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
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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.
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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
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seek counseling.
Mandy drinks and smokes pot
and obviously has some mental
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for sole custody so my son will have
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alienated her entire family and most
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than the current boyfriend, who lives
with his mother and has no job.
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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-
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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
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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
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While bitterness and a grudge
may play a part, the bigger issue is
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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
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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
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granddaughter just as long as Edna
has. The girl loves both of these wom-
en and shouldn’t be stuck listening to
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Many” chooses to have her daughter
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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.