Tag Archives: snow

Maybe I Should Have Backspaced Over It

Posted on February 17, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

That’s it, then. I’ve got the dreaded type-a-sentence-then-backspace-over-it disease. We all knew it was coming. One day I’m saying things like, “I can SO write!” and “I LOVE to write!” The next thing you know, I hate every word that comes out of my meager mind. Many writers have been there. Those that have not… oh, who are you kidding? We’ve ALL been there!

I had thought of doing a Monday Middle-aged Musings about the horridly cold weather. I was going to call it “Mid-Winter Musings.” I don’t really have anything new to say about the cold and the snow. Oh, except for a line I keep repeating that I think the huge snowbanks are a metaphor for my troubles: getting bigger and not likely to melt away any time soon.

Actually, it’s a pretty good metaphor. You look at snow falling and you think, “Aw, that’s nice. It’s pretty.” Because you’re in your warm house looking out, and it has not snowed in a while. Maybe it’s almost Christmas. Maybe you’re out in it, but it isn’t all that cold. You can look at individual flakes and they really are beautiful.

Then it begins to pile up. You have to shovel it and drive through it. It’s cold and the wind is blowing. You track it into your house and it makes a mess. As time goes on, the pristine white banks get all dirty and nasty. Wait a minute, where am I going with this? Life is pretty until it’s not? To hell with that!

I think I’ve talked myself right out of my blues, just from sheer cussedness. You say life sucks? I say kiss my fat ass, it does not! And I’ve written almost 300 words that I do not intend to backspace over. This has got to be the most disconnected post I’ve written yet. For the record, I’m only drinking tea.

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Tale of a Trip

Posted on January 3, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I go back to work on Monday, so technically this is the last day of my vacation and the next two days are a perfectly ordinary weekend. In fact, my vacation is over now, because I would be home from work by this time if in fact I had gone to work today (still feeling a little gleeful that I did not). Therefore, I will feel free to make this yet another Lame Post Friday.

In fact, I went adventuring today. First I walked my dog Tabby to the post office to mail some postcards to friends and family. It began snowing as we left, and the snow came down thicker and thicker as we went. Tabby used to take exception to precipitation. When she felt rain or snow on her back, she would stop walking and look at me, apparently expecting to be magically transported out of the situation. Wouldn’t that be nice? Today, however, she walked along nicely, stopping to sniff the usual number of times.

I found myself laughing as the snow got thicker and thicker. Big, fat flakes and lots of them. It’s just my weird thing, laughing at bad weather (OK, one of my weird things, shut up). As we passed a lady headed into M&T Bank, I said, “I heard it was supposed to snow today,” in a conversational tone, as if I was wondering if it would.

“I didn’t believe them,” she said.

“Well, those weather guys don’t always get it right,” I said.

A short time after I got back home I got into my vehicle to drive to Utica, NY. I wore my insulated sweatshirt, because my good winter coat was still wet. I put the hood up instead of looking for a dry hat. I foolishly forgot my gloves so hoped I could get away without brushing off my vehicle. I could.

My Trailblazer was set on “auto,” which is better than 2-wheel-drive but not as good as 4-wheel drive. I didn’t think I needed 4-wheel drive and, anyways, you’re not supposed to go over 45 m.p.h in 4-wheel drive. I headed for the highway. The streets in Herkimer were not very good, and people were driving surprisingly slow, and not pulling out in front of each other at the side streets. I was impressed.

Out on the highway, I felt I had best go slow myself. I could have left it in 4-wheel drive, because I did not go over 45 at all. There was a car behind me, following pretty close at first. I couldn’t worry about him. The last time I went faster than I wanted to because I was worried about the guy behind me, I spun out in a most terrifying fashion. That was on ice. At least this was just snow.

By the time I got to Schuyler, visibility was terrible. I questioned my decision to leave the house. Then I thought of the saying, “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes,” to which I often add, “or drive five miles.” I decided the visibility was really no worse than nighttime. I could see directly in front of me, just not much further.

As I got closer to North Utica, things improved. There was still lots of snow, but I could see further. Now all I had to worry about was traffic on Genessee Street and the fact that I did not know where on Genessee Street my destination was. I had a house number but knew I could not count on numbers being readily visible.

Well, as usual, I persevered. I only had to circle around three times, and in Utica circling around is fun. I enjoyed looking at the houses I drove by. I felt triumph when I reached my destination. Then frustration when I realized that where I had pulled in was in fact the driveway for the house next door. Then triumph once again as I noticed the parking lots adjoined.

Perhaps tomorrow I will write about what my destination was and what I did there. Happy Friday, everybody.

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More Than a Few Flakes

Posted on December 3, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

It’s another Tired Tuesday and let me tell you I do not have time to be tired. Last Tuesday I typed in haste before going to get my hair cut. I excused lack of a real post on the grounds that I was studying my lines for a play I am in at Ilion Little Theatre, Busybody. Guess what I was doing today?

I am in haste again as well. This time I have to get to rehearsal at 6:30. However, rather than spending a couple hundred words dithering about that, I will attempt a brief description of a short walk I just took with my schnoodle, Tabby.

The weather report today had dire predictions for foul winter weather this evening. They started canceling various after-school activities early on. I just shook my head and said, “It’s not even precipitating yet!” I thought it would be an anti-climax. However, it was cold. I put on my warmest coat, hat, gloves and a scarf. I usually forget the scarf and get a cold face.

As we left the house I saw a few white flakes. Oh, how pretty. I thought, “Guess it is going to precipitate a little.” Oh, this was no problem. We had not gone ten feet when suddenly the snow was dumping down! There was a ton of it! It was like somebody dumped a giant bucket of snow, only it didn’t stop.

I laughed. I believe I’ve mentioned before that bad weather makes me laugh. I don’t know why, but I always say, “You can laugh or you can cry; might as well laugh.” Tabby stopped and looked at me. I thought perhaps she did not like being snowed on and wanted to go back home. Instead she wanted to cross the street. The walk was still on.

The air was cold. Then the wind picked up. That did not stop Tabby from wanting to stop and sniff several times. I was glad of my coat, but the scarf was not the miracle I had hoped for. I looked around for Christmas lights so at least my heart could feel warm.

When we got to a corner it seemed Tabby wanted to cross the street and go another block, but I suggested we turn. I thought one block would be good considering the cold and my time constraints. I knew a moment’s hesitation, thinking of my dog’s happiness and enjoyment. Then the wind picked up and I felt I had made the right decision.

Back home typing this in, I heard Adam Musyt on WKTV say the snow had started (I KNOW, Adam!); sleet and freezing rain will be coming (oh crap, probably in time for my drive home from the theatre). I must finish this post and change my clothes for rehearsal. And study my lines some more.

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A Few Lame Thoughts

Posted on November 8, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Ah, Lame Post Friday. My day of random observations and half-baked philosophy. My day when I’m too happy that it’s Friday to write a so-called real blog post. That is today.

I randomly observed snow falling at least three times this afternoon. This leads me to some half-baked philosophy about the change of seasons. Spring to summer to fall to winter to spring, etc. Is the lesson here that a different season will follow or that eventually spring will come again? Ooh, this is a philosophical question. Does life truly change or is it an endless cycle in which certain things happen over and over? Birth, life, death…

I can’t really expound upon these questions with any real erudition, because, I admit it, I’m not really all that smart. At least, I believe I do have some semblance of intelligence, but I don’t have any real, true, insightful answers to life’s deep questions. Does anybody? That was another philosophical question, put your hands down (you know who you are).

I don’t know if anybody has guessed from the above paragraphs, but I’m tired. It seems I am always tired after work these days. Not enough exercise? Too much fattening food? Middle-age doing its dirty work? These are not philosophical questions, but nobody need feel obligated to answer.

I have conflicting plans for Mohawk Valley adventures this weekend, but I hope to have some good things to write about. If not, you know me, I’ll always think of something. Happy Friday, everyone.

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Short Stroll, Scratch n Sniff

Posted on February 19, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is really difficult to have Mohawk Valley adventures during the winter. Another difficult thing: making a blog post when a cute little dog expects you to keep petting her. Naturally I do my best to oblige.

Yesterday we went for a walk. I thought for sure it would be warmer today so we might go for a longer one. Well, it may be warmer, but the snow is coming down in copious amounts and has been doing so all day. Tabby may enjoy plowing through the drifts up to her chest, but she does not seem to like being out while it is actually precipitating. Perhaps we could have a rousing game of That’s My Toy later on.

In the meantime, I will attempt a short pedestrian post about yesterday’s stroll. Once again I forgot to put my scarf back on (I had it when I got home from work), so my face got cold. I had not put Tabby’s coat on her, but she seemed OK with that. She certainly enjoyed sniffing many places. I don’t think the snow is conducive to dogs’ sense of smell, because Tabby kept digging and sniffing. I kept checking to make sure she wasn’t unburying some other dog’s poo.

“You don’t need to smell that dog’s poo,” I tell her. “You know what poo smells like.”

Her head perked up as we walked down Henry Street, because she saw people. One adult and three children were in front of a house. The man and little boy seemed to be shoveling. Two little girls were in a fort. I haven’t built a snow fort in a long time! We exchanged greetings. Tabby seemed inclined to go right up to them.

“My dog is so friendly,” I said.

Tabby seemed quite happy that our walk was short. She ran right for the door instead of out into the back yard when I took her off the leash. I was happy to get back into the warm house, too.

I see that as a blogger, I should have taken up some winter sports, so I would have more to write about this time of year. Hmmmm…. perhaps I could patronize some local businesses instead. Or watch another cheesy movie. Still, I’ve come up with over 1,000 posts. I can’t quit now.

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What’s My Problem, Anyways?

Posted on February 14, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had not meant to have a Non-Sequitur Thursday this week. I had big plans for a Mohawk Valley adventure on my way home from work. And I was going to walk my dog. Either one should have provided sufficient material for at least a short post.

And then it started to snow. Oh, I know, we Mohawk Valley residents are used to snow. We just drive on, sometimes without fully cleaning off our cars (don’t shake your finger at me; I was talking about you!). It wasn’t even supposed to be that bad. The storm was to pass NEAR us, sending us some snow, but nothing to worry about. “Enough to shovel” was the way Bill Kardas put it on WKTV News.

I had somehow gotten the impression snow was not even predicted to start until late afternoon or evening. At work, my co-worker said he thought it was supposed to start around noon. I looked out the window.

“How about ten?” I suggested, pointing. It was in fact about ten minutes before ten (I keep close track of what time it is at work). I continued to watch the snow fall all afternoon (I work facing a window).

Another co-worker arriving in the afternoon said the roads were not too bad; just a little “greasy.” I think Fats Waller said it best: Life sure ain’t easy when you’re fat and greasy (life sho’ ain’t easy when yo fat and greezy, to be more accurate).

I gave yet another co-worker a ride home prior to my adventuring. Before I dropped her off, I had put my vehicle in full 4-wheel drive and decided to go straight home. I’m still not sure why it seemed so bad. It was just a lot of snow, not even a real full-fledged storm such as we central New Yorkers weather with such tough-minded pride.

Still, I drove home slowly and was happy to be there. I went outside and shoveled what had accumulated so far. Admittedly, it was not much, and it was still coming down quite steadily. But I felt I should do something to lighten Steven’s load tomorrow. If Steven decides to shovel tomorrow. He may leave it for me on Saturday, which would be fair since he has done the lion’s share of the shoveling this winter.

Perhaps I have reached Winter Fatigue or I am suffering from that Seasonal Affective Disorder (OK, one of those I just now made up). But not to worry. We are resilient here in the Mohawk Valley. I’ll be out and doing stuff soon, snow or no snow! I’ll be sure to write about it here.

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Better than Running the Vacuum

Posted on February 2, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have awaited this day with impatience (but apparently not enough impatience to make it come sooner): the return of running commentary! All week, as I watched the predictions of the end of the cold snap, I planned to run on Saturday. I was psyched, I was ready, I was going to do it.

I got up extra early, because Steven had to be to work at six. I thought it would be a good idea to wait till the sun was up. Running in the dark is all very well during the hot weather, but today I felt I should give myself every advantage. When I noticed it was light out, I checked my thermostat. 24 degrees. That didn’t sound very warm.

Well, I had all day. I went upstairs and started some housecleaning, till we gained a few more degrees. Naturally, this put me in an “I’d better run NOW” mood. Remember that, people, if you are ever disinclined to exercise, just start doing a distasteful chore. Your desire for good health will become paramount.

I put on the long-sleeved running shirt my sister gave me for my last birthday. I decided to keep on the fat old lady pants I had put on earlier (for a trip to Wal-Mart, just to give you a mental image; they were most appropriate). After all, they provided freedom of movement, they didn’t look unlike exercise pants. I have a limited running wardrobe, after all.

I need new running shoes, but figured I could make do with that I had. I found my one good pair of winter running socks. Ah, I will definitely buy more of those the next time I’m at The Sneaker Store in New Hartford, NY (that’s where I get my running shoes; great store). They felt great. A hooded sweatshirt, my toque, mittens, I was off.

The sidewalks were not bare. That would be OK. For one thing, running on the snow would be more effort. I could burn more calories. I just had to watch out for ice.

I saw another runner going down German Street. He or she was shuffling along at about the pace I usually manage. That made me feel better, but I still ran in the opposite direction. For one thing, that person was running in the road. I always feel self-conscious running on the sidewalk while “real” runners run on the road. Like I’m the little kid doing what my mom told me to do.

Oh, but it felt good to run. Why didn’t I do this much sooner? Oh yeah, icy sidewalks and below zero temperatures. Well, that was a thing of the past. I was a runner again! Woohoo!

When I started I thought I would be happy with a 15 minute run, considering the temperature and how long it had been since I ran. However, I ended up doing 23 minutes, due to my failure to turn around in a timely fashion. It didn’t matter. My body was OK with it. Just by the end, my throat and lungs were getting a little tired of breathing in the cold air. I know, I know, in through the nose, out through the mouth. Sorry, my sinuses render that method ineligible.

My legs enjoyed the cool-down walk even more than the run. I guess that’s no surprise. I enjoyed the run. I spent the whole time narrating in my head. This would be one damn long blog post if I used all the good stuff I was coming up with. Then again, they might have sounded better in my head than they would look on the screen.

No matter, I ran, I was happy, I wrote a blog post about it. I hope to run again soon. In the meantime, off to more Mohawk Valley adventures. Or perhaps to the housecleaning I put off in order to run.

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A Cold Walk

Posted on January 30, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have been wanting to walk my dog, Tabby (I didn’t name her after a cat) (I told that story, didn’t I?), for some days now, but it has been too cold out for cute little doggies and middle-aged ladies. Today was only marginally better, but I thought I’d give it a try.

One reason I wanted to walk is that my back has been hurting me. I thought maybe I did something to it, but I really think all that I did was live to be fifty. And I haven’t been walking. Walking every day is very good for your back. It is good for your dog, too. How could I stay inside?

My thermostat said it was 18 degrees, which is practically 20. Luckily, my thermostat says nothing about wind chill. I hoped for the best. I put Tabby’s coat on her, bundled myself up, and we were off.

That bright sun ought to help, I thought. If only it hadn’t gone behind the houses. At least there were strips of sunlight. The sidewalks weren’t too bad. In the few places where nobody had shoveled, other pedestrians had worn a path. I don’t mind a little snow. The resistance burns a few more calories.

One patch of sidewalk was completely bare. I wondered if the people living in that house had put a heater under it, like some businesses do. I’d like to do that and not have to shovel. With my luck, I would mis-set the heat, the snow would melt then freeze, somebody would take a header and sue my pants off. Then I wouldn’t be able to afford to pay the heating bill.

When we turned the corner, we had full sun on our backs. Aaahhh. Well, I guess it was mostly placebo effect, because the air was still cold. My nose was running, but at least I had a handkerchief today.

I decided we would only go around one block. Tabby might have preferred to go farther, but I don’t think little dogs necessarily know what is best for them or me. Around another corner, we were in shade again. I thought how much I would appreciate the shade this summer. Then the wind picked up. Yikes!

I think Tabby enjoyed the walk. At least she stopped and sniffed the usual number of times. I enjoyed it too. I certainly needed the exercise. I needed more than what I got, to be honest, but one does one’s best. Tomorrow the temperature is supposed to be in the 20s. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: it sure looks different on the way up than it did on the way down!

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Skunks, Snow and Sick of January

Posted on January 24, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Full disclosure: This Non-Sequitur Thursday was written on Wednesday for future publication. I have a Mohawk Valley adventure planned for Thursday and may not have time to blog. Also, I just wrote a serious post for Wednesday publication. It wore me out, so this one will be short and dumb.

Don’t skunks hibernate during the winter? When I got out of my vehicle at work the other morning, I smelled skunk. Which is not the same thing as smelling a rat, if you know what I mean.

That happened two days ago, before the temperature dripped, freezing all smells and most nostrils. Many schools are closed or at least delayed. I am currently lamenting my failure to bring a sweatshirt to work. Oh well, I can hang for eight hours. It’s only a problem on break, after all.

And here’s another question: How come if it’s so dang cold, the snow looks like it’s melting? Seriously, I’m looking out the window at this courtyard and I keep seeing more green and less white. What’s that all about?

I will close with my epiphany for the day: I am tired of it being January, but is is going to be January till January is over. This is similar to one of my favorite sayings: sometimes you just have to feel that way till you don’t feel that way any more.

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I Run Again

Posted on February 11, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yes, running posts two days in a row. I had a couple of Mohawk Valley adventures I could talk about, watched a cheesy horror movie and even cooked something of interest. But I just went running, I’m proud of myself and I’m going to write about it.

Did that sound a trifle defensive? Maybe it was. I didn’t run that far and I didn’t run that fast. Yesterday I didn’t run at all, as I believe I mentioned. This morning was exceedingly cold and I had my doubts. Then Steven and I watched a non-cheesy movie and I got restless. Our thermostat said the temperature had risen to 28 degrees. I decided to chance it.

I put on my leopard spotted long johns, which I had worn under my skirt yesterday. They are lightweight spandex and I think they look cool. I found my other long-sleeved army t-shirt and my other pair of winter running socks. Sweatshirt, toque, mittens, I was on my way.

When we had been out and about earlier I had noticed the path over what used to be a hydraulic canal had been plowed. Really, the sidewalk plow has been very efficient in Herkimer this season. I determined to run toward Main Street and perhaps rock the canal path (not sure if it has an official name).

Just because the sidewalk plow had been by did not mean the sidewalks were bare. Lots of snow remained to crunch under my feet and slow me down. Well, so what, I told myself. I run for a certain amount of time not a certain distance. If it takes me longer to get to point A, so be it. And I’m sure it burns more calories.

Traffic was not too bad. I managed to cross German Street without too much problem. I ran in the road on one side street to get to the canal path but other than that I pretty much stuck to the sidewalk. Still, bare pavement is nice. You forget to appreciate these things till you are reminded. I met a couple of pedestrians but managed not to run into anybody.

I followed the path as far as I could then ran down a couple more residential streets to Main Street. I figured I could easily cross Main Street on a Sunday. As it turned out, not at the precise moment I wanted to. Then I noticed a stretch of bare sidewalk and decided to make my cross further up.

Eventually I crossed near a bank and thought to run through the bank parking lot to get to Church Street. Ah, that was bare pavement. Till I got to the other part of the parking lot, behind the 1834 Jail. Not so bare. I found some tire tracks to run in.

It burns more calories, I kept telling myself. Burns more calories. When I wasn’t thinking that, the song played in my head that goes, “All I wanna do/ Is have some fun/ I gotta feeling/ I’m not the only one.” Then I’d change things up and think, “All I wanna do/ Is run, run, run/ I look around and/ I am the only one.” I did see a family walking, parents and a small boy. I was glad I had stayed on the sidewalk, to set an example for the younger generation.

It was a much better run than Thursday’s, so I felt I had been rewarded for my effort. Once the roads are bare again, I am SO going to rock the hill up to Herkimer County Community College. Stay tuned.

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