Tag Archives: walking

A Stroll But Not a Shop

Posted on December 22, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I think Saturday Pedestrian Post is going to be a thing, till the return of Saturday Running Commentary, of which I do not despair.

It is raining in the Mohawk Valley today (Saturday, as I said). My schnoodle, Tabby, does not like to walk in the rain. She will go a few feet, then stop and give me a look that says, “What are we doing out here?” She won’t even go into the backyard to do her business till she’s desperate. She will stand on the porch and look out at the wet landscape speculatively.

When it looked as if the rain had stopped for the moment, so we gave it a try. Of course it had started again by the time I had found a proper jacket (damn weather that changes every five minutes), got Tabby’s harness on and made sure I had poop bags. However, Tabby seemed to want to go, so we started out.

It was not raining very hard. We headed down Bellinger Street towards Church. I had an idea to walk to Main Street, so see if anything was going on with Herkimer Now’s Shopper’s Stroll. This was to be a Christmas event featuring specials at participating businesses, strolling carolers, horse and buggy rides, a live nativity and more. I figured a cute little dog with wet paws would not be welcome in a business, but I figured we could see some sights.

Tabby wanted to go a different way, but I convinced her and we made it to Main Street. The live nativity was to be later (preview of coming attractions), so things were quiet at Herkimer Reformed Church. It started to rain a little harder as we started down Main, but I didn’t get the Look from Tabby, so I hoped for the best.

There was the horse and buggy! Two beautiful Clydesdales pulled the covered wagon, first at a walk then at a trot. Tabby seemed very interested. Perhaps she wanted to make friends with the horses. Or she thought all the people getting a ride would probably like to pet her.

The rain tapered off but did not stop. We crossed the street to the old Glory Days, where some people were putting up murals. I had read about these in the paper. They were painted by local high school and elementary students. They are beautiful and certainly improve the appearance of that sad building. I complimented the people putting them up, and thanked them for doing it.

I would have liked to stop in a Weisser’s Jewelers. Steven got me a lovely ring there for an anniversary. I wonder if I could find a nice ring there for him. However, I kept my wet-pawed doggy out of there and kept walking. Likewise we stayed out of Mary Anne Mothers Designs. We greeted Santa Claus in front of Brian’s Roast Beef Deli. Some people were taking pictures with him.

We did not walk by all the businesses that participated, and I apologize for not giving a shout-out to everyone. However, if any of my lovely readers would like to know more about the Herkimer Shopper’s Stroll or about Herkimer Now, you can visit their website at www.herkimernow.com. You can also Like Herkimer Now on Facebook.

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Not Bad for a Saturday

Posted on December 15, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I knew I wouldn’t run today, but I thought I could walk with my schnoodle, Tabby, and get a nice pedestrian post out of it. It was a little cold when I decided to do this. Our thermostat showed the outdoor temperature as 14 degrees, and it usually reads a little warmer than it actually is.

I know Tabby has a built-in fur coat, but I thought she could use a little extra help. A couple of winters ago, we got her a cute little coat, grey with pink furry lining and trim. The words “Good Girl” are embroidered in pink on the back. The coat was big on her when we got it, but she’s put on a little weight since then (cue smart remarks about dogs getting to resemble their owners).

Unfortunately, the coat was somewhere in Fibber McGee’s closet (if you don’t get that reference, ask your grandmother) (oh dear, now I’m going to get hate mail from grandmothers who are NOT old enough to have listened to “Fibber McGee and Molly” on the radio).

Where was I? Ah yes, pulling everything out of my living room closet. Oh, well, I had meant to clean out that closet anyways. On the brighter side, I also found my mittens I had been looking for. Just in time to shovel the driveway, which I suppose I will finally have to do tomorrow.

So, there we were, all bundled up and ready to go. We got one house away from home, and Tabby stopped and looked at me. That’s usually her signal that she wants to go home. Sometimes she actually turns around and pulls me. This time I took the hint right away.

Well, for a ten foot walk, this is almost a 300 word post. I call that not bad for a Saturday. Hope to see you on Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

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Two Block Tabby

Posted on December 12, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

Now that winter weather is here, it becomes more of an effort to take our schnoodle, Tabby, for a walk. This being Wuss-Out Wednesday, I suppose I could write a post about how I’m too damn much of a wuss to take my dog for a walk today. However, dogs like to go for walks. Our dog is a very sweet, good dog. We took her for a walk.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (today) have all been cold. I know, not as cold as it’s going to get. In our defense, Steven and I are both still convalescent from last week’s colds (the head kind, not the weather). I told Steven he could stay home, but he agreed to walk with us.

We went two blocks, taking a different direction each night. That way we could check out different neighbors’ Christmas lights. I make myself obnoxious by pointing out each house with lights and each tree visible through a window. As a testament to what a good husband Steven is, he does not find it obnoxious.

It was cold but not particularly windy. Till tonight, when we were two blocks from our house and turned a corner. Yikes! Right in our faces! Of course this was the block Tabby found the most things she wanted to sniff. I was happy I had worn a scarf.

My favorite kind of lights are different colored and not blinking. I especially like when there are a lot of them. My favorite house has three trees, a wreath, and lights around the porch railing and pillars, all different colors, none blinking. But I enjoy the blinking lights as well. I particularly notice the new icicle lights, that actually look like they’re dripping.

One lady was standing on her porch, talking to another lady and a little girl.

“Pretty lights,” I said.

“Thank you,” she replied.

I wanted to say, “No, no, thank you!” Because I think it’s nice for people to hang lights and brighten up the neighborhood.

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Tabby Knows Best

Posted on December 3, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had this whole elaborate Monday Middle-aged Musing going on. Oh, I was getting deep. Then I realized I was in too deep. I didn’t know what I wanted to say. What to do? I thought I’d take my dog, Tabby, for a walk and do another pedestrian post. I know I do a lot of those, but I thought I might see some new things tonight.

It was dark by the time we started, making it all the easier to admire our neighbors’ Christmas lights. There is a kind I hadn’t seen before: they are shaped like an icicle and the light kind of runs down them. Very cool.

Tabby had a little indecision as to where to go when we reached the corner but resolved that and we continued down Church. She was stopping every two feet to sniff attentively. That made it easier for me to check out the decorations. I noted a large tree in a window not yet decorated and a staircase with lights running up the bannister. I regretted that we don’t have an open staircase. I like the lights on the bannister look. I reminded myself one can’t have everything and walked on.

Tabby stopped and looked at me.

“Let’s keep going,” I encouraged. She acquiesced. Then stopped again. Then deigned to walk some more.

We had gone a total of a block and a half when she stopped the last time, turned around and headed back home. I followed. She walked faster. She did not stop to sniff. What’s going on, I wondered. When she didn’t even stop to sniff the fire hydrant, I became a little concerned.

Being a woman of vivid imagination (as regular readers know), I began to ask myself if Tabby knew something that I did not. After all, animals have instincts. There have been stories. My husband was at home, nursing a cold. Could it be he needed us? I knew I was being silly. Then again, wouldn’t that make a tremendous blog post?

It did not take long to get home. Steven was fine. I turned on the computer and hoped I had enough for a blog post. Looks like I did.

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Yet Another Pedestrian Post

Posted on December 1, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

This morning I walked to the post office with Tabby to mail a few postcards. It is one of my favorite things to do on a Saturday morning. I like the fresh air and exercise, and I get that little frisson of satisfaction for accomplishing something.

It was cold this morning. Some places in the Mohawk Valley set records. I sensibly waited till after 10 a.m., when it should have warmed up a little. At least one would think it would have. I wore an actual winter coat, hat, gloves and a scarf. As I walked I wished I had found my mittens instead, but one can’t have everything.

I have taken Tabby for a few walks in the last few days (I believe I wrote about one on Thursday). When we went for yesterday’s walks, a little snow was falling while the sun shown on it. It looked like glitter falling from the sky. This morning was bright but precipitation free. I wondered if I should have worn my sunglasses but did not feel like returning for the house for them.

I was glad I had the scarf. The worst problem I’ve had on previous cold days has been my cold face. I have been known to walk along with a hand on either cheek, like that painting, I think it’s called “The Scream,” that a lot of people have as their screensaver. Only of course I’m not screaming. That would be silly.

After mailing my postcards we continued our walk to Main Street, down around Albany and back up Prospect. When we got to Church Street, Tabby pulled me towards our street. She is a smart pooch, because I was ready to get home, too.

You know, I hope no stalkers read this blog, because I bet they could figure out where I live by my descriptions of our walks. Well, who’d want to stalk me anyways? My adorable schnoodle Tabby, on the other hand… I’d better exercise caution.

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Be Thankful the Post is Short

Posted on November 29, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

After all, I don’t HAVE to write a post every day. I CHOOSE to write a post every day.

Wouldn’t that be silly if those two sentences were my entire post?

In fact, it is Thanksgiving Day, and I don’t got much. That is, I have a lot to be thankful for, of course. But I don’t have a lot to write about. Oh, I know, I could write a post about everything I’m thankful for, including perhaps a little snippet about how we OUGHT to be thankful every day, not just the day before Black Friday. Blah, blah, blah. Let’s save the half-baked philosophy for Lame Post Friday, shall we?

I did take a walk today, which is often good for a post. It was cold. I was glad I had borrowed my father’s hat. It was like a big hood not attached to a coat. The coverage was great, head and neck.

One sister and one nephew walked with me and Tabby. I ought, perhaps, to mention that I was at my parents’ house in Rome, NY. They live in a nice quiet neighborhood, good for walking. We walked down the middle of the road in a couple of places, to avoid patches of ice. We took to the sidewalks in other places but had no mishaps. Phew!

A few people had their Christmas decorations up already. I think tomorrow is a better day to begin our Christmas celebrations, but what are you going to do? My nephew revealed that he had perhaps inadvisedly volunteered to put up the Christmas lights at his house. I believe this was before the temperature dropped and the snow fell. We discussed my previous quest for a hard plastic light-up snowman (NOT the blow-up kind!).

Yes, it was an uneventful walk, but as usual we enjoyed it. I will strive for a more adventurous post tomorrow, but it will not include Black Friday shopping. That’s not how I roll.

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Writing About Not Running

Posted on November 24, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

No, running commentary isn’t back yet; stop pursing your lips at me.

I thought about running as we walked to the post office this morning. We consisted of me; my friend Tracy, visiting from out of town; and of course my schnoodle, Tabby. My husband, Steven, was at work. I explained to Tracy how I had not really started running again yet, but intended to (if anybody mentions intentions paving a road anywhere, I’ll scream).

I was sorry I had not started running again while the weather was good. I had my reasons. Maybe they weren’t very good reasons, but these things happen. The weather was not awful this morning, but it was cold. A fairly still cold, not a whipping wind. Still, it felt good to walk. I love to walk. I pointed out places of interest to Tracy. Tabby sniffed places that were of interest to her.

I had thought I might run at some point, but after all, I had to entertain my out-of-town guest. So instead of running anywhere, I found myself driving to Little Falls (preview of coming attractions: we went to the Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts). I was wearing a nice cape that was recently given to me. As I was putting gas in my vehicle, I realized I needed a good ten degrees warmer of temperature to wear that cape. Well, suffer to be beautiful.

It was on the way home from Little Falls that the weather got interesting. I saw a few flakes in the sky as we walked to my vehicle. They were joined by more as we drove out of town. Soon the sky was white and I was driving slowly.

“Are you glad now or sorry that I drove?” I asked Tracy. She admitted to pondering that very question before I asked.

The pick up truck in front of me wasn’t moving much faster than I was, and the car behind was not catching up. I discussed my speed choices, and we speculated on if and when the road might get slippery. My feeling is: when in doubt, go slow, because mid-skid is too late to slow down.

“Don’t worry,” I said. “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes, or drive five miles.” It was six back to Herkimer.

Sure enough, the snow has stopped now, although there is some white stuff on the ground. No, I am not going running today. I walked, I drove in the snow, I wrote a blog post. I’m done.

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Wrist Firmly on Forehead

Posted on November 4, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

Well, it is Wrist to Forehead Sunday after all.

I went wine tasting in the Finger Lakes yesterday with certain female members of my family. I’m a little tired today. Oh, stop looking so smug and self-righteous; I didn’t taste all that many wines. I was no more obnoxious than I am in the usual course of things (I know, some feel that is plenty obnoxious enough). However, it was a long day, and I am not a young woman.

Steven and I went for a walk with Tabby just now, thinking a pedestrian post would be acceptable on a Sunday. Hmmm… not much of a walk. No interesting anecdotes resulted. No striking observations or even silly jokes.

I put some chicken in the oven, so I suppose I could make something of a cooking post. Hmmm… that would take far more words than I am at present inclined to type (I did mention that it was Wrist to Forehead Sunday, didn’t I?).

I looked at the draft I am STILL working on about The Tingler, only to discover that there is at least a page and a half still in my notebook I haven’t even typed in yet. And I believe there is still more to write (it is going to be SUCH an anticlimax when I finally publish that damn Tingler post; it’ll never live up to expectations now).

So, I guess this is my Sunday post. A few lame excuses and a half-hearted preview of coming attractions. I wish I could muster the exuberance of last Sunday’s declared day off. Oh well, we all do what we can. I hope to see you on Monday.

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Into the Gloom

Posted on October 24, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

Well, I wrote that title and have been sitting here, not looking at it but resting my head in my hands. I’ve heard that everyone who suffers from allergies is REALLY SUFFERING this year. No doubt some people are suffering more than me. No doubt most people do not want to hear about my suffering.

In fact, that title was not meant to refer to my health problems or the resulting less than sunny mood. It was a straightforward observation of the weather.

Steven and I took our schnoodle Tabby for a walk after dinner tonight. Cold fall weather has come to the Mohawk Valley, so I dressed accordingly. I put on a hooded pullover sweatshirt, put the hood up, and added a warm jacket with a print involving skeletons. If I would have put on gloves, my life would have been perfect.

I know what you’re thinking: It’s OCTOBER, for heavens’ sake! What are you going to do when the snow flies and it’s below zero? Well, I’ll be acclimated by then, of course. Anyways, I was perfectly comfortable today except for my hands, and hands are often problematic.

Getting back to the walk, it was well before sundown but cloud cover darkened things considerably. It rained a little earlier but had stopped. It looked like it might storm, but we thought we might have time for a couple of blocks.

We encountered two of Tabby’s canine friends, Chico and Bear, with their person. We stopped and chatted and sniffed, according to species. I petted Chico, and Steven petted Bear.

We admired several houses’ Halloween decoration. The gloom made the lights stand out nicely. I thought a couple strings of lights looked more like Christmas lights, but I don’t have a problem with that. After all, reduce, reuse, recycle.

“If we lived in that apartment with the bay window,” I said, pointing to one of the large mansions now split into apartments, “we would put a display in the window.”

Steven agreed.

“Look, the house is for sale. We could buy it and put a display in the bay window.” Pause. “If we had lots and lots of money.”

As we walked down German Street towards our street, we saw a man running towards us with a dog on a leash. Tabby doesn’t like to run with me. We got out of the way, but said hello as they went by. Tabby expressed an interest in following the dog, but we talked her out of it.

It didn’t rain while we were out, so that was good. It was a pleasant if uneventful walk. Reading over the above paragraphs, I deem this a pleasant if unexciting blog post. Maybe a step above Wuss-out Wednesday.

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Tabby on Main Street

Posted on October 11, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I think Tabby would like to become a member of Herkimer Now. She had a wonderful time at their Superhero Sprint last Saturday. Tuesday night she joined them for their second Main Street Walk. Steven and I tagged along.

The first Main Street Walk was held last month (perhaps you read my blog post about it). Once again, people gathered outside Basloe Library at 6:30 p.m. We greeted people we remembered and who remembered us from last time or from the Superhero Sprint. Well, I guess they mostly remembered Tabby, although one woman had seen me on WUTR News (I had agreed to comment on camera). No news people were there this time (phew!), but Mayor Mark Ainsworth was on hand.

Another lady had brought her dog this time. She said her dog was kind of a snapper, so we did not let Tabby get too close, although both hounds seemed interested in each other. We walked north on Main Street as far as the 1834 Jail (one of my favorite spots), then crossed the street and walked south. Once again, people reminisced about what used to be where. Two gentlemen sitting on the stoop of an apartment building said hello. They knew one of the walkers, who stopped and chatted for a minute. I heard them express encouragement and approval.

When we passed Smokers Friendly, Steven went in to purchase a lottery ticket. I’ll let you know if he wins big. As we came out the door, Tabby encountered the other dog. Rowf! I think the other pooch wanted to fight, but her owner restrained her. We walked a little faster.

At State Street, also known as Route 5, people paused so we could cross the street as a group. It was almost dark by now. I remarked that it might have been better to start earlier and cross the busy street in full daylight. However, there were streetlights and a walk signal, and everybody made it across safely. One lady showed me that she had on an identification bracelet she wore when she rode her bike, so if she got hit by a car anybody would know who she was. I said that was a good idea, but, really, God forbid.

We hadn’t gotten to South Main Street on the first walk, so we saw some different buildings. Steven and I rarely cross State when we walk, so that was of interest to us.

St. Anthony’s Church hosted the group for refreshments. We hesitated about bringing Tabby in, but the lady in charge said it would be fine as long as we kept track of her. We didn’t let her off the leash, and she was, as usual, well behaved. One nice lady got her a dish of water. Steven and I enjoyed a cup of coffee and some treats. Tabby was a little disappointed that we didn’t share, but we made sure she got some treats when we got back home.

We walked back up Main Street by ourselves and managed to cross State without mishap. I was really glad we had gone on the walk. I think it’s wonderful that such a simple idea can make a difference and that people are willing to try. What tangible differences has it made so far, you may ask. I say good question. I’ll be watching Main Street and will be sure to report back.

I believe the two walks taken so far have at least made a difference to those of us who walked. I felt encouraged to see that people cared, were willing to come out and were optimistic enough to believe we can change things.

To watch for when the next walk will be, you can Like Herkimer Now’s Facebook page. Hope to see you there!

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