Columns

September’s Burden Not Forgotten

When we weren’t looking, September crept in on a cool, foggy morning. The month of September kicked August to the curb and is here to remind us of things past and things to come. This month used to signal an unofficial start to fall. The kids go back to school. The swimming pools are emptying out. The swings at the playground are swaying if only by an errant breeze. Leaves are beginning to swirl in a downward spin as the wind picks up. The trees will soon take on colors to paint the landscape in a wondrous beauty. Yet as much as I love fall, I stand looking out the kitchen window ...

More Than Just Numbers

I have never been a whiz at figures. As early as first grade I realized my strong points were geared more toward words and vocabulary. That does not mean that numbers, especially dates, have not been important in the greater scheme of my life. I often wondered why we were made to memorize “important” dates in history in lieu of simply knowing why certain dates were worth remembering. If you ask anyone in the baby boomer crowd what he or she remembers about Nov. 22, 1963, they will immediately tell you where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news that ...

Vintage Cookbooks Are Tasty Treat for Collectors

I was pleased to find a pristine copy of my favorite cookbook, Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook, at Sibs recently. I received a copy of it as a wedding gift in 1982 and have used it so much that it’s falling apart at the seams. I got a real bargain too since I’ve seen it online for three times the price I paid ($5). Lots of antique enthusiasts collect cookbooks. With everything from simple hometown pamphlets to the big books authored by television personality chefs, cookbooks are a delicious collectible. A line-up of great titles makes an impressive display in the ...

Cool Down With This Charming Collectible

Lace, silk, fringed and painted, fans from bygone eras are delightful to collect and display. One of my favorite collectibles, these delicate conveniences are a popular treasure worldwide, and a charming reminder of the era before air conditioning. I was pleased to find Oglebay Institute used a paper fan to remind guests of its Capital Campaign now going on, “Preserving our Past Creating Your Future.” The fan was a gift to all those attending its lovely Board Benefit last Friday evening and it came in handy in this August heat wave. Used for personal cooling convenience since ...

New School Year New Socks

Back-to-school shopping didn’t elicit much excitement when I was a child; not like it does today. It was all about the knee socks. Because I attended Catholic school for 12 years, I wore a uniform each year. There was no need for buying colorful new school clothes. The biggest purchase each year was for new knee socks. Socks tended to wear out; not so much the case for uniforms that were sewn from more durable material. In grade school, the knee socks were navy blue to match the solid blue jumper that we wore with collared white blouses. Pants were not permitted although many ...

Teaching A Man To Fish

My dad was not exactly a patient man. When he served as editor of the Wheeling News-Register more than 30 years ago, I saw him in action. He demanded deadlines be met even if it meant slapping a wet photo print on his desk for approval. He hated to be late for anything. He was known to bark at reporters or city editors when his patience wore thin. This was all in the name of getting the job done, but he could come off as gruff to the new kids in the newsroom. Yet there were times when I was a kid that I witnessed his demeanor change and his patience hold steady. And it was all ...