Grandpa says:
Beloved readers, Wednesday, Oct. 31 will be Halloween Day. Many communities have various ordinances about trick or treating. Please check the The Voice to know what each community is doing. Drivers must beware of the little hobgoblins and humanoids foraging through the neighborhoods. Parents and guardians, should make sure the costumes of your precious young ones do not block their vision. Costumes should be light or even reflective in color. Grandpa urges every trick or treater to carry a flash light and a whistle. A happy and safe Halloween can provide a lifetime of good memories. I know. I have nearly seven decades worth.
Grandpa,
My wife is on some sort of a health kick. We are no longer eating red meat because of the dangers she sees in it. We are eating a lot of fish, whole grain everything, fresh fruits, and veggies. Even our Halloween candy bowl has only raisins, dried fruits, and little packs of apple slices. Sugars and simple carbs are gone from our pantry, and she is the only one who is not losing weight. I think I know why. My debit card is showing a lot of visits to fast food places. She handles the money in the house, but I can go on line to see the daily activity of the accounts. Should I tell her I know she is pigging out alone?
Grandpa says: That depends on your motive. If you want to help her, bring it up when you two are alone. You will speak to her lovingly, not accusingly. Shame could drive her right back to over-eating. Suggest that maybe the entire family can relax some of the stringent bounds and continue the regiment more moderately. If your goal is to embarrass her, don’t even consider it.
Grandpa,
My wife and I always have had Thanksgiving dinner for our descendants; children, grandchildren. Now my wife is gone. I don’t know what to do about the holidays. I don’t even feel like celebrating.
Grandpa says: Just as you lost your wife, your heirs lost their matriarch. It is time to let go of the past traditions and let others pick up the gauntlet. Talk with your children about your feelings and hopes and fears. Continue on with your life. Do not let grief rob you of the happiness that you once had. At family gatherings you can place a chair at the table in memory of your late wife. Celebrate her life and love. Let the holidays be a memorial tribute to all she had done for the family. God Bless!
Grandpa says: I ask you, my dear readers, to send to me a short note telling me what blessing you have for which you are grateful. Thursday before Thanksgiving I publish those letters. This year the letters will be published November 15. That means I will need to receive them before November 1. Please send your letters to the address below.
Got something stuck in your craw? Ask Grandpa. Address your letters to Ask Grandpa c/o The Voice, 314 N. Lake Street, Suite 2, Aurora, IL 60506 or send an E-mail to askgrandpa@thevoice.us.