Features

Holiday Entertaining Made Easy

Phyllis Schurz With both Hanukkah and Christmas in December, it becomes a month for entertaining. It is one of those months when we do a lot of entertaining. So, it’s wise to have a few good treats on hand. Maybe it’s just a Midwestern thing, but I always associate caramel corn with Christmas. I like…

Season of Gratitude

Kathleen Ismael, Reflexology Practitioner I would like to express a great big Thank You to everyone at IronOaks Fitness and Racquet Club. So many members, residents, staff, and guests have been very gracious to me since bringing reflexology to the Sun Lakes Community. I have enjoyed meeting every one of you. Thank you for your…

The Remodeling Corner

Janet Cook The National Association of the Remodeling Industry teamed up with the National Association of Realtors to survey their members to estimate the average cost of 19 home remodeling projects and the increase in market value it would bring, respectively. That information was compiled with Houselogic.com’s survey of homeowners who were asked questions to…

U.S. Military History: Unrecognized Heroes

Ross Dunfee When you hear your service-song played and you were in that branch of military service, please stand and be recognized. And so, the song goes, Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, and now Space Force. In turn, veterans of each branch of military service stand, the audience appropriately applauds the veterans, and…

Word of the Month: Run

David Zapatka Reader Carmela Hopkins writes, “Every month I look for your column in the Splash. Have you considered an article on the word ‘run?’ You’re on a run. I mean roll.” There are more definitions of this word than any word I have researched. Here are a few. Run verb a. to go faster than…

A Christmas Honor

Jacqueline M. Ruffino-Platt What inspires me? Arts and Crafts. Driving through a shopping mall one snowy day on the East coast, I found a brand-new store. You guessed. Arts and Crafts beyond double doors. It was Christmastime and the surroundings within the mall were beautiful. I drove into a parking space, parked my car and…

Holiday Decoration Storage Ideas

Kim Kubsch Proper holiday décor storage can help keep your space clean, protect your items, and make setting up for future holidays easier. From keeping wreaths in good condition with garment bags to repurposing egg cartons for ornaments, there are lots of ways to organize and store your holiday décor. Declutter Old Décor: Review all…

In Passing – December 2022

Gary Lee Burns Gary Lee Burns was born on Dec. 22, 1939, in Omaha, Neb., to Charles and Helen (Wallick) Burns. He passed away after a short illness on Oct. 19, 2022, in Chandler, Ariz. He moved with his family to Red Oak, Iowa, in 1945 and graduated from high school with the class of…

So Many Books, So Little Time

Violetta Armour For the readers on your Christmas list, you might be looking for a good book. This month, rather than review one book, I’m doing a short recap of some of the favorites of my book club (that started over 30 years ago in my Ahwatukee bookstore). We’ve discussed some wonderful books—and, of course,…