http://denver.yourhub.comThe latest story posts in The Denver Newspaper Agency YourHub.comen-usnews@yourhub.com(c) 2009, YourHub.com5I admit it. I'm a recycling freak. From the tiniest plastic bottle to my old refrigerator, I search endlessly for a place that will reclaim, renew and reinvent all of the items I spare from the fate of the landfill. My garage has bins for glass, plastic, aluminum, newspaper, cardboard, ju...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Environment/Lifestyle/Story~371607.aspx10/3/2007 12:09:05 PMConnie Massa Pumpkin...check. Newspaper...check. Pattern transfer...check. Deluxe pumpkin carving set...check. This year is going to be different my friend. The pumpkin I carve this year will challenge the likes of Michelangelo. It will be my "David". Never again will I hear the taunting voices of my ...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Holidays/Halloween/Story~373996.aspx10/8/2007 11:44:21 AMConnie Massa I have a Basset Hound named Clover and she is quite the social butterfly. She has a number of dog buddies that come to the house for playtime. There's Calvin, the Giant Mastiff that lives down the street. She tries diligently to play with Calvin who outweighs her by 100-plus pounds and is fou...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Pets-and-Animals/Story~383573.aspx10/26/2007 4:53:57 PMConnie Massa Retrieving the newspaper each morning without being detected is a finely, honed craft. It requires the speed of a ninja, reflexes like a cat and the camouflage of a chameleon. I have mastered all of these arts. Every morning at 8:15 A.M. sharp, I scan the perimeter from my front window to loc...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Family-Friends/Stories/Story~386492.aspx11/1/2007 9:24:09 PMConnie Massa Looking for a mobile DJ to host your wedding, private party or other special event? Well, look no further. Rockin DJs is locally owned and operated right here in Castle Pines North. We specialize in weddings, private functions, karaoke, bar trivia and community events. Serving the Denver metr...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Business-News/Story~389185.aspx11/7/2007 3:56:18 PMConnie Massa Like a lot of folks, I head up the hill a few times a year to claim my share of the bounty that waits. I drive up; armed with my player's card, free cash and buffet coupons and my lucky charm to ward off any bad karma. I head straight for the video poker machines. For a slot machine, the odds...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Family-Friends/Activities/Story~389724.aspx11/8/2007 1:57:14 PMConnie Massa I'm scanning the aisles of my local grocery and I spy a display of boxed meal "helpers". Just add meat for a delicious, nutritious meal. Ready in minutes it says. What a great invention! Like most women, I'm pretty busy these days, so anything that can help me put a meal on the table fast...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Holidays/Thanksgiving/Story~392379.aspx11/15/2007 8:20:26 AMConnie Massa It starts the week before Thanksgiving. The smell of turkey hasn't even permeated the house and the cornucopias aren't filled, but it's crept in like a blanket of fog. It's Christmas. The first indicator is the changing of the guard at the grocery. The seasonal aisle has become a conglome...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Holidays/Christmas/Story~395463.aspx11/22/2007 8:43:50 AMConnie Massa We finally went fake green a couple of years ago at Christmas. After years of traipsing through tree lots in subzero temperatures trying to find the right size, shape and priced tree, we broke down and bought our own boxed version of Christmas splendor. No more wrestling the tree to the t...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Holidays/Christmas/Story~398257.aspx11/29/2007 2:34:46 PMConnie Massa I became a grandparent for the first time this past June. Baby Luke entered the world on June 29th. A healthy, baby boy with a load of black hair and deep brown eyes. It was an instant love affair. It's been twenty some years since I have fed, changed or rocked anything that little. Watch...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Holidays/Christmas/Story~401339.aspx12/6/2007 5:16:20 PMConnie Massa It's a memory that still haunts me. It was Christmas morning 1996. As usual, the kids woke up early filled with excitement. They tumbled down the stairwell and raced to the tree. Sure enough, Old Saint Nick had stopped by our house sometime during the night. Underneath the tree was a cach...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastleRock/Stories/Archive/Holidays/Christmas/Story~404166.aspx12/14/2007 8:42:23 AMConnie Massa I've been thinking hard about what my New Year's resolutions are going to be this year. I could take the standard route and go with losing a couple pounds, exercising or eating healthier, but let's face it, who actually follows through with those? Setting myself up to fail seems absurd. I'm f...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Holidays/New-Years-Day/Story~406527.aspx12/20/2007 9:08:04 AMConnie Massa It's only officially been winter for six days and already Old Man Winter is busting our chops. I don't know if any of you have noticed, but when the forecast calls for snow accumulation, we typically get double the amount. I learned this little known fact the hard way when we moved from Auror...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Home-Garden/Story~408435.aspx12/27/2007 4:51:49 PMConnie Massa With all the recent snowfall in the mountains it's no wonder why folks are clamoring to get up there and strap on those skis for a day of excitement. There's nothing like the cold, crisp air caressing your face as you're snaking your way down a 10,000-foot mountain. It's the next best thing t...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Health-Fitness/Outdoors/Story~410817.aspx1/3/2008 4:43:45 PMConnie Massa At 49 years old, I have finally attained guiltless"food freedom". I don't care anymore what people think about what I digest. I'm referring to all those self-proclaimed food critics that make it their mission to convince me to eat things I don't like. After all, you won't know if you like it unle...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Health-Fitness/Diet/Story~413458.aspx1/10/2008 12:01:37 PMConnie Massa I'm an avid birdwatcher and the first sign of cold weather starts the wheels in motion. I dig out the bird feeders and suet cages that I stored away the previous spring, fill them up and hang them on the fence in my backyard. I then sit back and watch the show. Within minutes of filling t...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Sports/Story~416457.aspx1/17/2008 1:30:21 PMConnie Massa It has been only three months since the last delivery. The ones I had were still in perfect condition. Still, to my dismay, there lay the latest copies of the yellow pages on my front porch. I can't answer for the rest of you, but I got about six copies of the yellow pages last year. I was be...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Home-Garden/Story~422765.aspx1/31/2008 4:10:25 PMConnie Massa Psstt...hey buddy. Yeah, you. I know that deer in the headlight look about you. I see it every year around this time. You know, that feeling of dread knowing that Valentine's Day is almost here and mentally you can't get past the Whitman's Samplers at the grocery. You don't dare buy the s...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Holidays/Valentines-Day/Story~426289.aspx2/7/2008 8:58:10 PMConnie Massa We should all be thanking our lucky stars that the writer's strike is finally over. Personally, I couldn't bear to watch another rerun. I was getting so desperate that I was actually starting to watch shows like Judge Judy and Jerry Springer. I'm ready for some good, quality entertainment. ...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Family-Friends/General-Family-Friends/Story~429333.aspx2/15/2008 9:32:30 AMConnie Massa He's been around since before I can remember. I'm not sure how he came to be or got his name, but he's the best magical icon. Compared to all the others, Peter Cottontail is the most laid back and least demanding. Take Santa Claus, for instance. There's a lot of strict rules in order to get a...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Holidays/Easter/Story~441629.aspx3/13/2008 5:29:27 PMConnie Massa My dear friend, Ray, was diagnosed with brain cancer in October 2007. The prognosis was not good. Even if he responded to treatment, the most he could expect was a few more months, maybe a year. To add insult to injury, the biopsy that was performed caused him to suffer a stroke. I've...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Family-Friends/General-Family-Friends/Story~446562.aspx3/25/2008 1:59:25 PMConnie Massa It's fairly common knowledge that the Great Wall of China and the pyramids at Giza can be seen by astronauts orbiting in the lower atmosphere of space. However, I have learned an astonishing fact that I would like to share. Apparently, NASA detected another manmade structure from space la...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Environment/Lifestyle/Story~450742.aspx4/2/2008 7:06:19 PMConnie Massa Ah, Spring. Love is in the air. The days are getting longer. The mercury in the thermometer is creeping up. The flowers are waking up from a long, cold slumber. As I bask in the beauty of the season, a familiar sound pierces the air. One I know all too well. My heart starts to pound wildl...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Sports/Story~462348.aspx4/27/2008 7:39:48 AMConnie Massa Well, once again it's that time of year to pull out last summer's clothing and see what can be salvaged from the winter hibernation. Like many folks, I put on a few winter pounds, but I'm not a real advocate of exercising. I know it's good for you, but I am admittedly not a fan. I cannot brin...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Tips-Techniques/General-Advice/Story~474528.aspx5/23/2008 3:10:27 PMConnie Massa With the hot weather fast approaching, it's time to start up those lawn sprinklers and coax that brown grass into green. I've noticed around my neighborhood that some folks are more cognizant about their lawn than I am. Their lawns have been lush and green since March. For some unknown re...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Opinion/General-Sound-Off/Story~476738.aspx5/29/2008 4:47:06 PMConnie Massa Father's Day is right around the corner, kids. It's that special day set aside to honor Dad and let him know how much you appreciate him and all he does for you. Planning the perfect Father's Day celebration can be tricky, but I've compiled a list of suggestions for any budget which you might...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Holidays/Holidays/Story~480388.aspx6/5/2008 4:38:13 PMConnie Massa So I'm driving north on Monarch Boulevard from Daniels Gate Drive enjoying the vastness of the open space when I begin to notice a disturbing pattern. The person in front of me is driving about 30 MPH in what is a 45 MPH zone. I notice that she is constantly looking down at her lap as she cro...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Opinion/General-Sound-Off/Story~492759.aspx7/7/2008 9:43:10 AMConnie Massa With summer quickly fading I feel an overwhelming sense of dread knowing that all too soon the sound of lawn mowers will be replaced by snow blowers. If there's one season I hate to say goodbye to it's summer. No more beers on the patio. No more shorts and sleeveless shirts. No more sleeping with...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Pets-and-Animals/Story~519776.aspx9/11/2008 9:12:23 AMConnie Massa I'm turning the big five-o on October 20th. Funny thing is, now that I'm here it doesn't feel so old. Admittedly, I'm experiencing many of the physical changes that one can expect when they turn 50. My hair is turning gray. I'm getting wrinkles on my face and hands. My vision is going. My upp...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Opinion/Humor/Story~533305.aspx10/10/2008 1:58:14 PMConnie Massa If you're a turkey, Thanksgiving can be the most stressful time of year for you. All year long you have been wined and dined out on the free range or a turkey farm, only to have your caretakers viciously turn on you for no reason. The loving hands that have cared for you all these months have...http://denver.yourhub.com/CastlePines/Stories/Archive/Holidays/Holidays/Story~549875.aspx11/19/2008 11:11:15 AMConnie Massa