Columns

Making Quality Time With Family

Q: With everything it takes to work full-time and run a household, how can I find quality time to spend with my children? It seems like there aren't enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to be done as a mom. Jim: You can begin by honestly asking yourself a few simple questions. Are you working to provide for basic needs, or does your income mostly go toward paying for "extras" that you could forgo to have more time with your children? Are there any aspects of "maintaining a household" that you can afford to sacrifice? It's not always possible to plan meaningful ...

Share The Love Of Books

Seven — that’s how many books I collected as I walked from room to room in our house the other day. I made up my mind that enough is enough. It’s time to finish at least one of these books I have started. I love to read all kinds of books, both fiction and real-life stories. I do not pretend to follow any one author or rush to get the top novels on the bestseller list. I have had a penchant for Mary Higgins Clark’s books as they are easy reads that hold my interest. Forget Stephen King. One of his stories had me sleeping with the lights for days. I keep unread ...

Paperweights, Inexpensive Treasure to Enjoy

I've always liked paperweights. The cool, smooth feel of colorful glass is as delightful to look at as to hold. Plus, paperweights are an inexpensive and practical collectible that you can use and display on your desk or hall table. Paperweights have been around since ancient times and experts credit the Egyptians with a version of the paperweight to hold down their hieroglyphics. Today, collectors seek all kinds of paperweights including advertising examples, millefiori beauties and antique French, Scottish and English examples. My favorite is the colorful millefiori ...

Sign Up for Medicare Part B Online

For many people, signing up for Medicare Part B doesn’t require you to leave the comfort of home. Please visit our Medicare Part B webpage atsecure.ssa.gov/acu/ophandler/loginSuccess if: ∫ You’re enrolled in Medicare Part A. ∫ You would like to enroll in Part B during the Special Enrollment Period. You can complete form CMS-40B (Application for Enrollment in Medicare – Part B [Medical Insurance]) at www.cms.gov/Medicare/CMS-Forms/CMS-Forms/CMS-Forms-Items/CMS017339 and CMS-L564 at www.cms.gov/Medicare/CMS-Forms/CMS-Forms/Downloads/CMS-L564E.pdf (Request for Employment ...

Simple as Pie, Collectible Parers Are a Slice of Americana

Fall always includes apples and what better collectible than an apple peeler from yesteryear. Apple pie, apple dumplings and applesauce are comfort foods that most of us like and antique enthusiasts enjoy the simple machines that made food preparation easier like fruit peelers. There is even an International Society of Apple Parer Enthusiasts that takes collecting these gadgets to a whole new level. These fans of apple peeling machines have studied, inventoried, classified and collected a wide variety of machines that peel fruit. There is even a webpage for a virtual Apple Parer ...

Finding Clarity In The Stars

The day after Election Day, I paused my computer and walked from my home office into the living room. I stood at the window, soaking the warmth of the sunlight streaming through the glass. It felt good, even comforting after a long night of up and down election results. This walk to the window is one of the advantages of working from home after decades of toiling in a windowless newsroom. I stood and watched a collection of birds that had gathered in the yard. A few turkeys were scratching in the lawn along the tree line. They had already made a mess under the bird feeders ...