It’s the holidays but here I am talking about goblins

A number of years ago, I wrote a Happy Trails about accepting some slang into our daily language. I thought it was a pretty sound argument. Our language is constantly evolving. Words take on different meanings. They become colloquial. And, despite what they teach in school, there are very few rules that govern our printed word. It’s a good thing when new ideas bloom from old ones.

Until it’s not.

Click here to read our latest edition online in PDF format.

Santa Claus came to town!

Despite frigid temperatures, a good number of residents came out to celebrate a whole day of festivities during Huntley’s annual “Christmas on the Square” celebration that took place on Dec. 3.

Starting at 9 a.m., residents were able to shop around in the Kris Kringle Market located in the Fellowship Hall (11628 E. Main Street), with more activities becoming available as the day progressed.

Delight is everywhere, if you look

My word of the year for 2022 was Delight. Instead of traditional New Year’s resolutions, I’ve tried to focus on one word to shape how I approach another year of life. So this year was about finding delight in the ordinary: being more spontaneous, tuning in to the world around me, searching for good things that might go unnoticed.

Did Santa just say, “On Billy, On Nanny…”?

Once upon a Christmastime, almost a half-century ago, a hundred heads swiveled in our direction to cast angry stares at us, with that “what kind of a monster are you?” look that no parent ever wants to see. And all because our cute little daughter picked just the wrong time to get it all wrong.

We had taken little Jenny to the Woodfield Mall to see Santa Claus so she could sit on his lap and tell him about all the toys that were on her Christmas list. She had heard of Santa all her short life, of course, and had seen him on television and on posters at the store, but she had never met him in person. This would be her first time.

The running of the elves

The Running of the Elves, held on December 3, became a new event in Huntley this year.

Organized by the Huntley Rotary Club, this event benefited local groups: Grafton Food Pantry, Huntley High School Scholarships, International Scholarships, and Veterans Path To Hope.

Bosi, like most mothers, was asked to bring a treat to her child’s class. Bosi said, “At the time Star Wars characters were popular. I decided to make chocolate R2-D2 lollipops.”

It’s a cold, it’s sinuses, it’s COVID…it’s…it’s everything!

Has anyone else been sick a lot lately?

No, I’m not joking. It’s a serious question. Because everyone in my house this year has been sick seemingly nonstop.

Scenes from the Big House

It was about 26 degrees the day I went with my daughter, son, and best friend to watch a football game at the University of Michigan, where my son is a freshman. This was my first football game watching the Wolverines at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. Nicknamed “The Big House,” the stadium is the largest stadium in the United States; the third largest in the world. It boasts over 107,000 seats. I only know this because my friend, the ticket holder, was kindly sharing her knowledge of sports trivia with me.

Village presents new options for property tax levy

Cathy Haley, Village Director of Finance, presented three options to the board at the November 10 Board meeting for the 2022 Property Tax Levy for taxes payable in 2023.

When a Supreme Court decision hits home

Like everyone else, I had strong feelings about the Supreme Court’s controversial decision regarding abortion, even though there was no way it would ever affect my body directly, for reasons too obvious to mention. But the Supremes are currently mulling over a decision that could strike to the very heart of my identity.

I refer, of course, to the suit filed by the Jack Daniel’s Whiskey company against an Arizona company named VIP Products, which makes doggy chew toys.

Sun City resident age verification progress explained

Unless 80% of Sun City residents validate their birthdate by the end of December the community will lose its 55+ housing status. If Sun City loses its 55+ status it would mean that the community could no longer prevent a buyer younger than 55 from buying a property in Sun City.

I once wrote a book ‘this big’

Sun City’s own Ed Piotrowski is a published author, and he’s not just fishing for compliments. His latest work is A Life Well Fished: ‘Reel’ Adventures and the Stuff That Happened in Between.

Piotrowski said, “A Life Well Fished isn’t just about fishing. There are plenty of fishing tales, but it also chronicles a successful life journey, success not measured in dollars and cents but rather, as one of my readers stated, ‘Celebrates the triumph of family, friends, and fishing … though not necessarily in that order!’”

D158 BOE fills vacant seat

The Huntley Community School District 158 (D158) made an announcement back in October that Board of Education (BOE) member Lesli Melendy was due to resign from her position on the board as a result of her and her family’s move to an area outside of Huntley.

Garden of knowledge

As Henry Ford said, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” Spending time with nature is a very effective way to continue to learn. Gardening teaches us so much. No matter our age, the extent to which we interact with nature or the time involved, we can all stay young by spending time outdoors.

Passion plays

Hello all, I hope you had a good Thanksgiving. And now we are in the thick of the holiday season. However unfortunately, a number of entries I planned to view aren’t out yet. And, due to a slight cold, any chance of going to the theaters were thwarted. But if you are in the same boat as myself, where do you turn to but the streaming services. And now more than ever, they are providing vast oceans of content for your viewing pleasure. Well let’s grab out the remote and surf through, shall we?

How to control arthritis and its pain as we age

Healthline.com explains that there are more than 100 different types of arthritis. The three main ones being osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Each type may develop differently, but all can cause pain and joint deformity and movement loss. Age, family genes, sex (women have larger numbers of these diseases) often do not allow the prevention of arthritis.

Cooked sushi

Old habits and recipes die hard, especially with Nancy. Truth be told, she is actually an excellent cook. This was evident when we were younger and had a houseful of people over for holiday dining. Now our family is dwindling and the kids and grandkids have all moved away, but the recipes stayed the same. As a result, Nancy always cooks for the holidays a meal that would easily feed 12 people even though it is just the two of us. I made the mistake of mentioning that maybe she could cut down the recipes, but to her, change is evil. The recipes have been handed down from generation to generation, and must not be tampered with. Such was the case during the recent Thanksgiving holiday.

Political Place: December 8, 2022

Note: The views expressed in these political submissions do not reflect those of the Sun Day, its staff, or those associated to the Sun Day.

Hang Your Hat: December 8, 2022

Letters for the week of December 8.

Ask an Angel: December 8, 2022

I’m concerned about my mom. She’s 71 and lives alone. My dad passed away five years ago and I’m convinced that my mom is still grieving his death. Since she became a widow, she’s become more reclusive. She doesn’t like to drive far from home and doesn’t make much of an effort to maintain friendships. I live nearby and try to include her as much as possible. She loves to shop but rarely leaves her home to shop unless I’m with her.

Model Railroad Charter Club receives support for outdoor train display

Kishwaukee Valley & Eakin Creek Model Railroad Club Charter Club has a lot to give thanks for this year.

Larry Rostis, at a Charter Club’s Presidents Meeting earlier in the year, had asked what avenues were available to help with rebuilding and maintain the club’s outdoor G-scale train display.

The nest just out of reach

A long time ago — maybe 1978 or so — my Brittany Spaniel puppy, Dandy, was obsessed with a robin’s nest.

The nest was tucked six or seven feet up into the crook of a maple tree, and Dandy, filled with puppy curiosity, enthusiasm, and energy, would leap into the air to go nose-to-nest. Then she would sprint around the yard and do it again.

Regrets, I’ve had a few

Elon Musk, the Tesla billionaire, recently bought Twitter for $44 billion. Since the beginning of the year, Musk began purchasing shares of the publicly-owned social network, Monopoly-style, before announcing he would buy the company outright and privatize it. By May, the deal was put on hold. By summer, Musk hinted that he might abandon the deal to buy Twitter altogether. But in October, Musk finished the deal: $44 billion for the purchase of the platform.

Folks are leaving Twitter in droves, and many who remain are mercilessly trolling Musk with fake accounts impersonating him.

Veterans Memorial Field sign finished

In June, 2022, the Sun City Board reviewed proposals for a new sign at the recently renamed Veterans Memorial Field. The initial designs were six feet tall and nine feet wide and came in at $85,000. Board President Berendt commented “I’m shocked at the price.” Board Member McGouey asked “what are our options?”

Unique Huntley turkey festival draws crowds from across the country

The Huntley Parkside Café has hosted a unique Thanksgiving Eve event since 1983: the Turkey Testicle Festival. This year it is held on November 23, from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

Alan Scott, Sun City resident, has a tradition of attending the event every year with family, friends, or even alone.

Joints and 5 common types of arthritis, part 1

Having just recently discussed this column’s Two-Part Autoimmune Diseases (AD), I thought it crucial to discuss one particular body location affected by this (AD) nemesis: JOINTS. A total of five forms of widespread arthritis are listed below, including 3 forms of non-autoimmune arthritis and 2 forms of auto-immune arthritis or AD.

Proudly Serving the Community of Sun City in Huntley

Proudly Serving the Community of
Sun City in Huntley