What’s new in 2022

New, for many, represents exciting, different, a chance to try again. A new haircut just waiting to be admired, a new page in the calendar ready to be filled in or even simply a bright new day just waiting to be enjoyed.

Each year brings a whole new set of plants that are introduced to gardeners across the United States. Hybridizers devote years and indeed sometimes their entire lives developing new plants.

Comedy through the ages

Well for those who saw the last film I reviewed, you might need a much needed break from brutality. As good as The Northman was, it’s not a film to easily shake off after viewing. As I saw the box office numbers come in, it was both disheartening and understandable the weak totals that Viking epic brought in. A needed dose of mirth is just what the doctor would order. With the wealth of options what does one choose? And, after all, humor is highly subjective. In my fumbling way, let me guide those over to HBO Max for a couple choice program to get your yucks in.

Sweet and savory

Normal people celebrate holidays on their appointed day and for one day only. Not so in the Dining Duo’s household. Any holiday that is in tribute to Nancy, such as, Grandparent’s Day, her birthday, Mother-in-Law’s Day, Groundhog Day, April Fool’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Chinese New Year, and especially Mother’s Day, always turns into a weeklong gala celebration extravaganza.

Ask an Angel: May 19, 2022

Our neighborhood holds an annual garage sale and this is the year we’re going to participate. My husband and I are ready to downsize to a smaller, ranch-style home. We’re both retired and our kids have flown the nest. We’ve accumulated a lot over the 20 years we’ve lived in this home. I want to use the neighborhood garage sale as an opportunity for my husband and me to begin sorting through our belongings. However, I’m starting to feel overwhelmed.

Going Up? The harrowing ascent to the Yellow Brick Road

For a good five minutes, I was convinced I was going to have to listen to the Elton John concert while stuck in an elevator.

At, least, it felt like five minutes: the time it took for the elevator to arrive to take us up to our seats in the nosebleed section, where our seats were located at Ohio State University’s Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio. We were there to see Elton John perform live for his Farewell Tour.

We were relieved, my friends and I, to see there was an elevator operator, who had an air of authority perched on a stool in front of the panel of elevator buttons.

“Thank goodness you’re here,” said a woman to the elevator operator. “Up, please.”

Trying to wrap my head around “cat-think”

I am not a “cat guy,” so sometimes I need help understanding how “cat people” think. Today is one of those times.

A few weeks ago, Carol Pavlik wrote in this paper about her attempt to adopt a cat, only to be thwarted by a woman sitting behind a desk who peppered her with stern questions. What was her policy on declawing? Did she have a vet? What would the cat be fed? She answered carefully and thoughtfully, because she had “nothing but good intentions for our hypothetical kitty!”

“Wow,” he said, “you still do that old-school.”

I had no idea what he was talking about, which is pretty much par for the course for me when it comes to conversations with members of generations that are less vintage than mine.

“What are you talking about?” I said.

‘Scape plan: How to create a sustainable environment

Our time is finite. We have absolutely no control over the amount of time in each hour, day, week, month or year. What we can control is how we spend that time. As the author of this column and a landscape professional I can honestly tell you the less time I spend working in my yard the better. I would rather spend time enjoying my yard rather than working in it. Sustainable landscaping is a pathway towards less work and more joy.

Once in a blue moon

Once in a blue moon, Nancy and I get a taste for some good old fashioned tangy, smoky barbeque. Luckily, we did get a recommendation from someone, but because we’re old, we can’t remember who it was from or the name of the restaurant. We knew it was “Moon” something.

Googly eyes and hotdog fingers

Agreed, that title is very weird. You, dear readers, may be scratching your head in confusion and bafflement. Honey, you don’t even know the half of it. Trust me, this was my first feeling when I saw the trailer for Everything, Everywhere, All At Once. The latest from distributor A24 in theaters, we should know a bit of what we are in for if you saw my reviews for The Lighthouse or The Green Knight. Arthouse and avant-garde are the best descriptions for their output. And this release is no exception.

A pencil-thin line between stranger and friend

In the summer of 1992, I was packing up for my first semester of college. I was 17, about to move to another state, to live in a dorm where I knew no one.

That’s when my Dad gave me a gift, wrapped in the comics from the Sunday paper. The Sunday funnies were always the first choice for wrapping paper in my house, and Dad would take extra care to wrap it so that his favorite comic strip — featuring Charlie Brown and Snoopy — were prominently displayed on top. You would never fold the flap over Snoopy, or place tape over Charlie Brown. No, the Peanuts gang always got top billing as gift wrap.

Ask an Angel: April 21, 2022

‘m writing about my father who is approaching his 90th birthday. He is my mother’s primary caregiver, who’s in her mid-eighties and has early-stage dementia. They live in a single-family home. I’m fortunate to live nearby and pop in often to visit. They also come to our home for dinner regularly. While he’s in relatively good health, I’m growing concerned about his driving ability. He doesn’t drive too far and seems to have set his own limits (such as not driving at night). However, I’m not sure how long he should continue driving, even locally.

There’s no entrance exam for parenthood

Before we had children, my husband and I decided to adopt a cat.

We were in our early 20s, starting our jobs that we hoped would turn into careers, living in a sunny one-bedroom apartment. We had to download forms off the internet, fill them out, and take them to an office where a woman looked at us sternly from across her desk. She asked us if we had a vet.

A vet? No, we don’t have a vet. We don’t even have a pet. Yet.

Florida Man tales are hilarious – until they aren’t

If you’re looking for a chuckle some time, Google “Florida Man.” The laughable parade of ridiculous clowns is endless:

The Florida man who told police he couldn’t be arrested for drinking and driving because he only gulped his bourbon at stop signs.

The Florida man who stole a Walmart mobility scooter so he could drive his date to a sports bar.

The Florida man who fast-tracked an effective vaccine against Covid, but then told America to inject bleach into their veins instead.

Spring lawn-care tips

Joy is found in many places. Making a child smile, cleaning a home, and guessing the Wordle word on the third try all make my day a bit brighter. For many, the sense of satisfaction and joy that follows having a lush green lawn is one of nature’s great pleasures. Achieving a healthy lawn is certainly not easy and can require almost year-round care. Today’s column will address items that can and should be done now to minimize problems in your yard and maximize your chance of success at achieving a picture-perfect lawn this year.

Ask an Angel: April 7, 2022

I’m concerned about my mother-in-law. She’s in her mid-seventies, lives alone, and is still independent. However, the past few times I’ve stopped by to visit, she’s seemed more stressed than usual. We usually get together for lunch during the week, but she’s backed out four of the five times we’ve made plans.

Mix it up at Mixteca

Our friends Ken and Karen are Mexican food aficionados. For some time now, they have been telling us about a small unassuming storefront restaurant on Route 47 near Woodstock. Our schedules finally aligned and we made a date for lunch at Mixteca Tequila Bar in Woodstock.

A soggy tale

Adrian Lyne has been a strange case in the annals of film history. Two words that best used to describe his work would be sexy and opulent. His characters exist in realms of privilege; shiny exteriors that mask true emotions under cool surfaces.

There’s always room for one more

Last week, a group of dear college friends came to my house for fondue. Every few months, for the past 20-some years, we track each other down and have dinner together. Each time we gather, a new chapter is added to our ongoing stories: We’ve shrieked over engagement rings, attended each other’s weddings, compared swollen ankles during pregnancies. We’ve rocked each other’s babies and handed down clothing. We’ve helped each other move out of apartments and into houses. We’ve held each other at funerals and during divorces.

Learning to celebrate the worst day of your life

Sometimes you meet a guy who makes you rethink all the worst parts of your life, and makes you wonder how many curses may be blessings in disguise. Marcus Thomas is one of those guys.

When my friend Carol and I met him in early March, he told us he had just celebrated the 36th anniversary “of the day that put me in this chair.”

Out of hibernation

Spring has sprung, tra-la, tra-la!!! The daffodils are poking their heads out of the ground, and we are all poking our heads out from behind our masks (hopefully for good this time). We felt like Mamma and Papa Bear coming out of hibernation as we left our cave one sunny day with bear sized appetites. First thing on our list, go to the bank to get a loan so we can fill up the gas tank of the Mini-Mobile. Second is getting Mamma Bear, who has been cooking all winter long, out of the kitchen, and last but not least, to satisfy my Papa Bear appetite.

Growing Pains

A change is in the air as Spring kicks into high gear. Mother Nature’s tempestuous mood swings have us in its throughs, much like those growing into adulthood. Some readers may not remember what it is like to be in those formative years. Or, at least, they recollect those halcyon days through more rose-tinted glasses.

As spring break is upon us, some younger relatives may be visiting. If so, these films will make for a good way to pass the time. Maybe even help to start a conversation.

Ask an Angel: March 24, 2022

The older I get, the more and more trouble I have falling asleep. I can be exhausted, only to find myself wide awake by the time my head hits the pillow. I wake up in the morning feeling groggy and often find myself nodding off while I’m reading a book or watching television. To make matters even worse, I wake up at least four nights a week to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. I’m tired of feeling tired all the time.

Pandemnesia

It could be argued that, between the fact that my husband is a band director at a large high school and that all four of our children have either gone through or are going through the music department at the same high school, I have attended dozens —-maybe hundreds? —- of concerts.

I enjoy the concerts, but you could say that over the course of a couple decades, the novelty of attending these live performances has worn a bit thin.

Debating the merits of angel-sparrow wrecking balls

My friend Carol has been spending a lot of time lately thinking of her childhood as a good Irish Catholic girl on Chicago’s South Side. It’s not that she’s questioning her faith or anything, or worrying if her soul’s ledger will end up in the debit or credit column. She’ll be fine in that regard.

No, it’s that when she talks to her 16-year-old granddaughter, she’s astounded at how Ella’s modern-day Catholic upbringing is so different from her own old-school Catholic upbringing.

Spring-cleanup gardening tips

Pre-covid, my husband and I regularly hosted parties celebrating holidays, birthdays, and graduations. Friends and family gathered for lively conversation, good food, and lots of laughter. After everyone would head home, my husband and I began the process of cleaning up. Although now I regularly go to sleep with a few dishes in the sink, the idea of waking up and spending several hours cleaning motivated me to just get it done. Sleeping in the next day was the reward.

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