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When healthy habits turn into unhealthy critiques

Dear Annie: When my boyfriend decided to get serious about his health earlier this year -- cleaner eating, regular workouts -- I was super proud of him. I cheered him on and swapped out our snacks without complaint. For the first few months, it brought out the best in him. But somewhere along the way, his personal reboot turned into an ongoing critique of me. If I bring home a loaf of bakery bread, he reminds me how “simple carbs kill energy.” If I skip a workout because I’m tired, he sighs with disapproval. Last week he told me my evening glass of wine was “a bad coping ...

Tracking down animals

Dear Heloise: I would like to share an idea I came up with recently -- using ID dog tags on horse bridles. It struck me that if a horse gets loose, having a tag with the owner’s contact info could make it much easier to get them back home quickly. We already do this for dogs, so why not horses? They can wander off, get spooked, or end up far from familiar ground. A simple tag -- secure, readable and comfortable -- could be a game-changer for reunions. It is a small thing, but sometimes the simplest ideas make the biggest difference. I hope others find it useful and maybe even put it ...

On this Date

In 1870, Joseph H. Rainey of South Carolina became the first Black lawmaker sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1963, the east African nation of Kenya declared independence from Britain; it became a republic exactly a year later. In 1985, 248 American soldiers and eight crew members were killed when an Arrow Air charter crashed after takeoff from Gander, Newfoundland. In 2000, George W. Bush became president-elect as a divided U.S. Supreme Court reversed a state court recount decision in Florida’s tightly contested presidential election. In 2010, the inflatable ...

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 Marshall Sunrise Rotary, 7 a.m., Marshall Area YMCA. Household Hazardous Waste Facility, open 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Public Works Building, Marshall. SW MN Arts Council Gallery, 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m., 509 West Main Street, Marshall. Lyon County Museum, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 301 W. Lyon St., Marshall. Marshall-Lyon County Library hours, 10 ...

How to keep the peace when he won’t hold his tongue

Dear Annie: Christmas at my parents’ house used to feel magical, but lately it feels like I’m walking into a performance review. My older brother’s new hobby is “radical honesty,” and apparently the holidays are his favorite time to practice. Last year, as we decorated the tree, he announced that my handmade ornaments looked “like a Pinterest fail” and suggested I “sit out the creative parts” of Christmas. He says he’s only being truthful and that any discomfort is “my issue to examine.” My parents beg me not to make waves because he’s “working on ...

Lemon juice saves the day

Dear Heloise: I have two thermal mugs. One is for coffee, and one is for tea. They can’t be used in the microwave or in the dishwasher. To get the stains out, I boil some water and put it in the mugs. I then add a couple of squirts of lemon juice. I let it soak until the water gets cold. Later when I wash them with my other dishes, the stains just wipe away. I also use this method to get the rust out of my shower curtains. I boil a pot of water with several squirts of lemon juice. I move the pot of water into the sink, add in the shower curtain (tamping it down occasionally), and ...