First, let me say we did not have a nativity scene in our home when I was growing up. The only thing I had was a small plastic version to hang on the tree. When I was teaching Sunday school, I bought those ornaments for my students. I still have the one that was left over. I always purchased ...

Walter, my son’s wonderful white Labrador retriever, always accompanies Bart when he comes for the holidays. We traveled to my daughter’s house in Lexington, Mass. for Thanksgiving, arriving one day after Bart and Walter. By then, Walter had molted his first layer of fur throughout the ...

Recently, as a guest performer at the Sportsmen’s Tavern in Buffalo, I was introduced to the audience as a songwriter and a middle school English teacher. The welcoming response was mostly about the teaching part, as one patron shouted “Oh no!” and another, “God Bless you!” Middle ...

Over the last several months the Warren County School District Administration has been trying to sell the residents of the Western and Eastern attendance areas on the necessity to close Youngsville and Sheffield High Schools pinpointing a Qualified Zone Academy Bonds loan taken out on the ...

I do not know about you, but I remember when I got my first job vividly. The day after I turned sixteen, I went downtown to apply for a job for Christmas. Mind you, my birthday is in September, but I did not want to miss the opportunity. I went to Sidey’s department store. I went to the ...

Editor’s note: This column was written at Thanksgiving 2006. Thanksgiving weekend, for me, is the first gift of the holiday season. Now that the arrival of a grandchild has changed the family Christmas venue to Boston, Thanksgiving is at our house. It’s a much easier deal. I find ...