It’s spring and folks are coming out of hibernation. We’ve all been hunkered down in our houses for way too long. Time to reach out to friends. The world is a mess, and anything we can do to make us feel connected to others helps take the edge off. It’s easy, especially during winter, to get so caught up in our own life that we lose touch with the very people that matter most. Who was the first person that popped into your head when you read that? Write down their name. Go ahead. I’ll wait. Anyone else? Make a list. When you finish reading to this, give them a call or shoot them an …

People have been kind of spacey and tired this week, what with the time change. Me, too. We’re all just kind of…off. Whether we’re springing forward or falling back, it’s a royal pain in the patootie! It’s amazing what screwing around with our sleep schedules can do, right? I mean, it’s just one hour. It shouldn’t make that much difference. But it does. I saw a report on the news that there’s more car accidents and problems at work, even more heart issues. Down to the A&P, me and my fellow cashiers made more voids on the register this week than normal, that’s for sure. No one got hurt, but I gotta say perhaps our …

Last Thursday, I’m standing at my register down to the A&P, when who do I see in the produce section but James Brown. Not James Brown, the Godfather of Soul. No, I’m talking about James Brown, CPA, Mahoosuc Mills’ best accoutant. Well, since his father retired, he’s our only accountant. James may be sharp with numbers, but grocery shopping, not so much. “There are too many variables,” he told me once. James married a gal he met at Dartmouth, Courtney Van Buren. The two of them worked in Boston until they were ready to start a family, then they decided to settle here in Mahoosuc Mills. Courtney works for a company in Bangor (something to …

Well, we made it through February. For such a short month, it can sometimes pack a punch. Like this year, wasn’t it ever cold and snowy? We’ve gotten off easy the last few years, but this February was kinda like the winters of old. Then, poof! The cold and snow ended and the temperatures got up into the 30’s. Felt almost balmy. We hit 40 one day last week. I saw a gal wearing sandals! Jumping the gun, in my opinion, but whatever floats your boat, right? On my morning walk, the birds are getting frisky, you can tell, singing away. As Charlie shared last week, the woodpeckers are making a racket. Turns out, some …

I don’t know what’s gotten into Charlie. You’d think he’d be tired from all that snowblowing, roof raking and shoveling, but he keeps cranking out one poem after another. I guess he has more time than usual to think while he’s moving all that snow around. We’re almost through February folks. Hang in there. Construction’s Afoot Listen, you hear ’em? Right through the wall? Tat-a-tat-tat Is their tireless call Construction’s afoot Up there in the trees Woodpeckers turning them Into Swiss cheese Look at the damage Those woodpeckers do! Some of them holes, You can see through! “Tat-a-tat-tat,” They hammer away, Building their nests On a cold winter’s day That limb to the right? All …

Every house project takes at least two, three, four times longer than you think it’s going to. The box that says “all parts included” is lying. You dive into repairing that little bit of rot outside the front door and discover it’s the tip of the iceberg. And don’t even get me going on window treatments and paint chips! Experience has taught me that if Charlie’s going to be attempting one of these little chores, it’s best if I’m out of the house. So Saturday, when Charlie announced he was going to install our new bathroom blind, I skedaddled down to the Busy Bee. There I met up with Irene for a little sister time. …

A few nights ago, Charlie got up to go to the bathroom, per usual. I heard him make a little sound. My eyes spring open in time to see Charlie (or the outline of him ’cause it was dark) wobble and down he went, flat on his face. It scared the bejesus outta me. I spring up. Charlie was moaning. Took both of us to get him vertical, and it weren’t pretty. He had to hold onto the bed for support. “Charlie, you need to sit for a bit before you stand up.” “Ida, I know I’m supposed to do that, but my bladder has other ideas.” I’ll let him tell you about it.  Low …

When my sister Irene and me were kids, we had these little wooden snow scoops with our names painted on them that were made special just for us by our uncle, Octave Pease. They were just like our Dad’s, only a third the size, and we used to help him shovel the driveway. Which means we just got in the way, and made more of a mess for him to clean up! Octave: now there was a character. He come from a big family, I don’t know how many brothers and sisters. Octave never set foot in a school room, but he was smart as a whip. The kind of fella that could do anything …

January is almost done, thank goodness. My decluttering is kind of stalled, though, because I’ve done all the easy stuff, and all that’s left are big things like tacking my craft room or the catch all closet. But, it’s hard to get motivated. Frankly, I’m kind of overwhelmed just thinking about it. Caitlin, my niece and guru for all things new age-y, says to me the other day, “Aunt Ida, some animals hyphenate for the winter. Maybe we should take our cue from them, and slow down a little. You know, enjoy it.” We were having lunch down to the Busy Bee, and I was tucking into the special of the day: baked macaroni and …

Santa brought Charlie some new underwear, and we’re having some technical issues. I’ll let Charlie tell you about it. Newfangled Shorts 4-Pack of shorts, That’s what I got, ‘Cause all of my old ones Are totally shot Elastic is gone They’re worn to the core But at least I can locate What I’m looking for You see, I got me A problem of sorts What is the deal with These newfangled shorts? Yeah, they fit, But when I gotta pee I cannot get to my gadget! They’ve re-engineered The flap, I’m guessin’ It used to work fine Why are they messin’? Don’t matter if I’m In the woods or in town There I am, anxiously …