• Inheritance tax keeps 'snowbirds' down south
Ihave just said goodbye to some longtime friends who live in Worcester. They are leaving Massachusetts to take up legal residence in Florida.

• St. Patrick's banner makes early debut
My neighbor Dick Olivier called over to me one day in January, shouting, "Barbara, what happened to Valentine's Day?"

• St. Patrick's banner makes early debut
My neighbor Dick Olivier called over to me one day in January, shouting, "Barbara, what happened to Valentine's Day?"

• St. Patrick's banner makes early debut
My neighbor Dick Olivier called over to me one day in January, shouting, "Barbara, what happened to Valentine's Day?"

• St. Patrick's banner makes early debut
My neighbor Dick Olivier called over to me one day in January, shouting, "Barbara, what happened to Valentine's Day?"

• St. Patrick's banner makes early debut
My neighbor Dick Olivier called over to me one day in January, shouting, "Barbara, what happened to Valentine's Day?"

• St. Patrick's banner makes early debut
My neighbor Dick Olivier called over to me one day in January, shouting, "Barbara, what happened to Valentine's Day?"

• Winners don't always cross the finish line first
One of my young friends, who celebrated her 53rd birthday last year wanted to improve her health and, on this birthday, launched into a routine of diet and exercise. She is an inspiration to me and a contented person.

• Keep Manhattan, I'll gladly call Holyoke home
Iwill soon have lived in the city of Holyoke for 60 years, but - and I say this with a little smile on my face - there will always be people who will declare that, alas, I am not a native. And, of course, they are right.

• Keep the horse and salami, but send a diamond
Idon't think I'm guilty of accepting "payola," but I'm just in the mood today to tell you why it's crossed my mind.

• The pen remains far mightier than the sword
When I finally got into this world of computers and saw it was everything everyone had been telling me I would enjoy, I realized that if I didn't watch myself I might be using this wonderful new world to avoid handwritten notes.