Qudad is an ancient lime waterproofing plaster that has been used for several millennia in the Arabian Peninsula. In Yemen, where it most likely originated, it is found on religious and secular buildings and archaeological sites. Because of its elaborate and labor-intensive application (it takes a full year to set properly), this strong, resistant material has barely been in use for the past 30 years. As a consequence, very few masons know how to...

While her house undergoes repairs, fiercely independent senior Helen temporarily moves into a nearby retirement community. Once behind the doors of Pine Grove Senior Community, she encounters lusty widows, cutthroat bridge tournaments and a hotbed of bullying 'mean girls' the likes of which she hasn't encountered since high school, all of which leaves her yearning for the solitude of home. But somewhere between flower arranging and water aerobics...