In my work with couples, certain themes have emerged that can help us understand how a couple that was once close can drift so far apart. Drifting apart • Somehow, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of everyday life, couples seem to forget about each other. The initial closeness has been damaged by […]

Interlocking concrete pavers make it possible for even first-time do-it-yourselfers to install patios and walkways. Concrete is more malleable than brick or stone, so it’s easier to cut and fit. But even if you hire a contractor, having some knowledge of the basics beforehand will help ensure that you get your money’s worth. Here are […]

NEW YORK – My son’s baseball teacher scheduled an end-of-year, mother-son game the other day, and it was a blast. The 5-year-old boys “won” (wink wink), but not before us moms got to hit a few grounders and run the bases in Central Park in the middle of a work day.Yup, that was the only […]

Break out your heavy duty pot holder and extra long tongs – it’s grilling season. And, here’s a bit of grilling trivia:1. Weber’s Kettle grill was first sold in what year?A. 1942B. 1948C. 1952D. 19622. What style of cooking involves an indirect form of grilling, using clay urns heated up to 800 degrees with wood […]

I thought I had my grilling act together at last. Our family had shared many a perfect steak. I could do a great burger (beef or turkey), and killer ribs, with sauces ranging from the bizarre to the basic. We were a family of happy carnivores, gnawing on bones and tossing them to Bob the […]

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – If you’re looking for a new gas grill for your cookout, you don’t have to buy the most expensive model to get good performance, according to the June issue of Consumer Reports.“Most of the grills we tested did a nice job cooking steaks, chicken and fish,” Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman, Consumer Reports […]

NEW YORK – Between homework, cheerleading and working at Wendy’s, Megan Ward was tired from being always on the go. So last year the 16-year-old began drinking a Red Bull or Monster energy drink before school and sometimes a second one before cheerleading practice.“I was trying to get energy,” says Megan, of Parker, Colo. “In […]

FARMINGTON – Eleven Maine artists have collaborated to present an art show with “Prayers and Meditations” as its theme in an intimate nontraditional space, the Holman Parish House.Coming from different perspectives and traditions, the artists explore how to share their relationship to the sacred. Personal, profound and at times lighthearted, the works include painting, photography, […]

AUBURN – Mary Savignano Gagnon has published a novel, “Are Those Your Shoes?” on lulu.com. Written for “middle readers” in grades 3-6, the book is set in the 1960s, the time of Gagnon’s childhood.Three girls from different backgrounds become best friends. Wendy Wei is a new immigrant from Hong Kong. Judy Weinstein is the granddaughter […]

NORWAY – Local author/artist and businesswoman Cynthia L. Thibodeau will be at Books N Things from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 21, to sign copies of her first book, “Menagerie In Sync: A Collection of Poetic Art.”The book is a diverse collection of poetic stories coupled with photographs taken by Thibodeau. USA Books […]