In getting to know Katie Merkes, it takes nearly no time at all to connect the dots as to where her pride and joy lies. “We have three dogs; two cats; three mini donkeys, with two of the mares pregnant again; and three horses,” the 33-year-old said, with a laugh. “Like most people who work...

It doesn’t take much recreation to give your body a boost. “Exercising, especially when just starting, can be a scary endeavor,” said Krista Viertel, a physical therapist at MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center. “However, research shows that just 150 minutes per week — approximately 20 minutes a day — can achieve health benefits.” Nicole Hutchison, owner...

When Ann Butzier first opened her shop, Namaste, five years ago, you couldn’t find the word “athleisure” in the dictionary. “It was a word I’d heard, but it wasn’t common,” she said. “I remember using it in a conversation with a customer and she said, ‘Oh, that’s a cool word.’” The word “athleisure” was first...

Pandemic. For obvious reasons, I’ve been thinking a lot about this word lately. It is derived from two Greek words: Pan, which means “all,” and “demos,” which means people. So, pandemic is something affecting all people. Yep, check. I think that word definitely captures what is going on right now. It also got me thinking...

Whether you have plans to travel far and wide this summer or even just to your neighboring town, these are the pieces that should make it into your suitcase so you can put together versatile, practical and chic outfits. 1. Statement sunglasses It’s such a small item that sometimes gets overlooked. Not only are they...

“I always can be distracted by love, but eventually, I get horny for my creativity.” — Gilda Radner Where do ideas come from? A pragmatist might say from daily life. A scientist might say from the hippocampus, the horseshoe-shaped part of the brain that houses emotion and memory. A poet might say from the Muses...

This month brings me to my 39th lap around the sun. I remember a time when that seemed like an ancient age, like when you heard your mom or dad say they were 39, and you thought that was incredibly old, and they basically were done having any fun in life. I am not even...

GALENA, Ill. — Kathy Willauer sprung a surprise on her sister, Linda Hartlep. “I told her, ‘I signed you up for goat yoga,’ and she said, ‘Oh, no you didn’t,’” Willauer said. Oh yes, she did, and Willauer and Hartlep were in attendance during a class at Original Goat Yoga Galena, where six young goat...

Have you ever come down with a case of shingles, needed a knee replacement or undergone emergency surgery? Let’s hope not, for the sake of your finances. Many people don’t realize just how much an illness can impact their financial lives. Independent contractors, business owners and even employees who need to miss work due to...

You might think that you don’t need to worry about life insurance until, or if, you have children. After all, there’s no one who relies on you to feed, clothe and educate them. Remaining uninsured, however, could prove to be a big financial mistake, even without dependents. Here’s why: Life insurance can shield your surviving...

My husband, Kevin, and I had the most fun traveling pre-kids during our camping trips. We had a big travel trailer that we would haul around to all sorts of different destinations. We would leave on Thursday afternoons and come home on Sunday nights. It seemed as though the entire summer literally was a vacation...

I recently heard a story about a couple who had to cancel their anniversary celebration vacation to Las Vegas because of the pandemic. My heart broke for them. I think many can relate to this disappointment of canceling a vacation. I already have had to cancel two trips to Orlando, Fla., a wedding in Sweden...