Good Housekeeping articles from April 2007

Good Housekeeping archives from April 2007

On my mind: editor's letter.(Editorial)
April 1, 2007... AT THE MOMENT, I feel as if I'm sitting in the lap of luxury--even though my elbows are digging into my sides, my knees are knocking the seat in front of me, and the 300-pound businessman on my left is snoring loudly. You guessed it: I'm on a...

Women in love.(On your mind: LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... As a 35-year-old professor who's never married, I was glad to read your article on Marcia Cross and other stars who found love after 40 ["Her Midlife Miracle," February]. It shows that women who take unconventional life paths can still enjoy...

Gadget guidelines.(On your mind: LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... Because of your story on recording TV shows [The Best of Everything, February], I ordered TiVo over the Internet. It's an easy and inexpensive way to tape my favorite shows. Thanks for helping me make a good decision. --Jackie Waite,...

Perfect pooch.(On your mind: LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... "Adopting Katie" [Blessings, January], about a breast cancer survivor taking in a homeless dog, touched my heart. I, too, have adopted older dogs, including Buddy, a rescue hound who comforted me when I had cancer. He's gone now (I'll never...

Downtime for kids.(On your mind: LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... I'm constantly trying to convince my 15-year-old son to get the recommended eight hours of sleep. Your article "Is Your Teen Too Tired?" [January] backed up everything I tell him, but it was nice to have him "hear" the advice from someone other...

Life in the slow lane.(On your mind: LETTERS)
April 1, 2007... Several readers told us they could relate to our story on multitasking ("Trying to Do Too Much?" January). Calling the article an eye opener, Tammy Sheehan of Highland, IN, wrote: "My two young children deserve a mom who isn't too busy to play,...

"My hair gets frizzy in the rain--even when I use anti-frizz products. What gives?".(E-MAIL OUR EXPERT)(Brief article)(Column)
April 1, 2007... Check the ingredients label to see if your product contains silicone or silicone compounds such as dimethicone or cyclomethicone, which help seal your strands and block humidity. (Some frizz fighters are made with oil instead of silicone--and...

"Delta Air Lines owes me money!".(GH TO THE RESCUE)(Brief article)(Column)
April 1, 2007... PROBLEM My sister and I bought our mother a plane ticket from Delta Air Lines last August. Within days of doing so, I realized we'd made the reservation in the wrong name. The flight had been booked in my mom's birth name, Maja. But we...

April: idea of the month.(TURN FRUIT INTO A TREAT)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... When candy is temptingly displayed in old-fashioned jars on the kitchen counter, it's no wonder the kids gobble it down like, well, candy. Nudge your family toward healthier snacking habits by replacing those sugary sweets with ripe seasonal...

Bottle vases.(CREATE YOUR OWN)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Bring some country charm to the table with a floral centerpiece casually tucked into glass milk bottles and arranged in a vintage carrier. Search flea markets, eBay, and antique shops for the wire holder (remove any surface rust with a stiff...

File these folders under "adorable".(Good ideas)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Filing your return by April 15 will seem less taxing if you organize your documents and receipts beforehand with stylish stationery, like these Italian letter-size folders. Printed with vintage-inspired butterfly collages and featuring die-cut...

Homemade body scrub.(Good ideas)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... DIY body scrubs exfoliate as well as luxe spa treatments, at a fraction of the price. FOR SILKY-SMOOTH SKIN: Make a paste of sea salt and water, and apply in the shower; use circular motions. Rinse off. TO REINVIGORATE SKIN: Mix 1/3 cup...

Table stencil.(CREATE YOUR OWN)
April 1, 2007... Mimic the look of an heirloom tablecloth with a lace-pattern stencil. Center stencil ($30; pjstencils.com) on a primed, painted tabletop, then stipple with white paint. Let dry, and seal with polyurethane. Or transform an old cloth doily into a...

Clean getaway.(CREATE YOUR OWN)
April 1, 2007... Do steamed-up car windshields drive you to distraction? Stash a clean blackboard eraser in the glove compartment--a quick swipe instantly defogs the glass, without streaking or smearing. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Address embosser.(CREATE YOUR OWN)
April 1, 2007... If friends or family are relocating, help ease the transition with a custom-made envelope embosser. Personalized with their new address--and available in a variety of fonts, designs, and styles ($22; horchow .com)-it's a letter-perfect...

Q What's the best way to separate glassware that is wedged together?(Good advice: HELOISE TO THE RESCUE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Q What's the best way to separate glassware that is wedged together? --Barbara A. Kramarz, Hamilton, NJ Try a cold-hot approach: Place ice cubes in the top item (the cold will make it contract) and put the bottom item or glass into a...

Hairspray that just missed.(Good advice: HELOISE TO THE RESCUE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... We own a bed-and-breakfast, and we're finding hairspray all over the doors and woodwork. How do we get it off without harming the finish? --Beverly Schopf, Sturgeon Bay, WI My guess is you've got mirrors hanging in front of those...

Hot take-out box left its mark.(Good advice: HELOISE TO THE RESCUE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Help! I left a hot pizza box on my wooden table for a half hour-now the wood is discolored. What can I do? --Jennifer Vincent, Jacksonville, NC Heat marks can be tough to remove. Here's a method to try on lacquered wooden surfaces...

Spring-cleaning: driveway.(Good advice: HELOISE TO THE RESCUE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... How do you clean car oil off a paved driveway? --Tia Mahan, Cocoa, FL It depends on how long it has been them. If the spot is still wet, sprinkle on enough clay-type cat litter, sand, cornmeal, cornstarch, or baking soda to absorb the...

Pop quiz.(Good advice: PEGGY POST ON MODERN MANNERS)
April 1, 2007... On a rainy sidewalk, full of people with umbrellas, you accidentally splash mud on a man's suit. He notices. What do you do? (a) Immediately offer to pay for the cleaning. (b) Apologize and keep walking. (c) Do nothing... all's...

Pet peeve.(Good advice: PEGGY POST ON MODERN MANNERS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Pet peeve I want to have an Easter egg hunt for the neighborhood kids--but while many parents have expressed enthusiasm, no one has offered to chip in money. Can I ask for donations? Although the host of a party generally pays the expenses,...

You asked, Peggy answers.(Good advice: PEGGY POST ON MODERN MANNERS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Q: Our neighbors have given us a key to their house in case they get locked out, but we really don't feel comfortable doing the same. Do we have to? A: No. You can fake it as a compliment that your neighbors trust you to be their safety...

Are funerals a must-attend?(Good advice: PEGGY POST ON MODERN MANNERS)
April 1, 2007... A good friend's father is being buried on a weekday morning-in a town three hours away. Are you obliged to take a day off from work and go? Yes "We go to weddings; we should go to funerals."--Nanci McArdle, 33, NY Yes "I was...

How to detox your house: wipe out mold, smoke, dust, and other invisible health hazards that have been trapped in your home all winter.(Good advice)
April 1, 2007... It was your cocoon for the cold season--but your airtight home could be harming your family's health. By shutting the windows all winter, you also shut off ventilation and air circulation. That means you kept the house warm, but allowed...

Super. Natural: with organic accessories in calming neutral colors, your rooms will become as restful as a walk through the woods.(Goodhouse)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Sew simple Ferns become stunning--and free!--artwork when they're stitched onto cardstock and framed (left). Make this (instructions on page 239) or get a similar effect with a look-alike illustrated fern print ($75) [ILLUSTRATION...

Good deals: bags and shoes you'll love--for less.(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Spring's hottest accessories don't have to cost an arm and a leg. These trendy bags and shoes--all priced (way) under $70--prove you can look like a million without spending a bundle. THIS BUD'S FOR YOU Temper the fashionably flirty...

What bangs can do for you.(Good looks)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Want to look younger without major hair surgery? "Go for bangs-they hide forehead wrinkles," says stylist Allen Edwards of the eponymous salons in Southern California. Another plus: Styling bangs to the side creates dimension, making thin hair...

European goodies--here!(Good looks)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Some of the great beauty products we've been waiting for are finally available in U.S. stores. Here, six of our favorite lines--no transatlantic flight required: GARNIER You already love its hair products. Now the Parisian brand is...

The $1 beauty trick.(Good looks)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Our beauty editor shook hands with Carmindy, the makeup artist from TLC's hit show What Not to Wear--then watched in amazement as the TV pro transformed a woman's face using only a couple of Q-tips (and great products, of course). The handy...

Are you doing too much or too little? Either way, your face: loses. Here's how to get amazing results in four simple steps.(YOUR SKIN)
April 1, 2007... Most women obsess about wrinkles the way teens obsess about pimples--but fine facial lines aren't the only age giveaway. Dermatologists agree that the single best way to look younger is to deal with all four big issues: wrinkles, yes, but also...

Start sweating stop smoking.(Good health)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... If you're trying to give up cigarettes, working out will boost your chance of success, say Austrian researchers. Eighty percent of puffers who added regular exercise to a program of nicotine-replacement therapy quit smoking for three months or...

The low-fat trap.(CALORIE-CUTTER)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Think you're being virtuous by snacking on low-fat foods? Think again. In a Cornell University study, participants took eight more M&M's from a bowl labeled low fat than they did from one that was marked regular. And overweight people ate 23...

"Is this an emergency?".(Good health)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... That's the standard question from the answering service when you call your doctor after hours. But new research shows that you shouldn't be the one who decides. In a review of 2,835 after-hours calls to a family medicine clinic, researchers...

Migraine (and wrinkle!) relief.(Good health)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Talk about added value. Migraine sufferers who undergo cosmetic surgery may lose their headaches as well as their wrinkles. When a number of women reported relief from migraines following lifts, Bahman Guyuron, M.D., chief of plastic and...

Score one for screenings.(LIFESAVER)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... IT MAY NOT BE THE MOST FUN YOU'LL EVER HAVE IN A DAY, BUT CONSIDER THIS: Now colonoscopy has been definitively proven to save lives. Between 1997 and 2003, the number of colonoscopies increased by 80 percent; at the same time, the incidence of...

Supplement savvy.(Good health)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... TRUE OR FALSE: Weight-loss pills have been approved by the FDA. Answer: False. But if you answered "true," you're not alone-in a survey from the University of Connecticut, 65 percent of respondents thought the supplements had been proven safe....

Sleep your troubles away.(READING YOUR MIND)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Next time you're feeling stressed at night, take comfort in knowing that Mom was right: Things really do seem brighter in the morning. A study of 156 men and women conducted at Northwestern University found that people who felt lonely, sad, or...

No more heartburn! New treatments, from easy at-home tricks to an amazing 20-minute hospital fix.(Good health)
April 1, 2007... Yesterday, 15 million Americans were miserable. That's how many women and men get heartburn every single day. Over the past month, some 60 million people experienced either the main symptom--a severe burning sensation in the chest--or another...

Banking on breast milk: it has unique medicinal powers, and not just for infants. Now women with breast milk to spare are making donations to help those in need.(Good health)
April 1, 2007... When Rebecca Shaffer learned she was expecting her second child, she was elated: Now her year-old son, Guy, would have a playmate close in age. But just a few days after she got the news, Shaffer began to have severe abdominal pressure as well...

Google[TM] for free repairs: Smart mouse clicks that can save you hundreds.(Money talk)
April 1, 2007... is something you own--a car or an appliance--on the fritz? You just might be able to save the cost of an expensive repair or replacement by Googling. Results produced by this uber--search engine kept me from cracking open my wallet on three...

Hang up on high phone, cable, and Web bills: you're probably overpaying. Here's how to stop.(Money)
April 1, 2007... Confession time: I got a whopper of a cell phone bill last month. It was (gulp) four times higher than usual. How could this possibly happen, you might wonder? After all, I'm a personal-finance professional who makes a living researching...

Dream job: blending a tea business.(Money)(Zhena Muzyka)
April 1, 2007... Zhena Muzyka WHERE SHE WORKS Ojai, CA SALARY IN 2006 $60,000 Her lifelong passion Zhena Muzyka has been creating exotic teas since she was a teenager. "It's in my blood," she says. In 1999, when she was 24 and a struggling writer,...

Easy-grow roses: we tested new varieties that need almost no attention.(the Best of Everything: TESTING FROM THE GOOD HOUSEKEEPING RESEARCH INSTITUTE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... It's a perennial dilemma for time-pressed gardeners: Take on the care and feeding of persnickety roses, or give up and just plant impatiens? This year, you don't have to pick. Several companies have developed roses specially bred to bloom...

Clean your floors--with steam!(the Best)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Toss your mop and bucket for the SteamFast Multi-Purpose Steam Cleaner ($80)--a tool that makes floor scrubbing a cinch. Here's how it works: Fill the reservoir with water and plug in the mop; the [H.sub.2]O will heat up in less than 30...

Never get lost again.(the Best)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The good old family road atlas now has some competition: the portable in-car GPS unit, a high-tech (and high-price) gadget that gives audible, step-by-step directions while you drive. At least, that's the theory--but as we discovered in our...

Budget-friendly MP3 players: we tested 17 models and found 3 that can really handle a workout.(the Best)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... 1 Lots of extras The Creative Zen V comes packed with competitive features-such as a voice recorder--at a "wow, that's cheap" price ($90 for 1 gigabyte, which can hold 250 to 500 songs). Plus, it's easy to use: When our tester hit the...

Does your house look like this? Let us help.
April 1, 2007... It starts out small--a couple of catalogs here, some junk mail there--and the next thing you know, you're buried under an avalanche of old bank statements and last year's Christmas cards. To tackle the biggest mess trap in your house, we asked...

The organizing product: that changed my life.
April 1, 2007... TUPPERWARE MODULAR MATES, $44.50 FOR SET "You can see through each container, so you know when you're running low." --Diane O'Neill COLORED HANGERS, 29 CENTS EACH "I use different colors to identify the kind of item I'm hanging. It...

Clutter fixes: you can do in 15 minutes or less.
April 1, 2007... 1. CORRAL OUTGOING MAIL, BILLS, EVEN TAKE-OUT MENUS by sliding them into pretty napkin holders. 2. TOO MANY LIPSTICKS? Line a gift box with a thin layer of florist's foam. Using a lipstick tube, punch rows of holes in the foam; then stand...

Cool for kids, safe for walls.(Family time)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Your child can have the most awesome room on the block with WallPops, a new kind of wallpaper that easily goes on and off without damaging surfaces. On the site wall-pops.com, your kid can experiment with different colors or play around with a...

Unlocked and loaded.(Family time)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... When it comes to gun safety, many parents of teens are too relaxed, says a recent survey from the Harvard Injury Control Research Center. Parents of kids ages 13 to 17 are 25 percent more likely to leave their guns unlocked and loaded than...

Fun with fiction.(Family time)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... What did Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean do before he set sail? How would the kids from 7th Heaven act if, say, they all went on a camping trip? If your child can conjure up these kinds of questions, she might enjoy writing...

When you don't like your kid's friends: how to know when you must step in ... and when you ought to stand back.(Family)
April 1, 2007... Last year, my 15-year-old daughter, a sophomore in high school, began dating a senior. He wasn't involved in any school activities, showed no interest in going to college, and rarely came to our house, except for a few times late at night. ...

Saving Amber: we took my daughter to the doctor because we thought she had strep throat. But it turned out to be something far more dangerous.(Family)(Case study)
April 1, 2007... do you want the good news first or the bad news?" our family doctor asked. My husband, Bill, and I were sitting in the doctor's office while our 15-year-old daughter, Amber, who had come down with a fever and sore throat, waited in the...

Cultivating calm: you don't have to go to a spa. Here's how to achieve peace of mind (plus health and happiness) from the inside out.(your Goodlife)
April 1, 2007... Once upon a time, I had the time and money to go on an eight-day retreat in Costa Rica. One of the most memorable aspects of the trip was a daily walking meditation. My fellow travelers and I would line up and begin inching along. Each step...

His, hers, and theirs: a twist of fate brought two single parents--and their kids--together under one roof.(Real lives)
April 1, 2007... Rhonda Dettmer's house in Fairmont, MN, was badly in need of repair: The roof leaked, the windows and radiators were coated in lead paint, and the walls were poorly insulated. "You could literally feel the wind coming in," says Rhonda, 37. But...

"My baby saved my life": Dayna Klein was four months pregnant when a gunman stormed her office. Here's how she saved her child--and became a hero.(Real lives)
April 1, 2007... On a Friday afternoon last July, Dayna Klein was at her desk at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, finishing up paperwork. Many staffers had already left for the weekend. "Go home," e-mailed her buddy Pam Waechter, whose office was...

The write stuff: what started as a shared Beatles obsession between two pen pals turned into a 43-year, transatlantic friendship.(Real lives)
April 1, 2007... last summer, when Malerie Larkin's son, Lee, told her that Diane had called, she assumed it was the dog-sitter. "I guess she won't be able to walk Jack today," said Valerie, who lives with her family in Derbyshire, England. "Well, no," Lee...

Slim-down secrets: five women, four diet plans. Discover the tips and tricks that helped them lose a total of 362 pounds.(Cover story)
April 1, 2007... Yes, you really can win your battle with extra weight. All of these women overcame serious diet obstacles--and plenty of cravings--to shed stubborn pounds. And once they got thin, they stayed that way (without giving up their favorite foods--or...

Good eggs: welcome spring with these sweet and simple Easter crafts: don't put all your eggs in one basket this year. Display them in birds' nests, vases, and candleholders. Make them sparkle or glow in the dark.
April 1, 2007... match game Eggshells make perfect candleholders, with a little glue, melted wax, and a wick. Dye the hard-cooked eggs before you start, and be sure to place the wick so it will stick out above the shell [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] all...

Dress the part: slip on a dress and simplify your life. Here, the season's best styles--all figure-flattering and easy to wear.(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... FEARLESS FLORALS The newest prints are edgier and less predictable--like this bold blend of eye-catching botanicals and stripes. Printed dress, $168, WD-NY. Peep-toes, Gianni Bini. Earrings and Bracelets, Coldwater Creek. [ILLUSTRATION...

You can't live here ... (unless you're white): it's illegal to refuse to sell or rent a house to someone because of race. But that doesn't mean it's not happening all over the country.
April 1, 2007... in April 2000, Stephen Ruffin, 43, got an offer he couldn't refuse: a yearlong stint as a visiting faculty member at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he'd studied for his master's degree. "We were so excited," says his wife,...

A mothers' tale.(Short story)
April 1, 2007... They became friends under the most stressful circumstances: trying to save their babies from a rare and fatal disease. Deb Koncel, 40, an office administrator in Chicago, and Jean Kelly, 42, a bank manager from a small Iowa town, met almost...

Star fish: forget frozen fish sticks. These quick seafood dinners are almost as easy and taste a whole lot better.(Recipe)
April 1, 2007... It's late, supper's not even started, and your famished family claims they're about to faint from hunger right now. The solution: Go fish. Fast-cooking and weeknight-friendly, seafood is fork-tender in minutes. Keep the techniques simple and...

An Easter treat.(home cooking IN SUSAN'S KITCHEN)(Recipe)
April 1, 2007... When I was growing up, my great-aunt Alice baked a sheet-pan version of this pie every Easter. It became such a hit with all of us children that she began making it for every holiday. Aunt Alice isn't baking pies anymore, but my son, Lucio, has...

Grate it fresh.(SUPERMARKET PICK)(Kraft's Grate-It-Fresh Parmesan Cheese )(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... At home, at work, at a picnic: Kraft's Grate-It-Fresh Parmesan Cheese ($5) is an easier-than-ever way to add freshly grated cheese to anything. The nonreusable container holds a 7-ounce block of Parmesan. Just remove the cad on the bottom and...

Spritz your salad.(home cooking IN SUSAN'S KITCHEN)
April 1, 2007... Is salad dressing making you fat? Wish-Bone Salad Spritzers Vinaigrette Dressings come spray-top bottles in a variety of flavors, including Raspberry Bliss. Fifty readers will receive a year's supply: 12 bottles (a $36 value). For details, see...

Sauvignon Blanc.(WINE FIND)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... A deliciously dry white wine with a lot of natural acidity, Sauvignon Blanc is tangy, tart, and zesty. It's very versatile in accompanying foods--and is an especially good match for citrus and spring greens. And it enhances fish like a squeeze...

A fresh ingredient for Passover: horseradish.(WINE FIND)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... This ancient plant is one of the five bitter herbs of the Jewish Passover. Although the leaves can be used in salads or cooked greens, horseradish is mostly grown for its spicy root, The outside is, well, ugly, but the inside is creamy white....

A tasty symbol.(READER RECIPE)(Recipe)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Retired judge Ellis Sheila Franke of Forest Hills, NY, has been making this Sephardic-style charoseth for Passover for more than 25 years. It symbolizes the mortar used by the Israelites in Egypt. Franke says, "After the Seder, leftovers make a...

So long, fish.(home cooking/recipes)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Overfishing, or catching fish faster than they can reproduce, is rapidly leading to the near extinction of popular varieties such as cod, orange roughy, and Chilean sea bass. Technology is partly to blame--between 1950 and 1994, commercial...

How safe is seafood?(home cooking/recipes)
April 1, 2007... For over two decades, researchers proclaiming the health benefits of fish--it's low in fat, high in protein, and rich in cardioprotective omega-3 fatty acids--have encouraged Americans to up their intake. The result: Each of us now eats a...

Know your fish.(home cooking/recipes)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Are some fish too risky to eat? While the FDA and EPA issued a joint advisory in 2004 warning against the dangers of consuming specific mercury-contaminated fish, it applied only to three vulnerable groups: women who are or may become pregnant,...

What's that smell?(home cooking/recipes)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The odor of cooked fish is often hard to remove and impervious to scented candles and other air-freshening products, which just replace one smell with another. What you really need to do is remove the odor molecules from the air. White vinegar...

Flavor aids.(home cooking recipes)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... With Callisons Seasoned Skewers ($8.95 for a package of 10) you can season and skewer shrimp, scallops, or cubes of firm-flesh fish like swordfish in one easy step. These one-use-only birch-wood sticks are infused with essential oils and...

Taste test: the best frozen and canned fish.(home cooking/recipes)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The GH Food Department conducted a marathon tasting of prepared seafood products, both shelf stable and frozen, sold at supermarkets or health food stores. Here are our top picks: FROZEN Wild Alaskan Halibut with Chermoula Marinade...

The beauty school of Kabul: the amazing story of how a small-town girl went to Afghanistan to do good--and stayed to do hair.(Book bonus)(Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil)(Excerpt)
April 1, 2007... I left for Afghanistan in May of 2002. At the time, I had no idea that I'd still be here nearly five years later doing spiral perms and introducing the art of bikini waxing. Up until then I'd been working in my mom's beauty salon in Michigan,...

Laughs.(Comic)(Cartoon)
April 1, 2007... "Honey, your head's through the armhole again." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Today we're going to explore in paint how we feel when we're picked up late from preschool." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "We didn't have time to pick up a...

My other family: they weren't there on the day I was born. But when I had nowhere to go, they took me in and treated me like their own.(Blessings)
April 1, 2007... i believe that families are not only blood relatives but sometimes people who just show up and love you when no one else will. In May 1977, I was living in a Howard Johnson's motel off Interstate 10 in Houston. My dad and I shared a room...