FEATURES
6A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2015
Bio dad wants back in son’s life Tomorrow’s horoscope
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
Dear Annie: I was divorced in
1972 and was given custody of our
2-year-old son. As much as I didn’t
want the divorce, my husband was an
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realized it was the only way to pro-
tect my son. My ex did not use his
visitation rights and never paid child
support.
I remarried when my son was 4.
My new husband wanted to adopt
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linquish his rights. When my son was
6, my ex called early in the morning
(drunk) and said adoption was OK.
When our son turned 10, my ex
called wanting to see him. I refused,
saying it would be too disruptive to
his life.
When my son was 18, I asked
whether he wanted to know anything
about his biological father, but he de-
clined. I asked him again at 21, say-
ing that people can change and that
he should be prepared for the day
when his bio dad shows up on his
doorstep. He didn’t care.
Our son is now 45, and my ex
recently called wanting to have our
son’s contact information. Instead, I
gave our son his biological father’s
contact information. He had no inter-
est and tossed it away. He considers
my husband to be his father.
To appease my ex (and hopefully
Annie’s
Mailbox
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
Kathy Mitchell
and
Marcy Sugar
stop him from trying to track our son
down), I told him I would send him
general information about our son’s
life, along with a few pictures. But
now I’m having second thoughts, be-
cause I know neither my husband nor
our son would approve. I have done
nothing so far and am stressed about
the situation. I would appreciate your
opinion. — Second Thoughts
Dear Second: If your ex want-
ed to track down your son, he could
probably do so without any appease-
ment from you, but we understand
why you are willing to indulge him
with photos and information. None-
theless, you should not have made
such a promise without consulting
your son. It is his decision, so talk to
him. Explain that you don’t expect
him to want a relationship with his
biological father, nor does he owe
him any information. But it would
be a kindness to give the man some
peace of mind after all these years.
Whatever decision your son makes,
please abide by it.
Dear Annie: I’m in a similar sit-
uation to “Not Jealous, Just Hurt,”
whose husband’s ex-wife turned up
at all the family funerals.
I’ve been married for 25 years and
my husband’s mother and daughter
think it’s perfectly OK for his ex-
wife to be included in family gath-
erings. His mother visits with his ex-
wife now and then, and the woman is
also welcome in her home. None of
them, including my husband, seems
to care how I feel about the situation.
I don’t feel welcome. I’m ready to
call it quits. — Hurt as Well
Dear Hurt: Your husband has
a daughter with his ex-wife. That
means his daughter will want her
mother at all family gatherings. It
means your mother-in-law will invite
the ex because her granddaughter
wants her there. It means your hus-
band will tolerate this for his daugh-
ter’s sake. You don’t have to like this
situation, but after 25 years, we are
surprised you haven’t found a way to
deal with it. Unless your husband is
actively interested in his ex, this sit-
uation should not be so threatening.
Please talk to an unbiased third par-
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with.
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). There are
some paths you step onto that feel so right,
you suspect they are unavoidable. Predes-
tined. The wind carries you chariot style
and simultaneously rushes in your face.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). There are
people out there who could potentially
resonate with you, like you, love you -- if
they could only get to you. Put yourself in
the public eye in a bigger way.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Investigate
the options -- there are so many different
ways to accomplish your goal. You will
be so much more productive than you
thought you could be once you find the
right system.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Because
you live inside your mind, you don’t real-
ize how special it really is. That’s why you
need people around you like that Pisces
and that Capricorn you know who remind
you who you are.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You respect
your deadlines. Not only that, but you
appreciate how the limit pushes and con-
centrates your talents. Today you’ll deliver
a powerful presentation and do it on time.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Just be-
cause you enjoy it doesn’t mean it’s not
work. You’ll sweat and toil and smile. To be
tired at the end of a day of enjoyment feels
so much better than the kind of exhaus-
tion that comes from a joyless day.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Today’s real-
ization will come like a wakeup call in a
five-star hotel: polite and effective. You’ll
get up and do things differently than you
did when you were “asleep.”
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Your cha-
risma is turned up, and most people can’t
help but say yes to even your craziest
ideas. That means it will be important to
keep “no” people around you to keep you
grounded and reasonable.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). The
secret to happiness is simple today. At
work, work. When not at work, enjoy your
family or have fun doing your own thing
-- as long as it’s not working!
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Some
of the fun will have to do with a live perfor-
mance. If you’re not up to it, make yourself
go anyway. Everything will be vivid and
memorable in person, so don’t cheat your-
self by staying in with the remote.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Judg-
ing by certain comments that are aimed
at you, it might be hard to tell that family
members are actually on your side. The
only way to get past this gracefully is to
take the high road.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Pay back
old debt, or give back by teaching an in-
tern or mentoring a lower-level employee.
Your best wins come when you are mere-
ly showing others how to be successful.
THURSDAY’S BIRTHDAY (Aug. 13).
There’s wild fun at first, but in the weeks
to come, this solar return also brings
lessons in patience, compassion and
kindness. Relationships will grow in ten-
derness through the end of the year. Your
whimsical idea in September will be a
moneymaker. Family members will help
one another reach success -- you taught
them this. Cancer and Aquarius people
adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 5, 50,
14, 39 and 48.