Pine Valley: My sort-of home sweet home
Goodbye, Pine Valley. Farewell, Llanview. ABC Daytime announced two weeks ago that it was canceling two-thirds of its line-up of daytime dramas. To the unschooled, that means the network is divesting itself of most of what we know as soap operas, which have little to do with either soap or opera. And it makes me sad. Where else in the world can you go from birth through adolescence...
The stuff of life is more than stuff
The cashier at Walmart shared a very interesting theory with me the other day. We were both reveling in the appearance of the sun that day, and she remarked how she couldnt wait to get outside, but she had a lot of indoor spring cleaning to take care of first. Her theory was that we get so depressed and homebound in Northeast Ohio with our long, dreary winters that we shop and fill our homes...
How to choose a senior-friendly blood glucose meter
Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend any tips to help seniors choose a good blood glucose meter? At age 64, I was just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and my doctor told me I need to keep a close eye on my blood sugar at home. Retired Diabetic Dear Retired, A blood glucose meter is a vital tool for most diabetics, but with all the models and options available today, selecting one can be a...
Things we take for granted
Government finances seem to be dominating the news lately. I would love to do a column on government waste, and misuse of tax dollars. However, I dont think this is the appropriate forum for that commentary. Rather, I would like to focus on some of the good things the government does with our tax dollars. I need to explain before I go any farther that I am not a fan of the government...
Land contracts provide financing alternative for some homebuyers
Q: What is a land contract? A: A land contract is an agreement between a buyer and seller for property that typically includes a house. It differs from other types of real estate contracts in that, under a land contract, the buyer takes possession of the property, but the seller keeps the title to the property until the buyer has fully met the contract terms. Q: What are some of the basic...
Bullock's Oriole delights birders in southeastern Ohio
As you may remember, there was a very windy and warm day back on April 10. A lot of amazing things happened that day, at least for those of us following rare bird reports. Not only were there record numbers of raptors moving through the state, but also lots of unusual water-birds were reported. However, the most amazing bird showed up a day later at a feeder south of Barnesville and Woodsfield in...
Consider these tax-smart investment moves
April 18 was the deadline for filing your individual tax return. But that wasnt the only event that occurred this tax season. Although you might not have been aware of it, Tax Freedom Day fell on April 12. Tax Freedom Day, calculated annually by the Tax Foundation, is the day on which Americans have earned enough money to pay this years federal, state and local taxes. Of course, Tax Freedom...
What makes Easter so special
Easters weird. It floats and flutters around the spring calendar, like a butterfly or a ruby-throated hummingbird, never sure when it might decide to land. Like you, I have a vague recollection of whats behind its perpetual and peripatetic uncertainty, something I learned, probably in Catholic grade school. Its all based on the first day of spring, which is always March 21. After that,...
Just around the corner
We’ve all repeated the saying, “just around the corner.” We could be referring to Christmas morning, the first day of school, turning 18, graduation, wedding vows, parenthood, you name it, it’s all “just around the corner.” As we get ready to turn that corner, to go into an area where we might be a little unsure of ourselves, we ultimately take that next step; and there we are, right...