Stories for Dads and Moms who Need a Laugh

People change. That's inevitable, especially after 30 years. For the first time in my life, I went to my high school reunion. This was our 30-year reunion. I don't know what made me want to go this time, but I did. This wasn't the first time I had returned to Bishop Fenwick . After graduating, I went to shows to see old friends from the Drama Club perform. My sister was in concerts, so I made sure to see those. Writing for newspapers meant returning to my Alma Mater to report on a game. The reunion, though, meant returning to the old school and seeing people I hadn't seen since we said goodbye on that May afternoon in 1995. There were plenty of people I was hoping to run into that night. Some people I had talked to after graduation, and a lot of us spent out first semester of college or two down the street at Salem State. Like a lot of graduating seniors, we drifted apart due to mounting responsibilities and chasing down our own individual paths. One friend moved to New...

It's been over 1 1/2 years since I've returned to work . One of the challenges I've faced since returning to the workforce is finding the time to cook dinner for my Miracles of Christ. This includes going to the store to buy things in order to cook said dinner. Wife is the Better Cook Wife is the cook in the family. She can take things, put them together and throw it on the stove or in the oven. I need a recipe. I'm not talented enough to just go into a situation and know what there is and what can be done with them. I need a plan laid out before me and I need to follow that plan. I can be a rather creative person, but when it comes to being in the kitchen, I'm not that creative. There are some things I can cook without recipes or guidance, but they're pretty basic. If you're coming over for dinner that's cooked by me without a cookbook, lower your expectations a little. I'm not saying what I cook is going to be bland. There will be some spices added...

Homemade blackberry jam We grew fruits and vegetables around our property this Spring and Summer. My family has been growing blueberries for three generations, starting with my grandfather in Florida . He did it for over 30 years. Growing fruits and vegetables can be a helpful life skill to teach your children. You enjoy something more when you take the time to plant, nurture, and grow something. It's fun when you get to eat something you grew in your backyard. Every year, my family grows blueberries and apples. Sometimes, Lovie will take part of our annual harvest and bake something nice with it. The growing season in New England has since passed this year, but that doesn't mean you've missed your chance to try making new recipes. There are plenty of new things to try. Dragonfly Cakes founder Odette D'Aniello has some great blackberry recipes that will boost your breakfast or satisfy your sweet tooth. It all depends on the time of day and what you're in the mood ...

Dorot Gardens , the leader in fresh, flash-frozen, pre-portioned garlic and herbs, continues its partnership with Homemade Live , led by Ched Joel Gamoran and guest chefs, designed to empower home cooks. The next class, "Turkey Who? Our Favorite Thanksgiving Sides", will take place on Thursday, November 13 at 4:00 P.M. PST/7:00 P.M. EST, featuring a mouthwatering Dorot Gardens Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Dorot Glazed Onions and Sweet Garlic and Glazed Onion Dressing. Partiipants can register for the class at  https://www.homemadecooking.com/upcoming-classes/turkey-who-our-favorite-thanksgiving-sides . The class coincides with the launch of the Dorot Gardens new campaign, "Make a Note to Grab Dorot", showcasing how Dorot Gardens takes the stress out of holiday and everyday cooking with convenience, freshness, and flavor - all at your fingertips. Dorot makes cooking easier, mess-free, and flavorful with its simple motto, "Pop. Drop. Done". The brand...

Photo: automobiles.honda.com/pilot I get attached to my cars. Driving is something I like to do, and it's even better if I can do it with one of my kids. The Boy has an extracurricular activity every week. Lately it's been kickboxing. Driving to his lesson and back home gives me a chance to catch up with him and see how he is doing with school and life in general. Driving with The Oppressed is also fun but for different reasons. The Oppressed likes to share her music with me. Sometimes, this includes music from anime television series. Anime is huge with all of my children. All of them like to watch it. The cars we drive are important to Wife and me. They get us to and from work. I take my car to go food shopping and other errands that we need to do. Like other families, we need to watch our budget. Having a car is expensive. In addition to the monthly payments, you also need to fill it with gas, change the oil, the wipers, the tires. It's a great feeling when I make the l...

Abby Beale , a homeopath based in western Massachusetts, is seeking experienced people to become Homeopathy Primer Study Group Leaders. This opportunity will allow Homeopathy enthusiasts to shar insights and help novices on their own journeys. Abby Beale Those who are interested in this opportunity must contact Abby by November 10, providing their name, area they live, email address and telephone number. A Zoom invite will be provided when the information is received. People who are already study group leaders are also invited to the Zoom meeting. Current leaders must provide the same information by November 10. "Homeopathy Primer" The session will require the use of Abby's book "Homeopathy Primer". Click here to purchase the book . Abby's goal with this training session is to seek, "experienced home users and practitioners to guide our community learning initiative." Her mission is to acquaint people with the world of homeopathy. The know-how of c...