Items of local interest to the four-state area (Western Md, Southern PA, Northern VA, and Eastern WV).
They say time changes everything. Sadly, I lost a friend this past week. Her name was Nell Simmers. She was 81. For many years, she lived in a small house behind mine – just across the alleyway. Nell was the kind of grand lady whose personality instantly made whoever she was with feel at ease, and she’d talk to you as if she had known you her entire life, even if she just met you. A true local gem. As…
My youngest is entering her senior year in high school this year, so that means that we’re well into the planning and preparations for gearing up for her post-high school education. SATs have been taken (multiple times), high school classes have been chosen with care, and it’s now time to start narrowing down the field for colleges. I’m a big proponent of physically visiting a college BEFORE signing one’s name on the dotted line. Sometimes, a campus will just click,…
I’ll admit, due to the pandemic, it’s been a summer to remember (or forget, depending on your point of view). With all of the social distancing, rules, and just plain fear of catching the COVID-19 virus keeping customers away, running a business during the past six months has been anything but easy. Today, I’ll focus on restaurants and other food eateries, one of the hardest hit sectors in the recent economic downturn. ‘Business Insider’ recently reported that as many as…
Following on the heels of last year’s school calendar ending with a rushed and emergency distance learning set-up (locally, our kids were forced to online learning in March to finish out the school year), this year school officials (in Maryland) have already announced that the upcoming school year will start out (on August 31st, 2020) with distance learning (no onsite presence) until the COVID-19 situation can be assessed and reviewed. This, of course, has received mixed reviews from local parents…
One of the things I love about living in Western Maryland is the change of seasons. I enjoy the changing colors of the leaves in the fall, the cold snap on my face in winter, and the greening and promise of spring. Unfortunately, I have to take the seasons as a package deal, so I must also put up with the stifling heat of summer (even if it’s only for a few months). Now, there are those I know that…
While many, many businesses have been negatively impacted by the pandemic and its associated business lockdowns, there’s been one outlier that has not only bucked the trend, but is actually thriving in this new consumer climate: The Drive-In Movie Theater. A staple in the 1950s (there were over 4,000 of them nationwide in 1958), they providing the driving public with a way to get entertainment without ever leaving the interiors of their shiny, new automobiles. Carloads of teens, adults, and…
I generally steer away from “toxic” topics or political discussions on this blog (there are plenty of other places you can certainly click on to get your fill of that, no matter which way you politically lean), but I have to say that I’m baffled by the continued resistance of wearing masks in public places, stores, and other indoor settings as we navigate this pandemic. We’ve been very fortunate in Maryland (so far), and especially in the western portion of…
As I watch my own daughters grow up, I’m reminded of the differences that seem inherent between an older and a younger sibling. Through observations of my own family, my own experiences, and my very unscientific conclusions, my theory consists of a few hypothesis statements: The first-born takes on the mantle of being the responsible, serious family member. The second-born is a wildcard. Sibling rivalry is real (Sorry, this theory doesn’t factor in any “middle” children. The only thing I…
I’m sitting here in my back room, watching the multitude of birds flitting in and out of my bird feeder, thinking about the lessons I’ve learned from the ongoing pandemic. It’s been a long couple of months in isolation from friends, family, and the normal daily routine of what I call “life” (and it looks like we may be in for an up and down summer as infection rates rise and fall), but I have a few takeaways. I Used…
Many states are beginning to slowly ease back on restrictions and business closures they imposed as a result of the coronavirus and pandemic mitigation efforts. Here in Maryland, we’ve just entered the beginning of “Phase Two” of the economic “reopening” plan, which allows most retail locations, restaurants, and other businesses to resume operations (albeit with several caveats and restrictions). As the recent lock-downs as a result of COVID-19 start to expire, what exactly does that mean for our future experiences…