Covid-19 has turned all of our plans for 2020 upside down. But scheduling things is more important than ever in these strange times. L Last week, two close friends officially postponed weddings planned for later in the year. “I know this is overdue,” wrote one in a text to me and the other bridesmaids, “but it’s given me a pit in my stomach every time I go to hit send.” Then she sent a digital version of her “Change the Date”, a replacement for the Save the Date notecard stuck to my...

Feel like you can’t concentrate on anything at the moment? You’re not alone. The extra anxiety caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has impaired our working memory, experts say. W We all know the feeling: you walk into a room with a mission and then stop, confused and a little disjointed, realising you have completely forgotten why you’re there. In 2011, researchers at the University of Notre Dame sought to figure out why – they determined it was the act of walking through the doorway that caused...

Best comfort food this time of year Kate Morgan Jackson, Special to The Record Oh, this chicken dinner. It's somewhere in between a stew and a soup...it's thicker than a soup for sure, and even though I'm calling it a stew, all that delectable creamy sauce up there makes it a little more soup-like than your typical stew. Let's just put it this way: you are going to want both a fork AND a spoon to scoop up every single drop and morsel. Because this is delectable, warm and wonderful wintertime...

Make this comfort food tonight Kate Morgan Jackson, Special to The Record This easy recipe for shepherd's pie just might be the best comfort food ever. And while traditional shepherd’s pie is made with ground lamb, this ground beef version is a little more kid-friendly and easier on the grocery bill. Warm and wonderful and just right for your supper table. Shepherd's Pie 2 pounds ground beef 1 large onion, chopped 4 carrots, chopped 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons flour 2 tablespoons...

Theater company puts a new twist on Secret Santa The bright lights of theater’s backstage hallway blind her as she pushes her way through the two sets of glass doors. She enters the first classroom on the right to see all of her classmates laughing with glee on the tattered plaid couch. A small purple gift bag filled with white tissue paper awaits her arrival. With haste and excitement, she throws away the tissue paper covering all of her favorite things. She laughs with joy and looks at the...