I miss the stuffed bagels. And we say "I miss North Bakery" to each other at least every other month.

Go to your local library in Massachusetts and ask them for help. They will contact Providence Public Library and pass on the information and relevant dates. PPL will scan the article and send it to your library and they will pass it on to you. If your library is not able to do this for you, contact PPL directly at info@provlib.org and politely ask for help. Include as much information you have about the article you are looking for. Libraries prefer working with other librarians, so definitely try your local library first.

We met with our tax guy yesterday and he said we could expect the check in 5-6 weeks. If you filed in February, the turnaround was 5 days.

I don't know what we're going to do when he retires. I love how much my tax guy loves doing taxes.

We took our dog to the Rumford Pets in Cumberland on a whim this past Saturday. There were at least 30 dogs there, half puppies, all looking for homes. We stumbled upon an adoption event. It happens every last Saturday of the month there and it's sponsored by Rhode Home Rescue. I'm sure there are more events through out the state, check out Rumford Pet's website or social media pages.

Depending on your mom's age, check out the senior center if there are any activities going on that she would be interested in, ditto the libraries in the town. You can always get some books, puzzles, games and movies to check out and take home.

Make a reservation for afternoon tea at Val's English Tea and Pie shop.

Take a hike/walk on an unseasonably warm winter afternoon.

Go antiquing at Stillwater Antiques or keep driving up 44 and check out the many antique shops in Chepachet Village.

Any place that sells "fresh baked" pies does not make the pies. They buy frozen pie from Sysco or the like and bake it on property. If that's your thing, any supermarket pie will do. But if you want something else, Pastiche or Wright's Dairy Farm have it. I think Pastiche offers a Dutch apple pie, which has a crumble instead of a top crust. Great for a la mode.

I don't know about making friends at restaurants on a Friday night. Isn't the crowd usually families, couples or established friends at restaurants on a Friday night? You might have better luck with the Reddit Beer Club meet up. It's tonight at Moniker Brewery and if it's a bust, cross the street, sit at the bar at Slow Rhode and have a fantastic dinner. I've never been to the beer club meet up, but from the pictures, the crowd might be just what you're looking for.

Mill's Tavern, CAV, Al Forno will all have the delicious and special food you are looking for with exceptional service.

Persimmon has wonderful food, but the menu isn't set up for a "Course 1, Course 2" type dinner. It's more small plates and you order 6 or 7 between 2 people.

Lobster Bisque is not my favorite, but if you go by my husband's reviews, CAV has the best lobster bisque in the state.

I had my 21st birthday on the Hill in 200?. I saw Buddy, had my first Martini, and then proceeded to walk in the fountain. No body cared because nobody was there. It was a Friday night in August. The square was empty and the only sound was the bubbling water. Maybe it was midnight. Maybe.

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Yesterday, at around 11am, I'm making the rounds for a dinner party I'm preparing. Pastiche, Venda, Gasbarro's, Roma, Scialo Bros. Bakery. I parked over by Pastiche because the tart needs to be the last thing I pick up since it can't sit in the car while I finish running errands. Trying to walk from Pastiche to Venda, through DePasquale Square was a minefield. There were no "dining al fresco" people at 11am. The waiters from the restaurants were slinging plastic chairs everywhere and one almost hit me as I walked by. There's no clear path through the square. I was bobbing and weaving through a maze of planters and unoccupied tables. Why isn't there a path through the middle? These restaurants survived just fine 20 years ago without expanding their table tops by 100% with out dining. La Dolce Vita always had outdoor dining, but it never expanded to what it is now. It's a little ridiculous.

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I can understand setting aside space for performances and concerts, but to relinquish all of the public park space to private businesses does not make sense. If I was in a wheelchair, I don't think I could have gotten through the park at all.