GUEST POST by JANET WEIL “Someday soon we all will be together If the fates allow Until then we’ll have to muddle through somehow So have yourself a merry little Christmas now…” — By Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane Judaism is my religion, but I do have a favorite (secular) Christmas song: “Have yourself a merry little Christmas.” [...]
Pat Taub
As the holidays wind down, many of us have either returned home from visiting family, said our goodbyes to relatives we hosted, or are still in the midst of a family visit. Perhaps you’ve had to restrain yourself from challenging a hypochondriac aunt, a brother-in-law who slugs the eggnog and then become obnoxious or the boorish cousin who [...]
Pat Taub
Happy Solstice! Today marks the first day of the Winter Solstice. Ironically, it’s rain and not snow, which is gracing my city of Portland, Maine. The temps are in the low ‘50’s, feeling more Spring-like than Christmassy—another reminder of global warming. My little tree, which resembles a bush more than a Christmas tree greets [...]
Pat Taub
Thanksgiving Catch-Up Since I haven’t published a Short Takes for two weeks, I’m sharing a Thanksgiving dinner photo of yours truly flanked by my two handsome sons, David (with moustache), and Jonathan and grandson, Max. Absent are my daughter-in-law who took the photo and my granddaughter, Jane. Max was my sous chef producing mashed [...]
Pat Taub
This past weekend a friend and I went to the mall to get a head start on our Christmas shopping. The busy crowds and stores crammed with cheesy, over-priced merchandise had us bolting for the nearest exit. By the time we got to our car I was in full Mrs. Scrooge mode. I wish our over-commercialized Christmas could be erased along with the [...]
Pat Taub
Boos for Senator Collins I was very proud of Mainers for the way they birddogged Senator Collins, urging her to change her vote on the cruel tax bill. In the end she voted for it, insisting that her amendment to restore health benefits would be added in 1918. This weak promise did not go down well with Mainers. Move.On is issuing yard signs [...]
Pat Taub