Items of local interest to the four-state area (Western Md, Southern PA, Northern VA, and Eastern WV).
Of all the seasons, I have to admit that I like fall the best (especially the month of October). The summer heat is giving way to cool mornings and evenings, the A/C has been turned off, I have replaced the glass in the storm door with screens, and sleeping with the windows open is one of life’s secret joys. All around the landscape, the color palette is changing. The mountains to the west of town are slowly turning from emerald…
My oldest daughter began her college career this fall. We dropped her off over a month ago, getting her settled in to her dorm room while attempting to boost her confidence for the upcoming adventure ahead, as the uncertainty and anxiousness of being away from home and starting a four-year foray into higher education alone was clearly written on her face as we said our good-byes after move-in day. Would she make new friends? Would she get along with her…
As a watcher of all things food and travel related, I have to ask – what is going on in R&D at these food companies? Look, I understand that in order to “increase market share”, it is necessary to think outside of the box and come up with innovative and creative ideas, but some of these flavor combinations? I just don’t know what’s going on in these marketing meetings anymore. Here are some examples – and yes, these are all…
Have you been out shopping recently? I don’t know about you, but I’ve certainly noticed the continued rise and expansion of the “self-checkout” systems being employed at most grocery stores, department stores, and other retail outlets. Look, I totally understand the convenience of a self-checkout line. Sure, I’ve used them. If I stop in at my local grocery to grab a simple gallon of milk, I’ll be the first person to scan my jug, swipe my card, and be on…
When last we left our heroes, the car they were using was on the fritz, confidences had been shattered, and the question on whether or not the State of Maryland would ever grant my oldest daughter her driver’s license was up in the air. What a difference a week makes. As you recall from last week, the 2012 Nissan Sentra my daughter was going to take her test in decided to break down while sitting in line to take the…
Wow, what a week. The story of my oldest daughter obtaining her driver’s license is becoming the stuff of family legend. One day, she’ll be able to tell her own kids about it, have a laugh, and hopefully – their own challenges with the process won’t seem so insurmountable. First, let’s back up a bit. My oldest daughter hasn’t been too concerned about obtaining her driver’s license. It doesn’t consume her as it does my youngest, who just recently got…
The last months of summer can mean only one thing in my neck of the woods – it’s time once again for the annual Clear Spring Volunteer Fire Company Carnival! For the week of August 5th through August 10th, the carnival grounds just south of town are the place to be and be seen, as every local civic organization and school group will have a stand or gaming tent in place for the biggest local fundraiser of the year. The…
As a parent, one of the milestones your kids reach is the ability to drive. Sure it has its pros and cons. On the pro side, there is the flexibility it gives a family. The kids can now take themselves to their various practices, events, or get together s at their friends’ homes without Mom or Dad being part of their transportation network. On the con side there is the increased insurance costs and parental worry that they will come…
“Hot enough for ya?” Good Lord, if I hear someone start up a conversation this way one more time in the next few days, I might just end up in a mugshot. Yes, it’s warm. Yes it’s muggy. I get it. Let’s move on. People often ask me what it was like living in Florida. Well, congratulations, because from about mid-April to late-October, this was it. Stifling heat, high humidity, and that wonderfully comfortable film of sticky sweat on all…
I was sitting in my back yard one evening this past week, tiki torches lit and providing a soft glow to my patio – fireflies slowly rising from the lawn, and I couldn’t help but wax nostalgic about summers gone by. As a kid growing up (many moons ago), summer was the one of the best times of the year. Free from the shackles of school until September, the long, lazy days were a wonderland of childhood imagination, play, and…