Vickroy: 2021 may have been lousy for people, but these animal tales all have happy endings
For humans, 2021 was a struggle in so many ways. But it was a good year for Milo, Yoyo, Hamilton the pig and 11 cows who live at the Children's...
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Vickroy: Everything about 2021 was hard, but getting my dad into assisted living almost broke me
It was a steamy 92 degrees the day my dad made a run for it. The 82-year-old hobbled his way down 14 stairs, clinging desperately to the iron railing. He...
Vickroy: Time to rethink Santa — the tradition fosters deceit, greed and bribery but can it be used for good?
Santa Claus. A magical part of Western culture? Or a good idea gone bad? No doubt, the jolly guy in red charged with keeping kids on the straight and narrow...
For Mexican families, Christmas means one big thing — homemade tamales for the holiday meal
Linda Maldonado learned to make tamales when she married into a large Mexican family. It's now part of her Christmas tradition, something she shares with her children and grandchildren. "We...
Vickroy: COVID boredom was good for one thing: time for my husband — and lots of others — to a find a hobby
On the upside, the pandemic gave us free time. And most of us wasted no time filling it up. Those who found more than Netflix to fill the void may...
Vickroy: Be it tamales, ravioli or hand-dipped pretzels — families and friends happy to return to holiday food-making gatherings: ‘It’s a beautiful thing’
Traditions took a hit last Christmas. As individuals and families hunkered down inside the safety of their bubbles, holiday customs that called for gathering were put on ice. The world...
Vickroy: Successful restaurateur who was once homeless serves up free holiday meals to people in same plight
Who can relate to tough times better than someone who's been there, done that? Early in their relationship, Robert Yarbrough and his wife, Leah, found themselves homeless after they lost...
Vickroy: You’re not alone if you feel alone — or lonely — especially as you get older and making friends gets harder
He sits in his recliner across from the blinking TV. His new home is small, but it's just him anyway. He is old. He is sick. Sometimes he is difficult....
Vickroy: Tradition be damned, I’m giving turkey the old heave-ho this Thanksgiving and no one’s going to complain
Turkey is dry. There, I said it. Yes, I'm aware this is as much a user problem as it is a fault of the turkey. Still. I'm not a chef,...
Vickroy: COVID-19 took 47-year-old man on a four-month hospital roller-coaster ride that probably should have killed him
Brad Moss doesn't need anything special this Thanksgiving. He has his family, his friends and his community. As an added bonus, there's surviving that long extended brush with death thing....