Tag Archives: Sentinel Media Company

I Did the DooDah

I had a real Mohawk Valley Adventure Friday when I attended the Ilion DooDah Parade.  The Parade is a major event of Ilion Days, which ran from July 12 through 20 this year.  I was there to cover the event for Sentinel Media (regular readers may remember that is my part-time writing gig), but I ended up riding on a float, so I participated as well.  I took a number of good pictures, so I may have more than one DooDah post.

Cool car, nice fellow!

This was the Grand Marshall of the parade, Yasushi Takase. He was an American Field Service (AFS) exchange student his senior year in Ilion in 1975, and returned for the 50th reunion.   I got his picture after the parade, so it was good I rode on a float till the end.

The view from the front.

You can’t read it very well, but it is the post number from the Herkimer American Legion. I boldly asked if I could ride with them, and they graciously allowed me.

Other Legions were represented as well.

It was the Ilion Legion, however, who gave me a bottle of water, which I sorely needed by then. I had been walking up and down in the hot sun, taking pictures, and talking to people who were lining up for the parade.

I didn’t think the Baby Boomers had ever left.

I wondered if I should have asked to ride with this group, since I am technically a boomer.  Really the tail-end of boomerdom.  I guess I fit in better with the Legion, being as I am a Veteran.

The most colorful group!

What I really should be is a Happy Hagg! I once asked if I could join them, and they were very welcoming.  I just need to learn the dance, figure out a costume, and go to some of their practices.

Look how cute they are!

This was our view off the back of the Legion float (it was a trailer with chairs on it, really).  I’d like to have one of those sunflower hats.

I am afraid this has not been a very coherent account of my evening at the parade.  Full disclosure:  I am back from rehearsal for the play I am in (you may have read some of my blog posts about it) and I am very tired.  However, I am approaching 400 words.  I say OK.  Happy Monday, everyone!

 

Who, Me? Tired on Tuesday?

Oh dear, it is time to make a blog post again.  What was I thinking to not make a blog post sooner?

I am actually kind of happy it is Tuesday.

I thought I could at least make a Tired Tuesday post.  Full disclosure:  I am not in such good shape to make any post as I like to be.  Earlier today I started to get one of those light-headed migraines I sometimes get.  I went for  a run in hopes of heading it off, with at least some success.  Perhaps it would have been a good idea to make a Running Commentary post when I was done with that, but I needed to complete a story about an Ilion Village Board meeting for Sentinel Media Company.  At least I was successful with that.

A brain! A brain! My kingdom for a brain!

Here is The Brain from the Planet Arous, which I always like to share when I am feeling particularly brain dead, as I am now.

Last weekend I went to several Mohawk Valley businesses, which I would like to give shout-outs to (preview of coming attractions).  For now, I am sorry to say, it is a Tired Tuesday post..  I feel certain my head will feel better tomorrow.  As always, I hope you will stay tuned.

 

After Being Ill, Some Stuff About Ilion

OK, so I posted late for Monday on Tuesday then missed posting at all on Tuesday.  In my defense, I was feeling rather ill on Tuesday.  However, I have very little excuse for not making Tuesday’s post late in Wednesday morning.  Not no excuse, since I was sending stories to Sentinel Media which should have been sent on Tuesday.  Oh dear, I am doing very badly.

It was a delightful occasion.

This is part of what I was occupied with on Monday.  Ilion Village Board had a public meeting to present the next budget.  After that meeting, they had a short board meeting during which they officially appointed Andrew Monahan as Fire Chief.  He has been Acting Chief for some two years, so it was good that he became officially appointed.  Many members of his family turned out for the occasion.

Other firefighters.  I love firefighters.

A number of other firefighters also turned out to see their chief officially appointed.

Mayor John P. Stephens

Before the meeting, Ilion Village Board presented their budget for the 2025-26 year.  It was a very good budget, with less than 1% increase on village taxes.  I wrote an article about it for Sentinel Media.

I feel my submissions to Sentinel Media take precedence over my blog posts, but I will endeavor in the future the keep up to date on both.  As always, I thank you for staying tuned.

 

I Can’t Be Tired! I Have Rehearsal!

Oh it is a Tired Tuesday post.  It is SUCH a Tired Tuesday post.  What, I must ask, the hell is the matter with me?  I did not follow my new habit of posting early in the morning.  In my defense, I was working on an article about a Herkimer Town Board meeting for the Sentinel Media Company (I think I have mentioned my side hustle covering valley meetings for them).  Then I did some other stuff including a run (it was a pretty good run).  Now I guess I’m just being a big fat baby brat (that is an old expression of my late husband’s, invented before he even met me).

Where was I?

Not so random picture.

I have rehearsal tonight for Prescription: Murder, the play I am in at Ilion Little Theatre (perhaps you read some of my other blog posts about it).  I have gone over my lines a few times, saying them out loud.  I was unable to do that for a while, due to the cold I was suffering from.  I need to get that mouth muscle memory going on.

A rehearsal for my big scene.

Earlier today I had some breakfast at the Java Shop in Herkimer, just to give a shout-out to a local business.

Must get a better picture of the sign.

Looking back at the day, I do not see why I should feel so tired.  In fact, I feel a little better now that I have completed my blog post, which I feared I would not do since I missed doing it this morning.  I guess it hasn’t been much of a blog post, but there is every chance I can do better tomorrow.  In the meantime, I think I have time to go over my lines again.

 

Walking into the Weekend Once Again

I’m pretty sure I’ve used that headline before, but perhaps my readers will forgive me.  If not, well that is a silly thing to hold a grudge over, isn’t it?  Oh I know, you’re not mad, only disappointed.  Now I’m getting silly.  I had coffee instead of tea this morning.

Do Not Enter into silliness? Say it ain’t so!

I have been getting out walking almost every day this week, so I thought a brief Pedestrian Post would keep me in the daily blogging habit for another day.  I actually took this picture some days ago.  I was on my way to the Herkimer Elks Lodge.  I joined recently and have met some very nice people.  I hope to participate in some of their projects.  If nothing else, it will make for some good blog posts.

Not as clear as I had hoped.

On another walk, I noticed some bird prints and paused to take a picture.  That extended my walk, because I dropped a glove and did not notice it till I was two or three blocks away and had to go back.

Some guys from the press conference.

Just to show you I have not only been taking walks and hanging out with the Elks, I share a picture from a press conference I covered for Sentinel Media Company.  Regular readers may recall I cover a couple of village and town board meetings for them.  I like to pretend I am an intrepid girl reporter from a 1930s or ’40s movie, although I am really none of the three.

I do not know what the rest of my weekend will bring, but I hope something blogworthy.  In the meantime, I approach 300 words and hope I have been at least mildly entertaining.  I wonder if there is any more coffee…

By the way, I fixed the headline.  It originally read, “Walking into the Weekend,” which I had indeed used before.