Items of local interest to the four-state area (Western Md, Southern PA, Northern VA, and Eastern WV).
Ahhhhh, youth. I remember those care-free days when I was in my early twenties. Days when I could eat whatever I wanted with seemingly no consequences. I’d get two quarter-pounders with cheese from ‘McDonald’s’, wash that down with three slices of pizza from ‘Papa John’s’, and still never move an inch in my waistline. You know, back in the days when – as a younger man – I had the metabolism of a blast furnace. Alas, those days are over. …
You can’t pick up a newspaper or magazine these days and NOT see some article about the economy, interest rates, or some other force that may impact your home finances. Many of us have learned about personal finance the hard way (me included) – through trial and error. I’m still amazed that we don’t teach the basic concepts of personal finance to high school students before we unleash them into the wide, wide world of credit cards, home and car…
With the summer heat reaching record-breaking temperatures, wouldn’t it be nice to step out of the back of the house and take a refreshing dip in your very own swimming pool? It’s the dream of a lot of homeowners, right? Be careful what you wish for. I know quite a few friends who happen to have swimming pools in their backyards (both “above ground” and “in ground”), and to a man (or woman), whenever I pose the comment “it must…
The heat of summer has me longing for the shade of my front porch, where I can leisurely sit in the evenings with a good book or just watch the world go by. There’s also nothing better than sipping on a summer cocktail whilst I enjoy a good parch sit, but what to drink? I’ve seen plenty of videos and tik-toks on summer drink hacks that look fun, refreshing, and tasty. Here’s a sample of a few that you might…
Ahhh, the family reunion. An annual rite of passage for most families, you’ll often find the summer months as the “high season” for this type of extended family gathering. Reunions are done in a number of ways, whether it be meeting up at a relative’s house for a picnic/barbeque or gathering everyone together for a big trip somewhere – say Disney World or getting a cabin together in the Great Smoky Mountains. There tend to be two camps when it…
This week marks our country’s 247th birthday (just three more years until the Semiquincentennial – start your shopping now!), and what’s more American than watching a fireworks show to celebrate our Independence Day? No matter where you see a colorful display light up the night sky, it’s always an exciting time of year. That being said, advances in drone technology are now being utilized by the entertainment industry, most notably in the form of drone shows. Similar to a fireworks…
I don’t know how hard you keep your finger on the pulse of modern music, but if you have been paying any attention at the department store or at your local used book shop recently, you’ve probably noticed an uptick in both the availability and browsing of an unexpected item. Vinyl record albums. Yes, for those of you of a certain age, you heard that right – that record collection gathering dust in your attic or basement is making an…
I recently attended my oldest daughter’s graduation from college. It was a special day. A milestone in her life and in ours, and while I couldn’t be any more proud of her completing this chapter of her life, I have to say I was more than a little embarrassed and disappointed at many of the other attendees at the graduation ceremony. Yes, I’m talking to you, friends and family of other graduates. I don’t mean to go off on a…
The month of May brings about many things. May flowers, the Kentucky Derby, Cinco de Mayo, and this year, even a royal coronation, but it is also the month for most high school and college graduations. All over the country, young men and women will be dressing in gowns and mortar boards, shaking hands with academic elite as they walk across stages, and awkwardly hugging that uncle or aunt they see once a year (and who is totally embarrassing them…
The local weather forecast is filled with rain for the next week, and while some folks may dislike the seemingly day after day of wet weather, I for one embrace it – for a number of reasons. First off, there’s my garden. I plant a few raised beds every year, and the daily dose of liquid sunshine keeps me from having to manually water in my seedlings and young plants. At this time of year, they will take all the…