The recent cold snap that roared down from the north like the Four Frigid Horsemen of the Arctic Apocalypse should not have come as a surprise. Yet many of us were surprised. We had been spoiled by an unusually mild autumn and early winter. Up until Christmas, a person could go ...

Dear Annie: I’ve been married to my husband for 16 years. He and his ex-wife did not end on good terms. We have never been invited to any holiday gatherings from his grown kids, who are married and have kids of their own. We are, of course, invited to all the grandkid’s birthday ...

Dear Heloise: Thanks so much to you, your loving mother and your awesome readers for all the wonderful hints and ideas throughout the years! Here are a few of mine: At 63, my hands are getting less useful, so I am using binder clips more often to keep things closed. I use the larger ones for ...

We had kids in the house again. It was a trip back in time. One forgets what it’s like to share bathrooms and use all those dishes. Our children floated back home to live on and off as young adults between school and jobs, but they’ve been gone for a while. Now they live in far-flung ...

In response to the Journal’s recent “Minnesota Flags Staying Put” article, I was hoping to clarify some of the misunderstanding, and correct some of the misinformation that is out there regarding the new State Flag and Great Seal. The first that should help city staff, is that the new ...

Dear Annie: I have a good friend who constantly wants to talk about politics. The problem is that we are on opposite ends of the spectrum. She thinks she’s politically savvy. She is not educated or well informed, but she has an opinion on everything. How can I get her to stop talking about ...