The month of February is marked by many milestones – Groundhog Day, Mardi Gras, and for me it’s time for another annual chore that I loathe every year. Tax time. Yes, it’s time to sit down and figure out and file my federal and state income taxes. I am one of the many folks who does their own (as well as the rest of my family’s), so at this time of year, I put out my shingle and start pestering…
Ahhh, the summer garden. Who doesn’t love the thought of walking out of their back door and picking some ripe, juicy tomatoes, tender lettuces, or snipping off some fresh herbs to be used in that favorite kitchen recipe? Well, hold on there a minute, all you Gordon Ramsey wannabes. First things first. If you want to reap all of those delicious rewards, there’s a little sweat equity involved to get there. I’m not saying that having a small garden is…
One of the biggest expenses in a typical household after those pesky rent/mortgage/car payments every month is groceries. We all have to eat, and things are certainly not getting any cheaper at the local supermarket. What’s a body to do? Well, I feel your pain, and as someone who spends a lot of time in the kitchen, I employ quite a few strategies to help make my food dollar go as far as possible. I’m certainly no expert, but here…
As you may or may not know, I’m retiring from the world of work at the end of this year (just 338 days to go at the publishing of this blog entry – not that I’m counting or anything). It’s a funny thing, the reactions I get when I tell people this fact. First, they always look me up and down and quizzically ask, “how old are you?” When I tell them I’ll be fifty-seven at the end of this…
I’m a big fan of live music events, but I generally either find the ticket prices appalling (for “big name” acts), the travel time excessive (it’s a bit of a jaunt to get down to Baltimore or Washington – or for that matter, even Hershey, PA), or the choice of acts and styles limited (you ever try to find a good jazz quartet in Hagerstown?) I’m happy to report that all of that is changing, thanks to Live at Hub…
We humans are a fickle lot, jumping on the latest taste and flavor bandwagon when it comes to food and beverage choices. So, what’s on the horizon for 2024? Where does the industry think our taste buds and habits are heading? I’ve scoured the internet for multiple clues (so you don’t have to) and come up with a few trends that the pundits say are in store for us in the coming year. Plant Based Choices – More and More…
Happy New Year! 2024 has arrived. Remember, only two more years until the country’s Semiquincentennial (250th birthday), so start your planning now, but I digress. Did you make some resolutions for the new year? Are you planning on losing some weight or getting in shape? Maybe you’ve resolved to get more sleep at night or cut back on all those ‘Starbucks’ cold brews (I still don’t understand the whole Starbucks thing). Maybe you’ll go “meatless” one day a week for…
Yes, the colossus of the holiday season, Christmas Day, is just around the corner. My packages are wrapped, the batteries have been freshened for all of my indoor and outdoor lights (I’m up to 96 “AA” ones and 24 “AAA” – maybe going the battery route wasn’t the wisest of moves after all), and I’m ready for all of the merriment that the next few weeks will bring. Until this past Tuesday, when after avoiding it for the last three…
Nothing makes me feel more like a little kid again than seeing all of the lights and decorations that light up the homes and businesses during the holiday season. Admit it, there are some places you’ll purposely drive past beginning in December just to see their annual display of festive décor. No doubt your family has their own annual favorites. For instance, in my family, everyone wants to go past the “electrician’s house” on St. Paul Road, drive through Byron…
Now that the holiday season is upon us, Mother Nature is also stepping back in to make another annual seasonal change. For those of you not in the know, the winter season “officially” starts on Thursday, December 21st. The National Weather Service says we should expect a snowier winter than normal, but with temps a little warmer than average. This is all due to the El Nino weather pattern, which influences both temperature and precipitation in the Northern Hemisphere. Both…