Charlie and me are all set for Halloween tomorrow night. I bought a bunch of candy, ate it, bought some more, and you guessed it. Now I’m candied out, so I took the leftover candy and donated to the Community Center for their Halloween party. Who am I kidding? There was no leftover candy. I had to buy more candy and drive directly to the Community Center, do not pass go, do not, under any circumstances, rip open that plastic bag. There was a moment where I thought they were going to have to pry that candy out of my hands, but I manage to let it go and run from the building all the …

Haven’t the leaves been beautiful? There are some years when the foliage isn’t as spectacular, just a lot of yellows with maybe a little orange. But this autumn is vibrant, with intense reds, perky oranges, and light-up-my-life yellows. Must have something to do with the weather. I don’t know, but I’m going with it.  One of my favorite things I get to do all year round is to visit libraries across the great state of Maine. Spring and fall are the best times to do this. Winter is touch-and-go with the weather, and summer is pesky because of the tourist traffic. Spring is nice because you get to check out the buds, leaves, flowers and …

October, my season of terror. Days are getting shorter, leaves piling up in the yard, frost on the pumpkin. But that’s not the problem. What’s plaguing me is what plagues me every October: the advent of them miniature candy bars. Snickers, Milky Ways, Butterfingers, they’re like crack cocaine to me. ‘Cause candy is love, baby, and I want me some love!   Ida, I say to myself, don’t buy them until Halloween Day. And I start out strong, I really do. But then, oh-oh, there’s a bowl of candy corn at book group, or a bunch of small boxes on the counter at the dry cleaners. Or I’m at a birthday party where they’re serving chocolate …

My dad doesn’t have a lot of schooling, but if common sense counts, he’s a pretty smart guy. Kind of a philosopher, really. For example, his take on marriage. “A good marriage is like a good fire; you have to tend it to make it burn bright.” Of course he also said, “Tending a fire is a delicate thing. If you leave it be too long, it’ll go out. But if you put too much wood on it, you’ll smother the flame.” So, I was talking to dad this week, you know, checking in. At eighty-four, he’s slowing down some. He doesn’t play golf or bowl anymore, and he’d stopped doing a lot of activities …

Charlie wrote this poem a couple of weeks ago, and I’m just getting around to sharing it with you. I’ve been wicked busy with my new show. Having a blast with it! But now I’m back down to business. I gotta say, I’m with Charlie on this one. I swear, I saw Halloween stuff out in some stores at the end of August. There ought to be a law! Home Depot: September 21 Look at the trees, they’re starting to turn And for cool sleepin’ weather, I no longer yearn September is here, but I find it queer To see pumpkins for sale at Home Depot Pallets of pumpkins in front of the store Are …