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When Benjamin Franklin wrote, “Nothing can be said to be certain, but death and taxes,” he was sorely mistaken, no pun intended. He would have been more accurate had he said, “Nothing is certain but death, taxes and arthritis.” Yes, it is sad but true that arthritis is almost a certainty as we all grow [...]
Have you seen any dragonflies or damselflies in your garden yet? I saw a damselfly on my roses but of course I didn’t have my camera with me – and by the time I came into the house to get it, it was gone. So I decided to do some research on them. Following is some [...]
Dear Annie: My 22-year-old son, “Nick,” spends most of his time playing video games. He was fired from several jobs last year because he stopped showing up. We had no idea. We finally kicked him out. It was the hardest decision of my life. He lived with various relatives and friends until he started lying to [...]
The Scorpio moon is in danger of taking himself too seriously on this the last day of the Taurus sun. Lighten things up by making someone laugh. Tip: Humor depends on the nuances of a surprise. If a surprise veers too far from what’s expected, the effect is random instead of humorous. It has to [...]
Over the next week, take a moment to switch off your TV, phone or video game and use that time to take a walk, throw a ball or talk to your family. Make a family pledge to step away from entertainment found on televisions, hand-held devices and computer screens and rediscover life away from digital [...]
Well, about one year ago I purchased a plant at a plant sale labeled ”Erysimum.” This spindly plant was dwarfed inside a one-pint container. I was drawn to the variegated silver-gray and cream striped leaves. Commonly known as “wallflower,” this plant grows into a rounded mound with oblong, narrow wavy leaves that are usually just silvery-gray. [...]
Dear Readers: Happy Mother’s Day. Please phone your mother, grandmother, mother-in-law, stepmother or foster mother and wish them the best. And our special good wishes to all the new mommies who are celebrating their very first Mother’s Day. Also, please don’t forget those for whom this day, for whatever reason, is filled with sadness. Give [...]
The void-of-course moon that rules the entire day puts a fuzzy lens on Mother’s Day. Tomorrow the spell will be broken when the moon enters Cancer, the sign of mothers. Because it’s likely that sentiments won’t be delivered or received as expected, try a little harder to articulate your feelings and pay respect to the [...]
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 68.8 percent of American adults are either overweight or obese. The CDC also notes that obesity contributes to five of the top 10 causes of death – heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease – and a Cornell University study found it can also have [...]
On this Cinco de Mayo, the Pisces moon gets us spiritually ready for changes to occur later in the week. When she goes void of course midday, she’s like a warm, fuzzy blanket tempting us to do nothing but snuggle and snore. This is not to say productivity will be low. In the long run, [...]
Dear Annie: My brother was divorced more than a year ago. Of course, it was extremely difficult for his family, but slowly, life is moving forward. My mother is the one who is not getting over it. In the past year, she has grown into one of the most bitter people I know. She used [...]
The sun and Saturn in opposition is like a showdown at the cosmic corral between fate and free will. No matter who draws first, no one will go down. These two gunslingers need each other. This dramatic tension will inspire thoughts about the role of fate and what can be done to overcome her less [...]
Dear Annie: I am currently in school and working four different jobs. I am also the mother of three children. My husband is very selfish. He doesn’t think twice about sending our children to a sitter so he can go out to do whatever he wants. When I’m at school or working, I constantly worry [...]
The last few weeks have had some extremely blustery days. Last week at a picnic in Rio Vista, I watched the potato chips fly right off my plate. When I first moved to Fairfield, I suspected the wind was going to be a part of my life when I noticed that many of the trees [...]
In 2010, Health Care Reform was signed into law, and this year we will see the fruits of labor many in the health care field have been preparing for over the past three years. On October 1 of this year, individuals will have the ability to begin the application process for various health care programs with [...]
When it comes to feeding their dogs, not everyone is opening up a can of wet food or reaching for a scoop of kibble and plunking it into a bowl. Riding the coattails of the slow-food movement for humans, more and more dog owners are trying to go one better than packaged pet food by [...]
BENICIA TOTAL SALES: 12 HIGHEST AMOUNT: $500,000 LOWEST AMOUNT: $208,500 MEDIAN AMOUNT: $367,500 AVERAGE AMOUNT: $377,375 477 Camellia Court – $440,000, 03-28-13 [3 Bdrms - 1814 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt] Previous Sale: 04-20-1994, $208,500 1771 Clos Duvall Court – $380,000, 03-28-13 [3 Bdrms - 2008 SqFt - 2004 YrBlt] Previous Sale: 07-30-2009, $320,000 105 East [...]
WASHINGTON — The average U.S. rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage fell last week to its lowest level on record, making refinancing and home-buying more attractive to those who can qualify. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate for the 15-year fixed loan fell to 2.61 percent. That’s down from 2.64 percent [...]
Thousands of children get ill each year in the United States from diseases that could have been prevented by routine childhood immunizations. The current immunization schedule that is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention aims to protect children from 14 preventable diseases. These diseases range from the increasingly rare, like polio and [...]
Dear Annie: Our 31-year-old son is bipolar. We did not realize how severe it was until a few years ago. He is a bright, gentle and articulate college graduate who can also be mean, self-centered and highly opinionated. When he takes his medication, he is cooperative and easy to live with. The problem is he [...]
Drip. Sniff. Wheeze. If these are familiar sounds in your home, you aren’t alone. Allergenic activity is on the rise in Solano County with this spring’s drier than usual air and little rain to knock down the pollen. Receiving most of the blame are grasses, weeds, and flowers that produce the majority of pollen that [...]
Mercury and Pluto cannot seem to come to an agreement today. Is their agreement necessary for things to move ahead, though? No way. Everyone knows that the best collaborations are fraught with tension. Our differences make us stronger, as long as we try to hear each other out and learn something. ARIES (March 21-April 19). [...]
Dear Annie: I’m a sophomore in high school. I never had much social stability as a child because my family moved around a lot and I was often in a different school every semester. I’ve always been that pretty girl who becomes an outcast as soon as she speaks or says something stupid. I thought [...]
A tiny magnetic bracelet implanted at the base of the throat is greatly improving life for some people with chronic heartburn who need more help than medicine can give them. It’s a novel way to treat severe acid reflux, which plagues millions of Americans and can raise their risk for more serious health problems. It [...]
It was always the introduction for Georgiann Steely – the ringing of the doorbell, the approach to the man at the cash register – that made her palms sweat and knees knock. As a grade-schooler, she avoided these moments, ducking her face into her wavy auburn hair and waiting for her mother to escort her [...]
This is your last chance to take advantage of the fiery energy of Venus in Aries, the sign of initiation, newness and beginner’s luck. If there’s someone you want to know better, ask now while the energy is impulsive, passionate and assertive. Tomorrow, a new cycle in the realm of romance begins: cooler, measured and [...]
Since the weather has been so good this year, I have done the Master Gardener unthinkable and started planting. However, with the uncertain weather and fear of an early spring frost, I have been reluctant to spread out my garden too much. So I’ve been trying my hand at “companion planting,” both for fun and, in [...]
The Public Health Division of Solano County Health and Social Services joined the American Public Health Association and communities around the country to recognize National Public Health Week The theme for National Public Health Week was Public Health is Return on Investment – Save Lives, Save Money. In recognition, the Solano County Board of Supervisors adopted [...]
Dear Annie: My 17-year-old daughter, “Kylie,” has had behavioral problems since she was 14. I am a single mother. I work full time and also have two sons, one of whom lives with his dad. Kylie was in a hospital for three months for various evaluations and recently lived in a residential home. She was [...]
Not knowing how something works is never reason enough to doubt that it does. The Pisces moon can be impressionable, if not downright gullible. But it’s better to err on the side of belief than to be a cynic spouting doubt and nastiness and darkening the world with limiting visions of how things are or [...]
