During COVID, my daughter started a local food pantry in Bloomingdale. She was worried about friends who wouldn’t have enough to eat. These people weren’t faceless or nameless. They didn’t live in a different time zone. It wasn’t a matter of just writing a check based on a mailer. They ...

I am a fan of takeaway or takeout, depending on what you call food to go. It is convenient. Occasionally, the floor of my car or the front of my jacket shows my need for a quick meal. Food can be ordered by phone or online. Food can be delivered, picked up, or driven to a window to get it. We ...

I cry more preparing for Christmas than any other time of the year. It isn’t for the stress, though we all know there is plenty of that, and it isn’t for the loss of family—we’ve all experienced those situations. I am genuinely sorry for anyone suffering any loss or stress. Does it ...

My Christmas lights stay up all year long, or do they? It’s all in the name. Those little white lights surrounding my porch are fairy/twinkle lights in the summer. The same innocent string of white bulbs is part of the holiday spirit the day after Thanksgiving. For me, the pressure has been ...

Not everyone will be celebrating Thanksgiving. There are numerous reasons, from the holiday’s repressive history and religious differences to loneliness. It must be overwhelming to see a giant blowup turkey waving while worrying about how to put food on the table. This holiday may focus on ...

I’m showing my age when I say I remember seeing Tina Fey’s movie, “Mean Girls,” in the movie theatre. The movie came to theatres a year before YouTube became one of the first video streaming platforms. (I digress as I sit in my rocking chair thinking about the good ol’ days.) Though ...