When Charlie gets together with the boys, Bud, Smitty, Pat, Tommy and Junior, I always ask him what they talk about. And Charlie says, “Nothing.” Now, I find that hard to believe. I mean, they must talk about something, right? Every once and a while, though, he’ll come home dying to share some tidbit. And you know what? Most of the time, I wish he wouldn’t have. Here’s Charlie’s latest. Junior’s Trick That clever mouse is back, I see The one who makes a fool of me Each time I set my trap for him He runs off with the bait! Peanut butter’s what I use I set the trap before I snooze Next day, …

For years Charlie has teased me about how often I go to the bathroom. But nature (and age) have finally caught up with him. Charlie has come to realize what the Women Who Run With the Moose have known all along: if you got a chance to go, go! You never know when the next bathroom opportunity will present itself. Our motto is: Carpe pee-um! Here’s his latest. Sir Leak-alot You need things like beer And coffee to live But liquid goes through me As if I’m a sieve Of course that is why, Wherever I am, I’m always the guy Looking out for the can Restrooms, yup, they’re What I seek alot That’s why …

Crockpots, or slow cooker as they’re calling ‘em nowadays, are real popular in our neck of the woods as you can imagine, especially during the winter months. So I wasn’t surprised this week when I picked up my sister Irene to go to our book group, and she came out carrying her own crockpot. I popped the trunk and she put hers beside mine. “What’d you make?” she asks. “Chili with ground turkey. Trying keep it light where I can, so I can have dessert. How ‘bout you?” “Baked beans with miniature hot dogs.” “Always a crowd pleaser.” So off we go to Donna Gerard’s, across town. The thing is, having a slow cooker in …

We were hanging out with our niece Caitlin and her boyfriend, Adam, last week. It was a typical January day, cold and blustery, with an occasionally flurry thrown in for good measure. But it was warm inside, and we were having breakfast for supper. This is something we used to do all the time when we Caitlin was little and we were babysitting. French toast and bacon were on the menu. Caitlin and Adam are vegetarian, so they usually bring along some veggie bacon for me to cook up for them. Personally, I don’t get the point of veggie bacon. It just seems kind of unnatural. But we humor ‘em. Could have knock me over …

Happy 2026! I hope your holidays were wonderful, and if they weren’t all you wanted ‘em to be, well, at least they’re over! Time to take a deep breath, regroup and move on. Now, I don’t make New Years resolutions anymore. No, I do what my niece Caitlin calls “setting an intention.” She’s works down to Mahoosuc Health Food, and seems to have the inside scoop on all things New Age-y! “An intention is gentler,” she says. “When you break a resolution, well, it’s done. With an intention, you may lose sight of it, but that doesn’t mean it’s lost forever. All you have to do is refocus on it.” That works for me, because …

We’re closing in on the first of the year, and none too soon, huh? Boy, working down to the A&P, I’ve seen some mighty stressed out people, let me tell you! No need to name names. You know who you are. And if you’re not one of ‘em, you’ve seen ‘em, too, I’m sure. Men on a mission, running in to get that one last thing their wife forgot. With the eye of the tiger and no time for hellos, they dash into the produce section or down an aisle only to appear at the express lane five or ten or sometimes fifteen minutes later, deer in the headlights, sweat on their upper lip. You …

Wow! Christmas is here! I cleaned the house good over the weekend, but I still have so much to do! You know, those things you can’t do until last minute: pick up a pork pie from Lebreque’s Bakery and pork chops from Mikey’s Meat Market, because, as Mikey says and I have to agree with him, “You can’t have too much pork!” Our big deal is Christmas Eve. I’m doing dinner this time, and my sister Irene is bringing the appetizers and dessert. Each year we rotate, which is a good way to do it. So, here’s the plan: we’re having our center cut, boneless pork chops broiled and served with homemade apple sauce, new …

Ladies, you know how you can ask, then bug and, I’ll admit it, nag your husband to do something? Then all of a sudden, he does it at the least convenient time possible! Like when the hand towel rack in our guest bath had gotten kind of rickety and I put it on Charlie’s Honey-Do list. There it stayed for, oh, six months. Then on the day I’m hosting my book group’s annual cookie swap, Charlie decides to fix it. Seriously! And of course, it’s not an easy tighten a screw solution. No siree bob, we’re talking drilling, and patching holes and maybe a little touch up paint and why move the throw rug outta …

To Spanx, or not to Spanx? That’s the million dollar question (especially around the holidays). Is it better to suffer through the evening, looking good in that new outfit, but being miserably uncomfortable? Or to let it all hang out and actually be able to breath? To the uninitiated, Shapewear (or Spankies, as we call ‘em) are like an old fashioned girdle, only now they’re made of Lycra or Spandex or some other Space Age material probably developed for NASA. These miracles of modern engineering smooth everything out and hold it in. I have one that goes from the top of my knees, right up to my bra, and it seems to do the trick, …

Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone again. My Mom used to say that was her favorite holiday because it was about family and food. I agree with the sentiment, but you know, for some, family and food can be stressful, too. Thanksgiving is crazy busy at the A&P, as you can imagine. Folks stocking up on pumpkin pie filling, stuffing mix, Jell-O, miniature marshmallows and what-not. Just like with everything in life, there are those that plan ahead, picking up the non-perishable items a week or two before the holiday. Then there are those that wait until the last minute, then throw a hissy fit if we’re outta something. I see one exhausted middle-aged woman …