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Losing my nephew to family politics

Dear Annie: My sister-in-law has disliked me for as long as I can remember. I’ve never fully understood why, but over the years she’s made her feelings clear in a hundred small ways -- cold shoulders at family gatherings, pointed comments and a general effort to keep me at arm’s length. I’ve always tried to rise above it for the sake of the family, especially because I was close to her children while they were growing up. Her oldest son recently got married, and somehow she has managed to turn his new wife against me as well. Practically overnight, my nephew -- now a newly ...

Reader writes in with two hints

Dear Heloise: I have a couple of hints to suggest for your column: -- I rubber band my accesible parking placard to my sun visor so that when I park in a parking space, I just have to pull down the visor to expose the parking sign. It is very visible, and I do not have to hang it back up on the rearview mirror when I vacate the parking lot. I observe other drivers wgi leave their permit hanging on their mirror while driving. This is against the law in our state! I have suggested this to several friends and family members, and they like my idea as well. -- My wife and I prefer to ...

Wishing everyone a happy holiday

Dear Readers: Tonight is Christmas Eve, and I’m reminded of something I heard a wise man say many years ago: “You may not particularly like someone, but try to love them in the spirit of mankind.” It’s at this special time of year that we seem to remember the turbulent times of the past 12 months. But we try to remain hopeful that one day, the whole world might stop all wars, practice tolerance, look for the good, and change whatever is bad. It’s a time to forgive, even if you can’t forget. It’s also a time to work toward a better world -- a peaceful world that we can ...

Happy Holidays to all

Dear Readers: Wishing you and all a very happy holiday season. Please enjoy the following poem. “A Visit from St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore. “’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house / Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; / The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, / In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; / The children were nestled all snug in their beds, / While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; / And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap, / Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap, / When ...

Regional Calendar

The Independent calendar lists upcoming meetings, facility hours and events in and around Marshall. To have your group’s events listed, email the information to news@marshallindependent.com or submit the information to our virtual newsroom. Today MAFAC Arts Center and Gift Shop noon-2:30 p.m., 109 N. 3rd., downtown Marshall. For more info, call 532-5463. Alcoholics Anonymous, noon, St. Stephen Church, in-person and virtually (Zoom ID: 512 875 872/PW: 030579) Friday Household Hazardous Waste Facility open 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Public Works Building, Marshall. SW MN Arts Council ...

Wearing hearing aids all the time

Dear Heloise: For our experienced citizens who have acquired hearing aids, they shouldn’t just employ them intermittently. They should use them all the time. Hearing aids reroute neural paths in your brain, which upgrades your auditory abilities. -- Jim R., in Houston THE RIGHT TIME TO HONK Dear Heloise: I was the only one sitting at a red light. When it turned green, I fumbled with the gear shift and was way slow even while beginning to move. (Thank God.) Much after the green light, a car came through from the left at about 45 mph. If I’d started normally, he couldn’t have ...