I am definitely keeping the car wash dress

My sister took me to task. “You know I was not being mean about your dress, don’t you?” She meant the dress that she had said made me look like a car wash – the part of the car wash where the flappy things slap the car dry. My dress looked a lot like that, especially if I spun around.

One sibling finds family trip too stressful

DEAR HARRIETTE: My adult siblings and I went on a trip to Italy last month. It was our first time ever traveling outside the United States, so naturally, I was excited about the experience. I thought it was going to be a fun and memorable trip, especially since we all usually get along pretty well.

Research suggests red wine linked to headaches

Dear Doctor: My husband and I enjoy a glass of wine with dinner. I prefer red wine, but it always gives me a bad headache. It happens from even half a glass, so I know it’s not a hangover. I thought it was the sulfites, but I hear there’s a new theory. Do you know what that is?

Parent worried after daughter drops out

DEAR HARRIETTE: My daughter dropped out during her freshman year of college. She struggled academically her first semester, and she has decided not to go back.

CLINTON’S HISTORY 10, 20, 30 AND 40 YEARS AGO

• Christmas favors for the local nursing home residents were made by the Clinton Senior 4-H Club members at their December meeting. Nine members created wreaths, Santas and reindeer. After the workshop, the members enjoyed a gift exchange and snack supper.

Eastside Academy expresses gratitude

Dear Editor: Eastside Academy students and staff want to thank Terry Garner and InterBank staff for providing students with a hot meal on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.They also wish to thank True Gospel for providing a hot meal to students on the third Thursday of the month.

What is Native American Church, why is peyote sacred to members?

(AP) – The Native American Church is considered the most widespread religious movement among the Indigenous people of North America. It holds sacred the peyote cactus, which grows naturally only in some parts of southern Texas and northern Mexico.

Syria's dwindling Jewish community can visit synagogues again

(AP) — In this Damascus suburb, the handful of remaining Jews in Syria can again make pilgrimages to one of the world's oldest synagogues where people from throughout the region once came to pray.Syria's 13-year civil war left the synagogue partially destroyed. Walls and roofs have collapsed.

Trump causes dangerous moments

Donald Trump is escalating his long-running vendetta against the media. “It costs a lot of money to do it, but we have to straighten out the press,” he declared recently.The media must fight back, but not in a partisan or political way.

I have been feeling a little stuck recently

This year had a lot of ups and downs for me.This past spring, I felt about as low as I have felt about my writing since I started.My book was going nowhere. There seemed to be nothing I could do to better its chances of being sold. I was unsure if anything I was writing was any good.