When you read that title, what was your next thought? Good riddens, right?” I hear you. Wow, 2020 was one heck of a year! And honestly, one I’d hate to do all over again. Aren’t we all ready to flip the page on the calendar? I sure am. But it’d be sad to miss an opportunity to think about what we learned this year, how we got through it. The coronavirus has this way of shining a special spotlight on things we might have been ignoring, or not appreciating, or just plain clueless about. I’ve come up with some questions to ask yourself. You don’t have to answer all of ‘em, of course, but I …

I have something to confess. As weird as this 2020 holiday season is, there’s something actually kind of nice about it. Usually, by this time in December, I’m busier than a one-armed paper hanger: running here and there, working our craft table down to the Christmas Bazaar at St. Hyacinth’s, shopping, baking, wrapping, yikes! Oh, and don’t forget the overeating (some of it stress related, some of it just me getting swept up in the moment). There would have been my book group’s potluck and Yankee swap, customers down to the A&P bringing in baked goods, the Heavenly Treats booth at the Christmas Bazaar, where I can never yank myself away from Sister Henry Georgiana’s …

Thanksgiving is going to look a little different this year, isn’t it? I know, that can be unsettling. I remember the first one after our mother died. Thanksgiving was always her favorite holiday, and we tried to do it just like she used to. And you know what? It just didn’t work. In fact, it just made us miss her more. As the years have passed, though, we’ve created new traditions, ones that suit us at thatmoment in time. For instance, our niece Caitlin and her boyfriend Adam are a vegetarians, and now we do “stuffin’ muffins” (stuffing not cooked in the bird, but in muffin tins and made with veggie broth). These are great, …

Since election day is tomorrow, I know I should probably be writing about that. You know, telling you to get out there and vote, how important it is and all that. But to be honest, most of the folks I know have already voted and dropped their ballots off down to town hall. I did it last week when I was registering my car. Sure there’s a drop box, but I wasn’t taking any chances. I personally handed my ballot to Gladys Knight. Not Gladys Knight with the Pips, but Gladys Knight our town clerk. “Gladys,” I says, “I just want to make sure my signature is okay and my vote will be counted.” “Oh, …

I’ve been missing my mom a lot lately. Some of it has to do with the fact that it’s October, her birthday month. It’s also the anniversary of her death, in a couple of weeks. But it’s more than that. Missing is strange, isn’t it? I can go days or even weeks without thinking of my mom, then I see her handwriting on a recipe, and bang! There she is. Or I watch a little girl, all dolled up for her first day of school, holding her mom’s hand, and I think, “I miss you, Mom.” I used to get a little pang of envy whenever I’d see my friend Rita scoring a piece of …

It’s been so nice to have some straight up fall weather. Seems like it went directly from summer to winter for a bit. I mean, beginning of September, I’m walking my little buddy Scamp in the morning and it’s 34 degrees. What the heck, Mother Nature? We’re just making friends with one season, now you’re throwing in another one? It’s unnatural, disconcerting. So about par for the course for 2020, right? And what about that orangey-red sun last week? I saw it one morning when I was walking Scamp. Kind of spooky. Charlie thought so, too. Orange Today I saw this orange sun As I drove into town The sky, it wasn’t blue at all …

In last week’s blog, I talked about my approach to yard sales at the moment. Now, Charlie’s never been as big on going to yard sales as me. But call it a “Barn Sale” or a “Moving Sale” and he’s there. See, my hubby is a sucker for tools and old rusty junk. Can’t help himself. He’s drawn like a moth to a flame. Like last week when he dropped by Bruce Fecteau’s “Everything Must Go Moving Sale.” Cutting Loose My friend Bruce is cutting loose   “Cuttin’ loose, ‘cause what’s the use   Of stayin’ put, hangin’ ‘round?   Got no one to tie me down!” Before he set out on the trail I stopped …