after I got home, but it was not a blog post, sorry), I will attempt a Running Commentary, even as the little devil on my shoulder (you know, like they used to show on the cartoons, angel on one shoulder, devil on the other?) is whispering, “Tired Tuesday!  Make it another Tired Tuesday! You qualify!  You deserve it!”

Ahem, trying not to be distracted, I continue.  It was chilly and foggy this morning, but this afternoon was one of those when Mother Nature reminds us that it is still summer, even in the Mohawk Valley. I prefer to run in the fall weather.  I told myself that it certainly was not in the 80s, which I have run in, so I should just get out there and do it.  So I did.

Very slowly.

I had gone about three steps when I began to wish I had remembered to stretch before running.  I have gotten out of the habit of stretching before a run.  It is hard enough for me to start running anyways; I figured stretching was just more time for me to talk myself out of it (although full disclosure:  I have never talked myself out of running once the sports bras were on or even out of the drawer).  Additionally:  most sources say you should run in place for a minute and then stretch.  Oh, that is way too much trouble.  I thought, I begin running slowly, that will be my warm up.  And it has worked all right.  However, lately I have been thinking a few little stretches before the run might be a good thing to do.  Only now I am out of the habit.  Oh, the trials and tribulations!

So today I thought, should I pause right now and stretch?  I had just waved at a couple of neighbors sitting on their front porch, so I felt self-conscious.  Then again, they probably would not think anything of it.  Then again, stopping running was what I wanted to do more than anything else just then, so I was afraid of my ability to begin again once stopped.  I kept going.

It was soon apparent that I was not up to a long run.  That was OK, I told myself.  This was a mid-week run.  Twenty minutes was all right.  Just enough to get a little exercise, stay in the running habit.  No problem.  Oh, but it took a long time.  And it was warm.  Every bit of shade I ran through, I appreciated.  Of course I have had much hotter runs, and certainly more humid runs.  I have had runs where my feet, knees and back hurt more, where I have been longer without running, where it has been more difficult to breathe.

In short, I need to count my blessings.  I ended up running for 30 minutes.  This is how long I was running last week.  Sunday I upped the time by the recommended 10 percent to 33 minutes.   Oh, don’t shake your head at me and ask if I couldn’t possibly have lasted three minutes more!  Maybe I could have.  And maybe that three minutes would have tired me out so much that I really would have had a Tired Tuesday post, after NOT getting done the writerly chores I finished before making this post.

I’m going to call that a win.  I hope to see you all on Wuss-out Wednesday, for which I will make no promises.

 

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Scattered Saturday with No Vampires

Posted on September 10, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Isn’t that an eye-catching title?  I just this minute thought of it, before I even wrote the post. I know, I know, as Truman Capote said, “That’s not writing, that’s typing.”  These days it seems I just sit at my computer, put my fingers on the keyboard and publish whatever spills out.  That is because I am a silly blogger not a Serious Writer.  But that is not what I meant to post about today.  I meant to give a brief overview of my activities for the day, then go back to enjoying my Saturday evening.  So here goes.

My dear husband, Steven, was ill yesterday.  I woke up this morning fearing I was ailing with the same.  Nevertheless, after ingesting some necessary coffee, I went running.  I had it in my head to make a Saturday Running Commentary post.  Remember when that was a thing?  Well, it may be again one weekend, but not today.  I spent most of the run feeling tired and wanting to stop.  However, I persevered. I’ve learned to do that when running, anyways.

Back home I thought I would write a few postcards, as I like to do on a Saturday morning.  I could walk to the post office once the window was open and purchase some postcard stamps, which naturally one runs out of when one make a habit of sending postcards every week, as I do.  Unfortunately, once I sat down with the postcards, I was hit with a wave of dizziness.  That was unpleasant.  I decided to go purchase the stamps when Steven left for work and write the postcards later today or Sunday morning.

Just before Steven left for work, the phone rang.  My friend Kim wanted me to go to the  Mohawk Valley Garlic and Herb Festival   in Little Falls.  Me, say no to garlic?  Or a festival in Little Falls? In fact, long time readers may remember that I have attended this festival every year for some time now (I believe I have written a few blog posts about it).  Yes, I felt dizzy.  So what?  Between my allergies and migraines, I rarely feel 100 percent.  If I can force myself to get through work when ill, I can damn well do something fun with a friend under similar conditions.

And it turned out I felt better when out in the fresh air.  Kim stopped by the post office with me, so I did get my stamps.  We had a great time at the Garlic Festival, and I purchased a bundle of garlic stalks, which I hung over the doorway where the vampire hangs (see picture on yesterday’s post for the vampire).  I’m not trying to antagonize the fellow; it was the only nail already stuck in my wall that was the proper height.  Maybe tomorrow I will post a picture, and do a proper blog post on the festival.

Leaving the festival, we went to The Old Barn Marketplace and Little Falls Cafe, at 6626 State Rt. 5.  What a great place!  I will for sure write more about that!

I have not done a whole lot since I got home, but I believe the movie-watching portion of my Saturday has arrived.  I’m thinking a viewing of Dracula is in order.   Having spent a good portion of the day sampling garlic and eventually purchasing a nice bunch, I do not think I will have anything to fear of vampires for a while.  Then again, I did say to the vendor who sold me the garlic that I was going to write a story about a vampire who loved garlic, just so that none of us could feel safe.

Happy Saturday, everybody!

 

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Next Up: Portrait of Dorian Gray

Posted on August 25, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

He was really a beautiful man, in addition to be a marvelous actor.

I had thought I might do a Running Commentary post.  I ran in place on the mini-tramp while watching the silent Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with the inimitable John Barrymore (I adore the Barrymores).  Then I was on Facebook and came across a movie poster I just had to download.  Well, I can’t just download it, can I?  I have to use it.  So this is Non-Sequitur Thursday after all (I thought after yesterday’s schizophrenic post, such a thing would be inappropriate, but I am ever one to go with the flow).  There is a bit of a theme, at least, because I am sharing all old movie posters stolen from Facebook.

What’s a guy like Joseph Cotten doing in a movie like this?

I have never heard of this movie, but what a title!  What a poster!  I should probably get on one of those streaming services (or whatever they are; you know technologically ignorant I am) where I can find all these obscure, old titles.  Oh, the blog posts I could write!

Ooh, a double feature!

I may have seen The Incredible Petrified World.  The title seems familiar, and I’m sure I have seen any number of cheesy movies involving women trapped in underground caverns or some such (you know how little attention I actually pay).  When I get a chance, I’ll look through my DVD collection and see if it’s there.  If so, I’ll have to watch it again and see what I remember.  I’ll let you know.

Oh Bela, how I love you!

I have definitely heard of this one but never seen it.  However, the person that shared it (on one the monster movie pages I follow), said there was a freaky, ambiguous ending.  I must add this of my list of movies to check out.

What I’m wondering now is, do you suppose there are readers who wish I had never learned how to download and share pictures?  A point to ponder on Lame Post Friday.  I hope everybody will continue to tune in.

 

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Too Much Detail on a Tired Tuesday Run?

Posted on August 16, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have this recurring dream where I am trying to get somewhere and my legs won’t work properly.  I can’t pick up my feet, I can’t move forward, it’s simply dreadful.  I pretty much felt this way at work today, and I worried tonight’s run would be more of the same.  However, I have not been running since July and I was determined to begin again.

I made a bargain with myself that I would only run for 20 minutes.  I could hang for 20 minutes.  This would work.  Of course it was a rigamarole getting ready to run.  I wanted to put in a load of laundry while I ran, including the pants I had worn to work today.  Since I had gotten sweaty at work, I took advantage of this.  I stayed naked while I filled the basket with laundry, then put on my running clothes (sorry if that gave you an unfortunate mental image) (then again, what are you doing picturing me naked?  Shame on you, you dirty-minded thing, you!).

Of course I was still sweaty.  I put powder on my upper body, but my second sports bra  still rolled up as I put it on and I couldn’t reach the back to unroll it.  I hate when that happens!  I got it, though, because, like I said, I was determined.  If this is too much detail, tough.  I calls it like I sees it.  I almost got out the door before I realized I had not thrown the laundry in.  Back up the stairs to retrieve the basket, then down to the basement.  I figured it could count as my warm-up.

Usually when I run, I make a left at the end of my driveway and head to German Street.  If I have not been running in a while, I head to Caroline Street, then go up and down the streets, working my way back home.  I decided to mix things up, so turned right and headed towards Meyers Park.  I even crossed the street and ran down the opposite side from my house.  The sun came out from behind a cloud, showing me that I had not picked the shadier side of the street. No matter.   It was my first run of beginning again, and I was going to persevere.

Persevere was what I had to do, because I never hit the I Can Rock This stage.  I won’t say that every step was an effort, but a goodly number of them were.  I tried to distract myself by looking around.  Mostly I noticed other people’s porches and wished I was sitting on a nice porch, perhaps enjoying a beverage.  I had told a work friend that I might reward myself with a glass of wine after my run.  Suddenly I remembered… chocolate milk!  When I was training for the Boilermaker 15K, I got in the habit of re-hydrating with chocolate milk.  I read somewhere that it is an excellent recovery drink.  I must say I enjoy it quite a bit.  I knew there was milk and chocolate in my refrigerator.  That thought sustained me for the rest of the run.

I ended up running for 22 minutes.  I felt pleased with myself that I had gone at least a little over 20, especially since the devil on my shoulder had been whispering that 15 would be just as good.  The cool shower felt wonderful, and the chocolate milk was heaven.  I probably won’t run again tomorrow, because I have rehearsal for The Tempest (no, that is not over yet, and I will no doubt write more blog posts about it), but I hope to run on Thursday.  Sooner or later, I must hit that I Can Rock This stage.

 

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