Hanging Out in the ‘Hood

November 26th, 2011
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I saved a lot of money today.  I didn’t do any shopping.  Even though today was Black Friday, I didn’t walk into one store or visit any websites to shop or buy anything.

I just wasn’t up for being sucked into the great vortex of shopping madness that now occurs on the day after Thanksgiving.  To me it’s just a marketing ploy.  There may be 42-inch flat screen televisions that cost $199 but there’s probably only four of them in the store and standing in line or camping out in a tent to take advantage of that price just isn’t … Read More

Mucho Thanks!!

November 24th, 2011
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Happy Thanksgiving!! The classy and world famous Rockettes Are you watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade yet?  To me, it’s not truly Thanksgiving until I watch The Rockettes perform their incredibly precise dance numbers and their infamous kickline.  Then, of course, there are the numerous marching bands, celebrities lip syncing popular tunes and the huge balloon animals. Maybe you’re peeling potatoes or putting the turkey in the oven.  Whatever you are doing and wherever you are, I hope your day is full of great food, family and friends! Today I want to send a big thank you to all of… Read More

The Month of Thanks

November 18th, 2011
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A Bowl of Hot Smashed Spuds…YUMMMM As we ready for that time of year when we traditionally pause and give thanks, this year may be hard for some to find a reason to be thankful. If you recently lost a loved one, a holiday celebration can exacerbate all the jumbled up feelings you are experiencing and trying to understand. Thanksgiving was the first holiday that my son and I experienced following my husband’s death.  Our son was thirteen at the time and he and I decided to stay with our usual Thanksgiving routine of having dinner at my parent’s house… Read More

Changing Up Thanksgiving?

November 14th, 2011
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A Thanksgiving Cookout? Most people don’t want to try something new for Thanksgiving dinner.  They usually want the same food that has been served to them at every Thanksgiving dinner since they were a child because it’s comforting and to them, it defines Thanksgiving dinner. It’s all about tradition. Not that there is anything wrong with tradition.  But life can also be about surprises and choices.  Maybe you have some Thanksgiving or other holiday ritual you’d like to eliminate or introduce.  That’s why I like the following column…. Make Your Own Thanksgiving Is it time to make your own Thanksgiving… Read More

Holidays 101

January 11th, 2011
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This is to all of you who white-knuckled it through the holidays … After eight years of celebrating the holidays without my deceased husband, I know this for sure: you can make the holidays anything you want them to be. Only you know how much you can take of the 24-hour holiday music that follows you wherever you go, the marathon holiday parties and the general holly jolly holiday atmosphere. This may sound simplistic but it’s not. You need to give yourself permission to do what you think you can handle and nothing more. You don’t have to celebrate the… Read More