I’ve had the mantra “It’s not what you eat between Christmas and New Year’s that counts, it’s what you eat between New Year’s and Christmas,” in my head because my husband, Peter, and I have been trying to keep our weight in check. Peter is doing it for sensible reasons. His cholesterol and blood pressure have been high. He worries he might be at risk for a stroke.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently developed a love for having plants around my home because they add such a refreshing vibe, but I struggle to keep them alive. People remark that I don’t have a green thumb and that I should give up on this hobby, but I’m determined to prove them wrong. I’ve done a lot of research on how to care for plants, yet they always seem to wilt or lose their leaves. I’ve tried adjusting the watering schedule and moving them around, but nothing seems to work.
Editor’s Note: This is Lucy Moreno’s thoughts about the recent Celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Dec. 6 was a historic day. It was the first time since July 2015 – since Donald Trump entered –Americans have said they have a favorable impression of Trump than an unfavorable one. All that time, from Trump’s first Republican primary campaign to the 2016 general election to his years as president to his defeat in 2020 to his postpresidential years to his comeback in 2024 – in all that time, Trump has been underwater in the RealClearPolitics average of polls measuring favorability and unfavorability. Now, for the first time, he’s above the water, in positive poll territory.
DEAR HARRIETTE: This Thanksgiving was an absolute disaster. I’ve been dating my boyfriend for a year, and this holiday felt like the perfect time to introduce him to my family. I was nervous because, while I love them, my family is known to be a little unconventional. They’re loud, opinionated and tend to say exactly what’s on their minds, no matter how inappropriate.