Bridge by Steve Becker
1. Four spades. Once partner responds with one spade, game must be reached. Only an avowed pessimist would think that the combined hands might not provide a satisfactory play for 10 tricks. Whether the basis for this evaluation is point count -- you have 18 high-card points plus two ...
Daughter-in-law’s mental health taking a toll
DEAR ANNIE: I need some serious help. Our son, 36, has been married for three years. In May 2024, our daughter-in-law became pregnant. We were elated. She is a nice young woman, but she does have some anxiety and other issues, which have taken a rather turbulent turn. Unfortunately, the change in hormones and other unfounded fears caused her to go off the deep end. I have received hundreds and hundreds of texts saying hateful, offensive things to me. Today, our granddaughter, “Janie,” is 15 months and a gem, but we have been limited to when and where we can see her. Our son is ...
Greens, grains, fried egg work well for any meal
Eggs are better with carbs, and they’re particularly good with grains like rice, farro and quinoa, which can soak up a runny yolk. The herby-green grains here, from my cookbook, “Cook90,” are good for more than just breakfast, though — you could pair them with sauteed fish, skin-on ...
Microgardening means a surprisingly big harvest from a windowsill or balcony garden
Short on space? Consider microgardening. Although the term might conjure thoughts of minuscule garden gnomes and fairies, the reality is quite the opposite. You can get a surprisingly high yield from a small space, even a windowsill or balcony, if you plant it right. One way to maximize your harvest is to grow plants that mature quickly, harvest them and then plant more. Small greens on repeat Microgreens — 2- to 3-inch seedlings of certain edible plants — are perfect candidates for such succession. They sprout quickly indoors in as little as a week, and are easy to grow. Just ...
Church services, weddings, birthdays and Mother’s Day
Our refrigerator keeps filling up with more wedding invitations. We are sorry we aren’t able to attend all of them. Belated congratulations to niece Anna and Joseph. They were married April 2 in Clare, Michigan. Anna is the daughter of Joe’s sister Christine and Jake. We wish them God’s ...