Petrak: Pets and children top lists of what makes us happy
Granted, I’m in a happy place while writing this. The view of the ocean is just above this screen and I can hear the waves rolling in. But last week’s...
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Petrak: What makes you happy?
What makes you happy? That’s a big question, but it’s one that certainly evokes a response, especially in a world that so often focuses on the general state of unease...
Petrak: Plants, gardening and Shamrock Shakes all signs of spring
Did something green catch your eye as you got out of your car or walked into your house? Right there, where the charcoal-colored chunks of leftover snow and ice covered...
Petrak: Upcoming comedy shows offer reasons to laugh
It sounds silly to say, given the fact that my television has hundreds of channels and a good half dozen subscription networks, that I sometimes flop down on the couch...
Petrak: We need to focus on small businesses more than one day a year
A lot of focus is placed on small businesses — at certain times. The day after Black Friday is one of those times, when Small Business Saturday spotlights small, local...
Petrak: Think summer before it’s too late to sign up for anything
Thinking about summer? It’s not just the accumulating and aggravating ice and snow that’s making people look ahead to the warmer months: planning for summer gets earlier and earlier, if...
Petrak: Turning 50, and changing views on what that means
I remember when my parents would pore over old yearbooks and photos, and spin records on our living room turntable that reminded them of high school, college or their early...
Petrak: Highlight’s Goofus and Gallant has lessons for adults today
Those of us over a certain age remember when we had to find entertainment when and where we could. We even had to walk over to the TV to turn...
Column: From kind gestures to longer days, finding the proverbial and literal light at the end of winter’s tunnel
It’s midwinter. Road and sidewalk salt cakes our shoes, floors, car interiors and jackets. Temperatures swing wildly, and we find ourselves complaining about cold that hurts our face, snow that...
Petrak: Longtime Realtor knows La Grange homes, and the people in them
An agent from another company once sat down next to Joan Smothers at an event and remarked, “Have you ever sat down with a glass of wine and thought about...