44 | SEPTEMBER 5 • 2024 

P

icture this: You exit a 
darkened theater, and the 
bright outdoors makes you 
squint until your eyes adjust. That 
is merely one use we find in our 
daily talk of light and 
dark. 
Often these days, 
it is hard to be light-
hearted. However, let 
a smile light up your 
face and you may 
reap benefits. People 
may have an aha! 
moment (a lightbulb moment, if 
you will) and see you as all sweet-
ness and light. It can’t hurt.
Avoid someone who tends 
to be light-fingered. Hopefully, 
he will eventually see the light, 
and reform and incarceration will 
remain light years away. 
Are you as lucky as I? I married 
the light of my life. She has 
encouraged me not to hide my 
light under a barrel.
What a difference a pause 
makes: Note the difference 
between a lighthouse keeper and 
a light, housekeeper.

You may not enjoy a day if, at 
first light, you are engulfed by dark 
thoughts. Assess your optimism: 
Remember that it is often darkest 
before the dawn and every dark 
cloud has a silver lining.
I prefer being kept in the dark 
about the dark web; the less I try 
to understand the computer world, 
the less confused I am. Want to 
know a deep, dark secret? Each 
time I am preparing a column, 
I am taking a shot in the dark 
trying to recall what keys do what. 
Meanwhile, I keep whistling in the 
dark.
Election times make us wonder 
if we dare to back the dark 
horse. Being educated about the 
platform of a candidate is better 
than voting for the tall, dark, 
handsome one.
I would bever threaten 
someone with, “Never darken my 
door again.” I am too much of a 
lightweight to carry it off.
And now I have written another 
puff piece; it was light as a 
feather. 

JUST FOR FUN

Sy Manello
Editorial 
Assistant

Word Triplets

The triplet is a set of three words that are linked by a 
common fourth word. You need to find the fourth word.

1. 
ELEPHANT, HOUSE, SNOW _____

2. 
BOARD, HOLE, JACK _____

3. 
DOUBLE, ROAD, STITCH ____

4. 
MAKER, TENNIS, STICK _____

5. 
DUNE, MAN, PAPER _________

See next week’s issue for answers. For last 
week’s puzzle answers, see page 41.

Lighten 
Up!

DOG OF THE WEEK

M

eet a real sweetie: Tito!
Tito is a male Wheaton/Poodle mix, neutered, 
about 2 years old with a soft coat with minimal 
shedding. He weighs about 25 lbs. He does lots of 
roughhousing with his foster mom, and he absolutely loves to 
play with doggies! 
He would carry a stuffed animal around all day if he could, 
unless he could find a bully stick, too. He’s affectionate 
and wants to be with his foster mama day and night. With 
patience and training, he will be a great addition to a family.
 Complete an adoption application to meet Tito, who is 
based out of West Bloomfield, at almosthomeanimals.org.

