A Monthly Trip to New England
My brother and sister-in-law, Michael and Zanny, live in Portland, Me., and are the New England branch of the Southern-bound Wood family. One Christmas Zanny gave me this wonderful desktop calendar 
from Abacus Publishing in Boothbay Harbor, Me. You display it in a plastic easel and each month when you change the page, you get this wonderful illustration of New England life. The illustrator, Dana Heacock, paints from photos he takes of churches, dogs, flowers and other everyday southern Maine scenes. Love it! Ever since that Christmas, I’ve always ordered myself the next year’s calendar — the illustrations are so cheerful, homelike and cozy. But this year when it was time for August 2008, I found April 2008 instead. Drat! Who needs two Aprils, especially when it’s August? So I called Abacus (800.206.2166 or visit the Web site at www.abacusgallery.com) and the folks there graciously sent another 2008 calendar, plus I got an early chance to order 2009. Isn’t it nice when businesses are helpful? Just sort of puts you in a good mood. And I’m glad I got the August page, since it’s gorgeous. I could live in that house.
More Cuteness
Grandson, Nolan Thomas Behel, eating his teething ring.
I Know it’s the Evil Empire, but they’re so cute….
Look, I know true coffee drinkers refuse to enter a Starbucks and slow food/local food proponents shudder at the mere mention of the name, 
but you gotta admit the java giant sells some of the cutest coffee mugs around. Go ahead, admit it! (And admit this, too: If you had a chance at world domination, wouldn’t you take it? I thought so. Besides, Starbucks was once a lowly local coffee shop itself, you know.) Of course, given a choice between a local coffee shop and a Starbucks, I’ll take the local – as long as it’s good, that is. But I’ll always go in a Starbucks and check out the coffee mugs. Unless I find ones that I absolutely Have to Have At That Moment, I’ll wait until they go on sale — and it’s like The Gap: Everything eventually will go on sale. So I kept watching for these retro plastic glasses (left) to hit the clearance table, and I nabbed four this weekend when they finally did. Adorable!
And here are a couple Starbucks coffee mugs I bought recently. The one with the swirly design was on sale, while the fleur-de-lis one was one of those gotta-have-it-now purchases. Why do I love Starbucks mugs/glasses so much? They’re good quality — hefty, solid and stable — and are made for coffee drinkers — substantial handles, varied shapes for cappuccinos, lattes, etc. Plus, they’re cute! And isn’t that the best reason?
About
Cathy Wood is a freelance writer and columnist based in Muscle Shoals, Ala. For more than 10 years she was a features writer and columnist for the TimesDaily, in Florence, Ala.,
Me and my messy bulletin board.
after first starting work there in 1997 as an advertorial writer and then as a clerk. Her writing has appeared in many newspapers across the country through the New York Times Regional Newspapers Group. Her areas of specialty include fashion, books, food, decorating, shopping, entertaining, local personalities and arts. Her weekly column, which appears on Fridays in the TimesDaily at www.timesdaily.com, is a humorous look at her life –- and the lives of her two 20-something daughters, four cats, one dazzlingly cute grandchild and her husband of four years, a sports editor who is kind and well-meaning but often befuddled about such things as women’s shoes and which day to take out the garbage. She also writes for Shoals Woman and other TimesDaily and regional magazines and has recently dipped her (monthly pedicured) toes into the blogging world. She’s a 1979 graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tenn., where she was editor of the school newspaper, Sidelines. She also has worked at the Manchester Times, in Manchester, Tenn., and the Daily-Post Athenian, in Athens, Tenn. E-mail cathylwood@gmail.com
– John Lewis Pitts
