I have been trying to corner this column for well over a week now, and have finally pinned it down between laundry and watering flower pots. Also in the mix was a family gathering at California Al’s for Second Son’s and my joint birthday. A little newcomer to the group was my great-grandson, Second Daughter’s grandson via her son. I’ve already had a step great-grandson for a while, via Second Daughter’s stepdaughter. Gets complicated, doesn’t it? It’s nothing compared to the relationships among my forebears!

(BPT) - If you’ve ever looked around your house and gotten the urge to purge, you might consider pausing and first thinking about how you could transform that old, damaged piece of furniture or outdated light fixture into a fresh-faced showpiece for your home.

(BPT) - As spring blossoms, so does our desire to lighten up – in life and at home. Simple eco-friendly changes to home decor can set the tone for a much fresher and brighter outlook.

Let's hear it for nandina! It's the shrub that can solve a lot of problems. It grows in sun or shade, and has red leaves, red berries and white blossoms, each at a different time of the year, so it's an attractive plant. Even when it's just green, its leaves are pointedly delicate and graceful. It can spread and grow bigger than it should for its space, but a shovel and clippers can take care of this when needed.

(BPT) - Though the U.S. economy has been gradually improving, job changes - both involuntary and voluntary - remain a fact of American working life.

(BPT) - Filing taxes online has become more popular than ever. In fact, the rate of individual tax returns filed online hit an all-time high of 80 percent last year, according to the IRS. But filing isn’t the only step in the process that can now be accomplished with the help of online tools. Use digital technology to your advantage to make the complete process – from organizing receipts to claiming your refund – quick and simple.

(BPT) - Coleccionar reliquias ya no es solamente una afición para abuelitos. Con la explosiva popularidad de programas de televisión dedicados al descubrimiento de recuerdos históricos y piezas valiosas de antigüedad Americana, buscando objetos y artefactos que constituyen una pieza única decorativa para el hogar, es ahora un pasatiempo popular para personas de todas las edades. Pero cómo puede usted saber la diferencia entre lo que es realmente un tesoro y lo que es simplemente basura.

Dear Straight Talk: My stepfather has a son a year older than me who didn’t live with us because my stepdad didn’t have custody. Since we weren’t blood related, I had a crush on “Unknown.” I didn’t hear much about him for a few years, then sophomore year, “Unknown” was getting out of a troubled-teen boot camp and none of his family wanted him. My mom and stepdad took him in.

(NewsUSA) - Some brides-to-be might find it hard to think beyond the intense planning that a wedding requires. But beyond the pomp and circumstance of the big day, it's important to think ahead to mergers -- not the corporate kind, but the merging of styles and décor to set up a home the bride and groom will both love.

ADULT DAY CARE AND HEALTH CENTERS

(BPT) - Collecting relics isn’t a hobby just for Grandma and Grandpa any more. With the explosive popularity of TV shows centered around unearthing historic memorabilia and valuable pieces of Americana, searching for knickknacks and artifacts that make one-of-a-kind home decor is now a popular pastime for people of all ages. But how do you know the difference between what’s really treasure and what’s simply trash?

In the Knowlton Gallery, owner Robin Knowlton hangs local artists’ paintings, photographs and other works with a plan in mind. Themes go together. Usually work is hung by style or artists.

We wish to thank our community for making Christmas at Lodi House absolutely wonderful. Our resident and recent graduate families were blessed with an abundance of gifts, but more importantly, they witnessed a demonstration of love.

Kay Marie Claxton has never set foot on French soil. But her Downtown Lodi shop is brimming with proof of her love for the country French aesthetic.

When Mike Sinclair invited his mother- and father-in-law to join him and his wife Cheryl for a drink at Rosewood Bar & Grill on Monday afternoon, Carol Meehleis knew something was up.

Students at St. Anne's Catholic School will no longer have to dodge cars while walking between the school and St. Anne's Catholic Church on Walnut Street if a proposal goes through to permanently cut off traffic between Pleasant Avenue and Church Street.

(NAPSI)—These days, Santa’s elves have their work cut out for them as this season’s wish lists are dominated with requests for iPads, iPods, iPhones and other smartphones, eBooks and other gadgetry. As the holidays undergo a technology takeover, there are ways parents can give kids what they really want without breaking the bank.

School is back in session, and local high school students are showing their personalities through their fashion choices. Gladiator sandals. TOMS and worn Vans. Flowy skirts. Lace tops. Short shorts. Even tall socks. Lodi and Tokay high school teens show off their style — or like they call it, their swag.

Lodi City Council members Tuesday learned that some of the loudest and messiest overnight visitors at the Lodi Animal Shelter were four tropical birds, and that purebred dogs are frequently up for adoption.

Why I love Long Beach: Right in between Los Angeles and Orange County, Long Beach is the perfect mix of beachy, artsy, academic and eclectic. I lived there for five years as a college student, and fell in love with the community and districts.

This is just a little note to say a huge "thank you" to Lodi House Thrift Store for the safe return of a 60-year-old childhood treasure which was erroneously donated two years ago.

Carol Farron is the spokeswoman for Lodi Memorial Hospital.

Tammy Newell is no stranger to working with her hands — she’s a private chef, specialty food producer, licensed master gardener, artistic clothing line creator, upcycled furniture carpenter, and survivor extraordinaire.

Galt and Lodi police are working with thrift store owners who must obtain a permit and perform background checks to sell certain items — requirements some owners say are burdensome.