Tag Archives: walking

It’s My Birthday, Dammit!

Posted on November 23, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

My sister Diane told me I should use that as the title. I had really thought I would make a “real” post today, but I don’t know why I thought that. I’ve been running around doing things and now I’m sitting here composing at the keyboard and wanting nothing more than to get to the sweats on, bra off, sitting on my couch crocheting portion of the day.

One does the best one can, doesn’t one? I offer a Preview of Coming Attractions, which may sound remarkably like What I Did Instead of Writing a Blog Post for Today.

I started doing things yesterday with a wine tasting at Vintage Spirits, always a fun thing to write a post about. This morning I did not run, which would have led to a dandy running commentary. However, I may run tomorrow, so we have that to look forward to (me the run and writing the post, you reading the post) (if you like that sort of thing). I did, however, finish two letters and write three post cards which I then mailed, walking to the post office with my delightful schnoodle, Tabby. Walks with Tabby are often good for a post.

My day was just getting started. I went to a craft fair at the Saquoit Middle School with my sister Cheryl and my mother. What fun that was! And it involved an enjoyable drive over scenic country roads. The journey and the destination are worth writing about. My trip home, with almost freezing rain, was equally memorable.

Back in Herkimer, I stopped at Valley Wine and Liquors where another wine tasting was going on. Oh stop shaking your heads and calling me a lush (you know who you are), I only tasted a few wines. We didn’t even open the bottle we purchased last night and what I bought today I intend to save for Thanksgiving. There is every chance we will open last night’s bottle and have a glass or two tonight, but for heavens’ sake, did you not read the title of the piece? It’s my birthday, dammit! Sheesh!

Well, this is a respectable 300 words. At least, it’s 300 words. Describe them by the adjective of your choice. I’m going back to my birthday celebrations.

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Here’s Another Pedestrian Post

Posted on October 26, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Once again I was not up to running this morning, so no Saturday Running Commentary. I shall begin again again again again soon. I hope before snow flies. In the meantime, I shall offer another Pedestrian Post and hope to not alienate any readers.

Yes, yes, I did have copious Mohawk Valley adventures yesterday about which I hope to write. But you know how I get. I want to write good blog posts about them. I think sometime I will wax philosophical (half-bakedly, of course) on how this is a terrible strategy, because the longer you wait the more the pressure to be good builds. Eventually one can never live up to one’s own expectations. If one ever could.

All this by way of putting down more words, because our walk really wasn’t such a much. I missed the really beautiful part of the day, when it got all sunny this afternoon. That hardly mattered. It was still warm, and I like a cloudy, gloomy day. It suits me.

We had just had an enjoyable outing to the Ilion Farmer’s Market at Clapsaddle Farm on Otsego Street in Ilion, NY. It was folk artist Jim Parker’s 80th birthday, so we went to wish him well. I brought him a scarf I had made. He said it would make him the hit of the coffee shop. Tabby just loves that farmer’s market. When we got home I dropped off my purchases (hot garlic pickles and a dog bone) and we set out.

I admired many Halloween decorations. Little ghosts decorated a bush and porch railing. Miniature skeletons hung from a porch roof. My favorites lately are the skeleton parts that look as if they are coming up out of the ground. I saw one that looked as if it lit up. We’ll have to walk by there after dark and see.

We did not see any other dogs and very few people. I said hello to one lady we walked right by. I’ve said hello to her before. She ignored me then and she ignored me today. I suppose people have a right to be unfriendly if they want, but I couldn’t help thinking to myself, “What did I ever do to you, lady?” I always call females “lady” in my head when I feel offended.

Oh, I know, I mustn’t judge. Perhaps she had a dreadful problem that had nothing to do with me but renders her unable to offer even the barest human courtesies. Perhaps, unbeknownst to me, she is in hideous pain and it is all she can do to remain upright and moving. I should admire her instead of calling her “lady” in my head in that disparaging fashion.

In any case, it was an enjoyable walk. Now Tabby and I await Steven’s return from work. The nicest thing that has happened to me all day was when I remembered he comes home at six and not six-thirty.

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It’s Pouring Rain and I’m Cooking Sausage

Posted on October 24, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

When I said I would try not to have a Wuss-out Wednesday this week, I did not say anything about not having a Non-Sequitur Thursday. For one thing, today is my Friday. What could be more non-sequitur than that? Oh, I suppose a few things. Enlighten me, if you feel you must.

It actually feels more like a Tired Thursday, but that doesn’t have the same alliterative ring that Tired Tuesday does. I did try to write something during the day at work. I opened my notebook, took out a pen and turned to a blank page. In between breaks (you know, while I was working), I thought about what I could write. The result was a few more paragraphs on my novel. Not good paragraphs. That novel is at kind of a standstill, but I’m still plugging away. I am determined to bring it to some sort of a conclusion.

After work I went to the grocery store. I bought plenty of ingredients for a few good cooking posts by the end of the weekend. And when I say “good,” I mean I expect the food to taste good. I make no guarantees about the writing (although I flatter myself that I am not contemptible in that department).

It was raining when I left work, so I thought I was off the hook for walking Tabby. The rain stopped by the time I got home but looked ready to start up again at any excuse. Tabby doesn’t like to walk in the rain. I was afraid if we started our walk and the rain started back up that Tabby would stand still and look at me, expecting to be magically and instantly transported back home.

Still, she was so excited to see me and did seem to expect an adventure. I thought, oh hell, it’ll be something to write a blog post about. We set out. It almost immediately began to rain again but very lightly. For once Tabby didn’t seem to notice. I had put on a warm jacket and had the hood up, so I was fairly comfortable, except for my back.

Like many people who are overweight and over 40, I suffer from back pain. Today I blame work. I spent the morning standing and the afternoon sitting. My back likes it better when I am up and down. I thought, this is OK. A walk always helps. Today, not so much. So we only walked for a block. At least Tabby seemed to enjoy it.

And that has been my Thursday/Friday. I see this bit of blathering on has gotten my word count over 400. I’ll just slap a kicky headline on and call it a day. Hope to see you on Lame Post Friday.

Just one quick note: Do you find this is more Stream of Consciousness than Non Sequitur? I’m afraid it might be.

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Early Morning Stroll

Posted on October 19, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

The return of Saturday Running Commentary seems ever more remote. Alas. Looking back, I see it has been just over a week since my last Pedestrian Post, so I will attempt to write a little about the jaunt I took this morning with my schnoodle Tabby.

Steven had to work at 6:30, so we were up at an unconscionably early hour (I like that work “unconscionably.” I even spelled it correctly on the first try). Still, early mornings are nice. I wrote a few postcards, one of my favorite Saturday morning activities. As Mohawk Valley Girl, I feel I ought to point out that they were not postcards of the Mohawk Valley. They were some my mother picked up for me on a recent road trip she and my father took. I can only find so many postcards around here.

Tabby and I set out shortly after Steven left. I was wearing a cape my sister gave me. I felt distinctive wearing a cape. It was cool enough to make the cape appropriate but not so cold I wished I was wearing a hat. That was good, because my hair was still a little wet from my shower. I did not want hat head for the rest of the day.

It was still dark out. I love to be out before sunup for a fun purpose. Between the Army and the National Guard, I have many times left the house at oh-dark-thirty to spend way too long a day doing dreadfully uncomfortable things (yes, it is OH-dark-thirty; I never once heard it called zero-dark-thirty, although I suppose that is technically the correct term). Of course I don’t regret my time in the service, but it did rather warp my view of early morning hours.

We heard a dog bark. I thought I could see the little dog that lives up the street from us. His owners don’t put him on a leash. Was he going down the sidewalk? I couldn’t see in the dark. Then I could see him go back up the driveway and I saw the back porch light go off, so that was OK.

I could see a few lights inside houses on. More than I usually see when I’m out running prior to 4 a.m. I thought about the middle of summer when the sun is in the sky by 6:30. I love seasons. They add such interest to my days. Fall is my favorite. You never know what you’re going to get. We had some 70 degree weather this week, but we may get snow flurries on Sunday. You can laugh or you can cry; I prefer to laugh.

As we went across Meyers Park, I heard the jingle of a dog collar. Was that Nicky? It was! Nicky is a cute little dog I often pet when I am out running. We went up to them and said hello. I petted Nicky and Nicky sniffed Tabby’s butt. We walked a block together while Nicky’s lady and I chatted. We parted company when Tabby and I had to cross the street to get to the post office.

After the post office, we did not walk as long as we usually do, because I felt a few raindrops. We made it home before it was full-out raining, but after we were home I could hear it pour down. It kept raining for some hours. I’m glad we walked while the walking was good.

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Lame Walk on a Lovely Day

Posted on October 4, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I did try to write a better blog post today. Perhaps I should offer some half-baked philosophy on why these things often do not work out (for those just tuning in: today is Lame Post Friday, when I usually serve up half-baked philosophy and random observations). Instead, I will attempt a Pedestrian Post, about a walk I just went on with my beloved schnoodle, Tabby.

Today, if the weather reports are correct (I know, big if), is the last of the lovely days. At work I kept peering out the window at the trees and telling my co-workers I was leaf peeping. When I got home it was still bright and sunny. I procrastinated starting the walk but knew I would take one, in case they are right and it pours rain all day tomorrow.

Tabby was so excited when I got my fat ass off the couch and started to put my sneakers on. I figure it doesn’t hurt to let her burn off a little excess energy with all the barking and jumping. I only wish she could transfer some of it to me (as parents of toddlers have said since time immemorial). At last we set out.

Tabby happily led me down the sidewalk. I let her pick which direction to go, although I planned to change her mind for her if she wanted to go the exact way we went yesterday. She did not, however, and we went down Bellinger Street. I saw two dachshund puppies up ahead on the opposite side of the street. So cute! Tabby completely ignored them, however.

Close to Meyers Park, Tabby did her business, which was good news for me. I could detour into the park and throw it in the trash. I had an extra bag in case of further business, although that rarely happens. Tabby either knows the drill or planned to go through the park anyways, because she pulled me across the street almost immediately.

After the park we continued on Park Avenue (say it with your pinky finger up in the air), then down Prospect Street. I admired some scarecrow picks in front of a porch. Tabby found some extremely interesting spots to sniff. I found some dried leaves to scuffle through, one of my favorite fall activities.

The trees were beautiful, as were the mountains in the distance. I would have liked to jump in the car and take a long drive into the country. However, I needed the exercise and Tabby would rather walk.

As we approached home, a truck with a poodle-looking dog in the front seat went by. The dog jumped and barked at us with a deliriously happy look on his face. I could picture him saying to his person, “Look at that hot chick! Dad, we HAVE to STOP!” Um, you know I’m referring to TABBY as the hot chick. I’m not bad for a middle-aged, overweight lady, but I doubt I would appeal to a poodle dog in that way.

I quite enjoyed our walk, although it did get me home too late to prepare the more elaborate dinner I had thought of. I know, my own fault for procrastinating the walk. What do you want from me on Lame Post Friday?

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Into the Fog Once Again

Posted on September 28, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I guess Saturday Running Commentary isn’t really back, despite its appearance last Saturday (um, I did have a Saturday Running Commentary last week, didn’t I? Too lazy to check). But to expound upon my tribulations running would be tiresome. It would no doubt lead to a big long gripe, a real Wrist to Forehead Saturday. I would run out of Saturday before I ran out of things to complain about. In fact, I’d better change the subject now.

Tabby and I took a nice walk to the post office this morning. I know I just wrote about a walk we took yesterday, but, once again, I don’t want to run out of Saturday. I have to get this puppy posted (um, “this puppy” being my blog post, not dear little Tabby).

It promised to be a warm, sunny day, so I was wearing shorts. I did not wear my crazy old lady hat, because I had just showered and my hair wasn’t dry. I was going to Coffee and Conversation with a Cop later (preview of coming attractions). I didn’t want hat head. At 8:09 a.m. (I looked at my watch as we set out), it was perhaps a little cool for shorts, but one makes do.

At first I thought Tabby did not want to go for a walk. We went about ten feet and she stopped and gave me that look. I turned around, feeling sad and a little concerned. It was neither hot nor rainy. Why would my dog not want to walk? However, she bypassed our driveway and began sniffing in the front yard. I convinced her to try the walk again, this time crossing the street. She graciously consented to continue.

It was foggy, as it has been several mornings this week. I love the fog. So mysterious. I was a little sorry, though, as I looked into the distance and could not see color on trees which I felt certain was there. Oh well, you can’t have everything. I concentrated on enjoying the mystery. I occasionally saw somebody walking up ahead. Even a block away rendered them a sinister figure. Halloween is coming. I look forward to sinister figures and various hauntings.

We made it to the post office, where I mailed some post cards, then continued our walk. We went down a mysterious alley. It wasn’t so foggy there, but the backs of some of these buildings can be a little creepy, especially if you have a vivid imagination, as I do.

However, we did not encounter anything alarming and Tabby was happy to head for home. I had things to do, so was not sorry the walk was not longer. I’m a little sorry the post is not more exciting, but as I often observe, you can’t have everything. I did have a couple of Mohawk Valley adventures today, so perhaps more exciting blog posts will be forthcoming.

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Last Summer Walk?

Posted on September 27, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Here’s a random observation for Lame Post Friday: “Lullaby and Good Night” does not seem to me an appropriate song for the ice cream truck (don’t know the real name of that song, sorry). But how was that for a lead sentence? I’m sitting in my living room, my little Acer in my lap, hoping to come up with something, and the silly ice cream truck is driving by.

I’m not up for any half-baked philosophy (the other component of Lame Post Friday), but I did take a nice walk with my schnoodle, Tabby, during which I made a few more observations which I will share. Summer seems to be making a farewell appearance in the Mohawk Valley. It is sunny and warm and supposed to be even better all weekend. I wore shorts, sunglasses (prescription), and my crazy old lady hat.

Tabby pulled me down East German Street for a couple of blocks. I thought it might be nice to go down Prospect, but she pulled me across the street to where the Pugnacious Pug was sitting in front of a house with his peeps. I call him the Pugnacious Pug because it seems he is always barking up a storm at something. Today he was barking at some people getting into a truck, then he turned around and barked at us. Tabby pretty much ignored him, finding several interesting places to sniff in the grass. At last I convinced her to go on.

We saw kids riding their bicycles and people sitting on front porches. We said hello to anybody who looked up. I noted some mums and other flowers still in bloom. My favorite sight was Halloween decorations. I saw one porch with a black and orange garland, small skeletons and one giant furry spider. Steven and I better get going on our decorations.

The walk was not long, but we enjoyed it. When we got home I took the laundry down off the clothesline. Astute readers may remember I wrote my Wednesday post while in the laundromat. Yes, those clothes having been hanging on my line for two days. Let’s hear it for no rain!

So I’ve walked my dog, taken down laundry, and typed in my blog post. Once I hit publish, I’m starting my weekend. Hope your Friday is fun.

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Too Tired to be Inspired

Posted on September 26, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’ve been waiting all day for inspiration to strike and give me an idea of what to write a blog post about. All that has happened is that I feel increasingly tired and dull. I can see some of you shaking your heads now; you saw that coming, you TOLD me not to wait for inspiration, just to write, blah blah blah.

Regular readers know I DON’T always wait for inspiration. I daresay some of them wish I did, maybe I would write less nonsense. I can’t say I wouldn’t write anything at all, because I do feel inspired sometimes. Sometimes I feel inspired to write nonsense (ooh, that might make a good title).

I had thought to write a Pedestrian Post so took my schnoodle, Tabby, for a walk. It’s not that I’m not inspired to write about that. It’s more of a case of I Can’t Write About THAT. Oh dear, I hope that hasn’t got everybody wondering what could have possibly happened that I can’t write about it. Nothing that exciting, I’m afraid.

Some days ago I made two salads, which I thought would be good for a cooking post. When I started writing that one in my head I realized not so much. Note to self: Next time make salads with more ingredients.

I am looking forward to the upcoming weekend. But I don’t want to do a Preview of Coming Attractions without looking up more information about locations and times. I mean, what’s the point in writing about a future event that my local readers can’t take advantage of?

Ah, I just thought of a topic to use in a future blog post: Is it really such a bad thing to end a sentence with a preposition? Or a blog post with a question? Discuss amongst yourselves.

In the meantime, I’m going to publish this as a Non-Sequitur Thursday.

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Never Mind Those Petty Complaints!

Posted on September 21, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Saturday Running Commentary is BACK! Yes! I ran this morning! It was awesome!

OK, it wasn’t really awesome, but it didn’t suck. That puts it in the Win column. I got up around 5:30, when I had expected to sleep in till six. I hadn’t put out running clothes but I knew right where they were. I got into them and out the door before I could talk myself out of it.

I wore my reflective vest, because sunrise wasn’t for another hour. I had on shorts and t-shirt, because my thermostat said it was 51 degrees outside. Just a couple of days ago we had frost warnings, but you’ll have that this time of year. Off I went. It didn’t feel too cold. I headed down German Street. It was the direction I most often take, but I reflected that it couldn’t feel too familiar since I had not been running in almost two weeks (HAS it been that long? I am not inclined to look at a calendar and figure it out).

The nice thing about returning to running is that you can do a short, easy run and not feel guilty about it. I know, some of you probably think I should feel guilty about returning to running and not keeping it up to begin with. I maintain that regret is a colossal waste of time. I was not there to worry about the past! I was there to further my weight-loss goals and perhaps get a blog post out of it.

And my legs were not happy with me. They have felt rather awful lately. When I took Tabby for a walk last night all my legs wanted to do was stretch out along the couch or bed and lie still. I kept it up for a decent amount of time anyways. It didn’t kill me.

I got near Valley Health and considered running up the hill. I decided against it. I would keep going for at least 20 minutes but not necessarily try for over 30. I had been running between 33 and 38 minutes the last few times I ran but I was doing the begin again thing this morning. Also, I intended to take at least one good long walk with Tabby later, so I would be getting some exercise.

About ten minutes into the run, my legs started to feel not so bad. They still weren’t happy with me, but at least they were less vocal in their complaints. I told myself I could rock this, but it was more intellectual knowledge than physical confidence. Still, I kept going and that’s the important thing.

I noticed more houses with lights on than I usually see at 3:30 in the morning, so that was nice. Still a lot of dark windows. Lucky bums sleeping in. I turned down Prospect Street rather than going to Main. I’ve mentioned Main Street’s “reputation.” I’ve never encountered anything untoward during daylight hours, though, so I will probably run down it in the dark one day soon, just to feel bad-ass.

I saw a person up ahead of me pushing a grocery cart. What was that all about? Maybe some homeless person collecting bottles and cans? He crossed the street and I thought I saw him head towards somebody’s trash can. I didn’t look too closely. I don’t need to get into a fight with a guy pushing a shopping cart. I turned down the first side street I came to. That worked out, because I entered where a sign said, “Do Not Enter.” You know how I love to be a rebel.

A glance at my watch told me I would not surpass 20 minutes if I went home from here, so I went by my street and on for a couple more blocks. I heard voices before I turned left. Who was that? Three young kids walking down the street. How to feel middle-aged and dumb: run on the sidewalk in a reflective vest while three kids (they might have been teenagers or early 20s) walk down the middle of the road three abreast wearing dark clothes. They ignored me, to which I did not take offense.

I ended up running for 26 minutes. The cool down walk around the block with Tabby felt better than the run, but my legs complained about that, too. Yes, I said they stopped complaining but neglected to mention when they started up again. I guess there’s no point in paying too much attention to petty complaints.

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A Truly Pedestrian Post

Posted on September 7, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Alas, Saturday Running Commentary does not return this week. It was supposed to rain this morning and let me off the hook. It did not. However, I didn’t feel like running so I darn well didn’t. In my defense, the house still felt stuffy and humid. We opened the front and back doors, hoping to get a cross-breeze. I thought I might change my mind after a cup of coffee. I did not.

I did, however, write four postcards which my schnoodle Tabby and I walked to the post office to mail around 8:30. Therefore, I make bold to offer a Pedestrian Post for your Saturday reading pleasure (or whatever day you decide to read it; I should not like to dictate others’ reading schedules).

When we walked last night the humidity made my crazy old lady had uncomfortable. This morning did not seem too sunny so I went without it again. I had showered and put on a fairly respectable-looking outfit with earrings, so I did not feel that I needed it for a disguise anyways.

Oh, I love to walk. It feels so good on my legs. Tabby likes it too, although sometimes it seems she mostly likes to stop and sniff. Almost every telephone post and tree as well as many random patches of grass command her attention. I must envy how easily she is entertained. Then again, I was reasonably entertained by the walk and I don’t have her sense of smell.

She kept wanting to go a different way from me at the corners and even tried to pull me across the street between corners, but I kept her on track. When we got to the post office she was reluctant to go in which is unusual. Once again, I convinced her. She seemed interested in a gentleman waiting for the window to open, but we did not approach him. He said she was cute. Tabby was happy when we left the post office, because I told her that now we’d go which way she wanted to go.

She took me over to Main Street, then down around Albany and up Prospect, which is a route we often take on Saturdays. I was soon feeling it was a good thing I had not gone running. I think it was even more muggy than last night. Even walking at a leisurely pace with frequent stops I was becoming overheated. I wondered if the weather was entirely to blame or if menopause was rearing its ugly head. Then again, finger-pointing gets us nowhere.

I was happy to return home to the benign influence of my fans (um, I mean the electric fans that blow air on me, not the other kind) (although I appreciate them too) (you know who you are, and for the rest, yes I KNOW it’s not you, you don’t have to make unkind remarks). I’m afraid my walk was dull and the post about it likewise. But I enjoyed my walk in a gentle, unexciting kind of way, and hope others found the same about the blog post.

Hope to see you on Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

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