July 4, 2008 was my first full weekend in Fort Wayne. I was excited but very, very scared.

It was the kind of marriage advice you'd expect to get in a bar with a grass skirt covering the mantle and an inflatable parrot flying near the Coors Light sign.

It's our Michael Jackson-themed podcast, with apologies to our favorite listener Sean Smith. (You will be our special live and in-person guest next month. But we're actually going to prepare something for you ... for once.

The Allen County Fair is July 21-26. Got your foods, houseplants, flower arrangements, wreaths and garden produce ready?

Lots of my friends and family have pairs of pups. Why had I never entertained having two dogs before now?

Elaine Wakefield describes her cooking style as “spicy, to some extent, but it’s not a ‘hot’ spicy, not full of fire. Flavorful.

Its days as the Munchie Emporium are over, but everything that created the charming atmosphere at this trendy, hip Fort Wayne staple at Broadway and Taylor Street are still there, even though Mad Anthony Brewing Co. is on the door.

Q. Even though my house is adequately insulated, my air conditioner runs a lot. On sunny days, the bedroom ceiling seems hot, so heat must be coming from the hot roof. How can I reduce this afternoon heat flow.

We are only truly free when we take the initiative to direct our own fate and move beyond an existence locked in old patterns.

My best friend Janice and I were walking the other day contemplating exactly what we thought the official food of the Fourth of July should be.

Grab a firecracker shrimp and have a sizzling holiday at Hartley’s. Today through Friday, the restaurant at 4301 Fairfield Ave. will have special dinner features in addition to the regular menu.

Q. Recently, the foliage and flowers of our landscape roses began curling. The new leaves are pale and distorted. What’s going on.

We’re always looking for a good white wine that we can truly enjoy – one that is easy to drink, yet complex enough that it is interesting and could go well with food.