A friend of mine has a Snoopy blanket that was worn thin by her childhood. She grasped that little blanket tightly in her hands every time she faced abuse. She kept the blanket all these years as a reminder of her faith and the strength we’re given to endure the terrible times. Bad things ...

We started out as co-workers, but soon became friends. We were a group of young women, just launching careers, marriages and families, when we first bonded over shared deadlines and projects in The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead newsroom 25 years ago. We worked in the same newsroom, so there was ...

My fourth grade son, Ben, told me his teacher pretends to vomit anytime the kids start bickering with each other in his class. Isn’t that hysterical? Instead of yelling or raining down punishment, the teacher just walks over and pretends to gag. The kids immediately realize what they’re ...

Dear Carol: My dad had a severe stroke six months ago and now lives in a nearby nursing home. Dad’s always been anxious, but since the stroke and some related dementia, he’s worse than ever and I know that my daily visits help. What worries me is that I have an event for work coming up ...

Take a break from the holiday rush for a bit of gardening relief. Grab a pruner and basket then wander through your landscape gathering a few evergreen branches, berry-laden stems and cones to create a holiday centerpiece. Most gardeners are used to walking into their summer garden ...

Merry Christmas. I want to share with you all the holiday spirit that’s floating around this place. I’d really like to tell you that I’m writing this as I sip hot cocoa in my best holiday sweater while a Hallmark movie is playing on TV and the snow softly falls on the treetops ...