My husband, Peter, is now at war with the mice. The mice (possibly with the assistance of a rat or two) have eaten the electrical wiring in our car, causing extensive damage.

Tina Jarosek shared this recipe with me after confessing that she really did not like pot roast. That is until she tried this way to cook it. “This pot roast recipe will delight your entire family,” Tina said. “Serve it with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli, then sit back and watch it disappear. Enjoy.”

Amber Zenor, of Canadian, graduated summa cum laude from the Robert D. and Carol Gunnn College of Health Sciences and Human Services at Midwestern State College with her Bachelor of Science degree in respiratory care.

Need a hug? Don’t we all? Person-toperson contact is how humans express affection, comfort, and connect with each other. Touch releases oxytocin and sometimes dopamine, two of the “happy hormones” that regulate positive moods. Touch also signals a sense of belonging, safety, and trust. Living in isolation during the pandemic has resulted in touch deprivation. People working from home are deprived of daily touching such as handshakes and pats on the back. The over-60 crowd who have to observe strict social distancing miss hugs and kisses from children and grandchildren. A lack of touch can trigger anxiety and, in the extreme, loneliness and depression.