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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (April 30, 2015)
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015 FEATURES 5A Former in-law wants money Tomorrow’s horoscope By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc. Dear Annie: My son’s marriage broke up after 10 years. Twice they attended counseling because his wife wanted to see other men. The third time, she was actually dating another guy. He and “Mandy” share custody of their three children. Mandy had a troubled upbring- ing. Her mother neglected her, and she ended up in state care. At 18, she lived with a cousin in exchange for baby-sitting. This only worked until the cousin discovered Mandy was sleeping with her husband. Mandy has a college degree, which she obtained while married to my son, but even while he paid ali- mony, along with her rent and util- ities, she never made any effort to ¿QGZRUN6KHWKHQWRRNWKHPRQH\ she received from my son’s retire- ment account and moved to another state to live near some guy she met on the Internet, leaving the kids with their father. The children were dev- astated. My son now works 12-hour days while his current girlfriend (a saint) watches the children. Mandy is now emailing our rela- tives, claiming my son beat her and the girlfriend is beating the children. 6KH VD\V VKH LV EURNH DQG VXLFLGDO KDVDXWLVPDQG376'DQGFDQQRWOLYH a decent life. If that’s true, however, she would be eligible for disability Annie’s Mailbox Creators Syndicate Inc. Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar EHQH¿WVEXWVKHUHIXVHVWRDSSO\RU seek counseling. Mandy drinks and smokes pot and obviously has some mental KHDOWK LVVXHV 6KH WKUHDWHQV WR VXH for sole custody so my son will have WR SD\ KHU FKLOG VXSSRUW 6KH KDV alienated her entire family and most RIKHUIULHQGV6KHKDVQRRQHRWKHU than the current boyfriend, who lives with his mother and has no job. 6KRXOG ZH VHQG KHU PRQH\" +RZ GR ZH SURWHFW RXU VRQ" ² Worried Mom Dear Worried: Your son needs to document every instance of Mandy’s erratic behavior and keep copies of her harassing emails in case she fol- ORZVWKURXJKZLWKKHUWKUHDWV'RQRW send her money as a consequence of her blackmailing efforts. It will only reward her negative behavior and ramp up the demands. Instead, if you choose to do so, you could offer to pay for therapy sessions (sending the money directly to the therapist after verifying credentials). This would be IRUWKHEHQH¿WRI\RXUJUDQGFKLOGUHQ who need their mother to be stable and loving. Dear Annie: I disagree with your advice to “Too Many Grandmas,” whose mother doesn’t want her H[KXVEDQG¶V ¿DQFHH ³.LWW\´ WR EH FDOOHG³*UDQGPD.LWW\´ While bitterness and a grudge may play a part, the bigger issue is WKDW³.LWW\´GLGQRWJLYHELUWKWRRU raise these children. It is inappropri- ate to give her the title of “Grand- ma.” To do so is a discredit to the biological grandmas. Grandma Edna should not be ex- pected to share the honor of the title ZLWKKHUH[KXVEDQG¶V¿DQFHHEHFDXVH LWLVKXUWIXOWRKHU7KH\FDQ¿QGDQRWK- er term that shows respect but doesn’t take away from those who have earned WKHWLWOH²Rapid City, S.D. Dear Rapid City: It is counter- productive to put so much emotional ZHLJKWRQDWLWOH.LWW\KDVNQRZQWKH granddaughter just as long as Edna has. The girl loves both of these wom- en and shouldn’t be stuck listening to *UDQGPD(GQDFU\RYHU.LWW\,I³7RR Many” chooses to have her daughter FDOO.LWW\VRPHWKLQJHOVHWKDW¶VXSWR her. It’s not up to Edna. FRANK AND ERNEST BLONDIE THATABABY SALLY FORTH STONE SOUP B.C. LOLA DILBERT SIX CHIX BIZARRO MUTTS NON SEQUITUR BABY BLUES WIZARD OF ID ZITS ROSE IS ROSE ARIES (March 21-April 19). Everyone is different. Even twins have different likes, strengths, qualities and destinies. Your ef- forts to see people as they are and not as you believe or want them to be will be rewarded with a truer bond. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Your eyes are as wide open as your heart today. Random observances will move you in unexpected ways. With whom will you share your observations? Choose your audience carefully. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). If you stopped believing in it, would it go away? If not, it’s called reality. This litmus test might help you determine which problems are re- ally worth taking on today. CANCER (June 22-July 22). If you don’t feel brave enough to slay the dragon to- day, put your armor on anyway and start walking, sword extended. Pretending to be courageous is quite often just as good as the real thing. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Problems bring about inventions. If there were no prob- lems, there would be no progress. You’ll love the funny little problem that comes this afternoon, mostly because it inspires your creative solution. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Your in- herent truth-detector is turned on. When someone’s body language and words do not match, you’ll wisely believe the body language and react accordingly. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). What you think is a mess in your life, another person envies. Sharing keeps things in perspec- tive. Tonight, take credit for what you come up with, or someone else will. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You want to say “no,” but you don’t know how. Keep it brief — that’s the secret. They’ll ask for an explanation, but you don’t owe that. You have a right to your decisions and mysteries. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). When you’re not happy, the more sensitive peo- ple in your life can really feel it. The not so sensitive people feel it, too, though more subconsciously. You happy equals every- one happier. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Con- gestion isn’t just a traffic situation. A Sagit- tarius or Pisces is the perfect friend to help you open up your mental windows and let the air through for some psychic cleansing. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). The idea that’s left on the table wasn’t left there be- cause it was bad. It was left there because no one else at the table knew what to do with it. “From a fallen tree, all make kin- dling.” — Spanish proverb PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Take a chance tonight. If you win, great. If you lose and lose with grace, it’s even better. That will spark your creativity. Inspired folly con- nects us to our humanity. SATURDAY’S BIRTHDAY (May 1). This year will give you bragging rights. Take your camera along for the play-by-play. In the next six weeks, there will be a reunion. You’ll improve some aspects of your en- vironment either to prepare for the event or as a result of the event. Your expertise puts you in the spotlight in July. September brings a financial bonus. Gemini and Virgo people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 1, 14, 33, 49 and 16.
