Disney 2.0

Chilly winds are setting in. It’s a good time to bundle up on the couch with family. And the best way to enjoy is with some escapism. With Disney hitting it out of the park, let’s check out what going on over at their streaming service.

Chillin at Chilo’s

The hustle and bustle of the holidays is done, and we are left with nothing to do. The Midwest has now plunged into the dull, gray, deep freeze of winter. On the plus side, we don’t have to see our relatives for another year. On the minus side, Jim and I are together in a 1,200 square foot home with nothing to do, and it’s getting ugly.

The tales an old turtle shell can tell

I have an old turtle shell, bleached white by the sun, that I found near a canal in Florida and now sits displayed on a shelf in my home. Larger than a football, it must once have been a whopping snapping turtle, the terror of the canal that could relieve you of a finger if you ever messed with it.

My word of the year

As much as I love the idea of New Year’s Resolutions, I rarely make them.

Many folks choose a word of the year, and I’m one of those people. I choose a word rather than making a goal that I know, at a cellular level, that I can’t reach. Behind me, I leave a trail of unrealized New Year’s resolutions.

Then, as an afterthought, He yanked out a rib from the man and created woman. I have no idea how that in any way explains the way that women are, but then who understands women anyway? Many have tried, but every time men think deeply about women, they get dirty thoughts. I blame God.

As a further afterthought — or maybe as a way to escape blame — God gave man and woman free will. “What could possibly go wrong?” I imagine He might have said.

Wading in the Stream

As the bustle of the holiday season and the chilly winds start to blow, we all can use a break for a while. On my first idea for this final review my plans were dashed by, unfortunately, release dates. Some of the more hyped features like “Spiderman: No Way Home” and “The Matrix Resurrections” among others aren’t out until later. That being said, there is a smattering of good films not in theaters but at a screen for home viewing. Some of which may be just the ticket.

Best eateries near Huntley 2021

EVERYBODY SING ALONG… “It’s the most wonderful time of the year. With the restaurants open, and appetizers flowing, and drinks of good cheer, it’s the most wonderful time of the year…”

This is the column that we know you all have been waiting for with baited garlic breath and grumbling tummies. We are referring to the semi-finalists in our Top 10 list of “BURPS” (Best Unknown Restaurant Picks) culminating in the big “BELCH” (Best Eating Location Close to Huntley) of 2021.

Imposter syndrome

Ever feel like a phony?

I have been feeling like an imposter for the last few days. I pride myself in being a minimalist, talk about simplifying life, and blog about wanting less…yet, if you were to come to my house today, you’d see that a corner of my bedroom has overflowing stash-and-dash boxes filled with who-knows-what miscellany, and I have laundry in various stages of dirty, clean, sorted, unsorted, folded, and yet-to-be folded throughout my house. There’s a suspicious-looking potato lurking in the very back of my fridge. I’m overdue to go through my closet and drawers to get rid of clothes I don’t want/need anymore.

Ask an Angel: December 16, 2021

It has been a long-standing tradition that we all gather for Christmas dinner. Last year, we forwent this tradition considering the COVID pandemic. This year, however, many are planning to participate. My elderly parents have hosted Christmas dinner for this group since my siblings and I moved out of their home as adults. As I was helping my mom make plans for Christmas, I sensed she was feeling stressed and anxious.

Time’s fun when you’re having flies

Thanksgiving morning, as the turkey breast roasted outside on the barbecue grill, I picked up my cell phone and sent a few “Happy Thanksgiving” texts to people who make me thankful that they are in my life.

My son and daughter, of course, and old friends like Bill and Mike with whom I worked for more than 30 years. And Alejandra and Margaret, loving stroke caregivers I haven’t seen since my wife died almost four years ago.

Singing my Hallelujahs

On a whim, I signed up for a community choir audition. My voice trembled for the entire audition. I struggled to reign in my voice, which doesn’t respond the way it did in my younger days. My voice now is weaker, and sometimes even raspy. To make matters worse, I had to sing the Star Spangled Banner. Unless you have a multi-octave range with a penchant for belting, the Star Spangled Banner is very difficult to sing. Our national anthem is, in my humble opinion, one of the most unsingable songs ever written.

Will is king

Hope you had a good Thanksgiving. And now we’re in the thick of holiday season. But if we could tear ourselves away from retail discounts and Prime deals online, maybe we can find time to gift ourselves a good movie.

“King Richard” is now available in theaters and HBO Max. Based on the life of the Williams sisters but from a different angle, we follow Venus and Serena through the eyes of their father. An odd trajectory for a sports film, in hindsight it’s clearly the most compelling.

A lesson in breathing, rather than bait-taking

I’m sure you’ve felt it as I have — that feeling that maybe, just maybe, we can begin to breathe again.

Sure, it has something to do with ripping off that smothering facemask, but it has to do with way more than that. It has to do with watching more and more of our friends, family and neighbors get life-saving vaccines, and then boosters. It has to do with watching covid infections, hospitalizations and death rate rates plummet as a result.

Heading off to hibernation

Experiencing the seasons is what many homeowners enjoy about living in Northern Illinois. We have very distinctive time periods, and each is filled with equal parts beauty and corresponding chores. While we are winding down our gardening chores, we know that snow and ice will bring their own challenges. There is some comfort in knowing that nature is ever-evolving while it surrounds us with its beauty. As Arthur Rubinstein so perfectly stated, “The seasons are what a symphony ought to be: four perfect movements in harmony with each other.”

A coal-fired SLYCE

Jim and I were sitting around watching cartoons one morning. Suddenly, Jim’s cell phone went crazy asking us to confirm our online purchase of a very expensive entertainment system. He promptly replied “no” and then proceeded to call the credit card company. This turned out not to be a big problem since the card was immediately cancelled and a new one was on its way the next day.

Style with Substance

Well, I did promise to review the other Chalamet film out in theaters. But like me, you’re not going to like it. “The French Dispatch” comes to us from Wes Anderson. That name may be familiar to those who enjoy quirky humor in fractured fairytale-like settings. My personal favorites are “The Royal Tenenbaums,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” and “Isle of Dogs.” The aforementioned comedy seems to be lacking in this one. A few chuckles may be had but not enough in this head scratcher.

In the mood for food

Is there anything better than eating? It doesn’t matter if I’m eating with my best pals, or eating alone by the light of the refrigerator, or just testing a bit of something off the wooden spoon as I lean over the stove burner. The sensory cornucopia that is cooking and eating is often the highlight of my day: it’s one of those few activities that employs all five of the senses at once.

Ask an Angel: November 18, 2021

My wife of 51 years is battling cancer. She was in remission for a couple of years, but the cancer has come back in full force. While she hasn’t said she’s ready to give up her fight with cancer, her current treatment plan has taken a toll on her entire personhood. She’s exhausted, emotional, and losing weight. Caring for her has become a burden for our adult children and me.

Throw out your microwave

I want you to throw out your microwave. I know that’s not a popular opinion. It’s the beginning of soup season, for pete’s sake. The Bureau of U.S. Labor and Statistics reports that more than 90% of American households have a microwave oven. But when I wrote a blog post titled Three Things I Don’t Need (Since I Bought a Small House), I explained why I got rid of mine shortly after we moved into a home of less than 1,000 sq. feet.

Yay for Chalamet!

Hollywood’s fascination with new talent is anything but. Since the birth of cinema, the search for the next big thing has yielded a wealth. Entire television shows have been dedicated to its promise. Growing up in the 90s, there was buzz around such notables as Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz and Leo DiCaprio. No greater comparison to Leo has arisen than Timothee Chalamet.

Dinner with a ‘foxy’ lady

There has been a restaurant that Nancy has been wanting to go to for some time now, but we never got around to it. What can be more romantic than a nice dinner with a moonlit view of the Fox River? I decided to step up and have a date night with my “foxy” lady. Reservations were made, and off we went to Salerno’s on the Fox in St. Charles.

While driving to our romantic repast, Jim noticed the clouds were thickening, and it started to rain. There goes the moonlight ambiance. Luckily, the restaurant had a covered area to drive up and drop me off so as not to ruin my coiffure.

Home is where the plants are

The use term ‘Plant Parenting’ has become prevalent over the past five years. It was coined by millennials to describe the caring for houseplants. Although I have tried to adopt it, I really do not like the term. Until a Boston Fern needs me to wake it up repeatedly, make breakfast for it, find its favorite shirt, sign a field trip form, finish packing its backpack, yell at the top of my lungs that the school bus is coming, and cheerfully smile and wave goodbye all before 7:45 a.m., I am not its parent.

Ask an Angel: November 4, 2021

I’m a veteran of the Korean War. I live with my wife of over 65 years. We are fortunate to have family nearby to support us. Yet, I still struggle with feeling lonely. My wife has early stages of memory loss. I try to be patient with her, but I’m finding that I spend more of my time supporting her than conversing with her. I miss the woman I fell in love with, her humor and her wit.

The miracle of a three-year-old’s kisses and wishes

As family Bears parties go, this one would have been considered epic even without the tiny miracle that happened, because it was the first time that my entire family could all be together on the same day.

There was my son Dave and three grandkids by him — Jack, Natalie and Olivia, all between 12 and 16 years old. And my daughter Jenny and grandkids Quentin, Evan and Johannah, all between 23 and 26 years old, with Quentin’s birthday only days away. And Johanna’s kids — my great-grandkids — Anastasia (Asia), who is three already, and Dakota, just barely a half-year old.

Dining Duo finds Big Foot

Breaking News: The Dining Duo finds Big Foot! Everyone was searching in the wilderness, but Big Foot was found just outside the city limits of Harvard. This is proudly proclaimed on a roadside sign on Northwest Highway. More evidence can be found as you drive past the Big Foot Cemetery. Venturing further on we discovered the place where all the Big Foot (Big Foots??? Big Feet???) dine and socialize. We are ecstatic to announce the discovery of the Big Foot Inn Supper Club and Restaurant in Harvard.

Finding My 15 Minutes of Sunday

Early in the morning, I wrapped an oversized fleece plaid blanket around my shoulders just as the light of dawn was taking hold. I was in my favorite chair on my screen porch, looking out to my backyard.

That’s when I saw him: a grey-and-rust colored coyote, walking slowly through my backyard! He stopped for long pauses to sniff the air and look around. He didn’t seem to notice me. He was in no hurry. He looked to be out on a Lazy Sunday stroll.

Fall-ing in love with an autumn garden routine

Each of the past five mornings, I have managed to convince myself that there is enough toothpaste in the tube that justifies keeping it for one more day. I vacillate; I should throw this out? No, I should keep it. I am literally trying to squeeze the last little useable bit out of this common household item. It seems that as we transition from one season to the next, there is also the desire to get the most out of each season. We often want fall to last as long as possible before the cold harsh reality of winter sets in.

Proudly Serving the Community of
Sun City in Huntley

Columnists