About: Margaret Vander Weerdt

Thank you for all the kind words about last week’s column. I jotted notes for that one most of last year, so now the notebook is empty! This week, I’m taking the easy way out and sharing this that should boggle your mind. 1914 Ford Model T The year is 1914, 100 years ago. What a difference...

What do your grandchildren call you? From traditional to trendy to celebrity grandparent names, some examples are Nana, Noni, Grandma, Grammy, Mimi, and more; Pop-Pop, Gramps, Papa, Grandpa, Pappy, and more. No matter what the term, a simple name on your grandchildren’s lips will melt your heart, guaranteed. You will not know the melting of your...

As I write this, the clock is ticking toward 2015. I recently read that since far back in history, people have celebrated the arrival of a new year. When the Nile River flooded its banks in summer, the people of ancient Egypt began their new year and celebrated it. Today, people observe the usual New...

Every few years like this year, this newspaper is published on Christmas Day. So this year is a perfect time to share how everyone should have a Santa Claus attitude. Whether you ever believed in Santa Claus or still do, there are things about the jolly old elf that wise people should consider emulating so they...

Whether you start sneaking a few listens to Christmas carols before Thanksgiving or save all the carols for December, it’s safe to say the season for holiday music has a special memory for everyone. Before you start belting out your “Jingle Bells” or “Fa La Las,” make sure you have the words down pat to...

Fellow trivia lovers, here are the 100 most commonly used words in the English language, ranked in frequency order. The first 100 are said to make up about half of all written material. The first 25 make up about one-third of all printed material in English. According to “The Reading Teacher’s Book of Lists, 4th Edition,” the most...

Some day, I’m going to make a food holiday calendar. I keep reading that every day is a food holiday, but as far as I know, no calendar has been compiled listing them. Today is National Cookie Day, a minor holiday celebrating cookies in all their sugary glory. It occurs on Dec. 4 of every year,...