THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2015
FEATURES
Tomorrow’s horoscope
Help for hoarding daughter
Dear Annie: Our daughter and
her husband are major hoarders.
They have two teenage children
who have to climb over things to
get into their beds. Every room
has piles of junk. They will not
get rid of anything because “one
day, it may be valuable.” They
never invite anyone into their
home, which is a disaster and in
major disrepair.
We are concerned for their
health, but we’re afraid that if we
challenge them, we will be cut
off. We are also concerned that
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so few clear pathways, that were
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die. How can we approach this
without disastrous results? —
Worried Mother
Dear Mother: These types of
problems are heartbreaking, be-
cause sometimes, there is little
you can do. A great deal of hoard-
ing consists of simply collecting
too much (of anything), having
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and problems with organization.
Many hoarders won’t admit that
anything is amiss.
First, check to see if your area
has a Hoarding Task Force. Then
contact the International OCD
watch your screaming grandkids
all weekend.” (She did.)
Annie, I have been through a
divorce, my mother did live with
Creators
me for a while, and I can only
Syndicate Inc.
pray I get to meet my grandchil-
dren before my numbered days
Kathy Mitchell
are up.
and
Please share this advice with
Marcy Sugar
your readers: If you aren’t sure
what to say to someone in my
Foundation (ocfoundation.org) circumstances, simply say, “I’m
for information. The organization so sorry you have to go through
also provides referrals and sug- all of this.” I don’t need people
gestions for talking to someone trying to convince me that their
with a hoarding problem, stress- lives are worse than mine. I would
ing positive talk about safety, trade places with any of them in
without using judgmental terms a heartbeat. — Dying Too Young
such as “junk” or telling them
Dear Too Young: Your
they live in a “trash heap.” Please friends, like the rest of us, see our
ORRNLQWRLWDQG¿QGRXWKRZ\RX own problems as huge hurdles,
can best approach your daughter but yours puts theirs into perspec-
so she receives the help she needs. tive. Your friends also are trying
Dear Annie: ,¶YH EHHQ ¿JKW- to minimize the seriousness of
ing a terminal illness for close to your situation because that pro-
three years. I never cease to be vides comfort for them, and they
amazed by what some “friends” assume it does for you, as well.
say to me. Sometimes their com- They are mistaken, but they won’t
ments seem so heartless. One know unless you are brave enough
friend said, “Well, least your to tell them. You shouldn’t have
mother isn’t living with you.” to spend your social encounters
(Hers is.) Another told me, “At resenting your friends for these
least you’re not going through a thoughtless comments. Explain
divorce.” (She is.) And the best that you’d rather talk about other
one: “At least you didn’t have to things and tell them why.
Annie’s
Mailbox
5A
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Is it possi-
ble that there is great beauty inside the
mess you’re trying to clean up? Perhaps
you are too focused on what you think
it’s supposed to look like to see the gor-
geousness that’s already there.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Your ques-
tions will be answered through practice.
Repetition is the only way to mastery.
There are no shortcuts. Break down the
action to an easily repeatable size.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Hope for
the best, and don’t fear anything less than
that. Fear of mistakes only creates more
of them. Besides, falling brings opportuni-
ty, too. Getting up after the fall — that’s the
very best time to shine.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). If there
were a prize for “most stamina,” you would
have won it by now. Hold on longer if you
can, because the real prize will be the di-
rect result of outlasting everyone else.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Maintenance
requires thinking ahead. There never
seems to be a good time for it. You have to
make the time. Superior work comes from
sharp tools. Take the time to keep yours
up, and you’ll prevent future delays.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Self-exam-
ination takes courage and confidence. You
have both. Looking into your own heart for
the flaw is not the easiest way, but it’s the
gentlest and least disruptive way.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). When it’s
hard, slow down, but don’t stop. Keep a
determined mindset. There will be power
in your adjustment. People will notice and
hasten to assist you.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You want
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
to win, but winning comes in many forms.
Often, the one with the prize who is taking
a bow in a wash of applause is not the
real winner. There’s something thrilling for
you under the radar.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). How
can reflection make you wise if you don’t
have much to reflect on? Get in there
and make your mistakes. That’s what will
make wisdom accessible to you.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Unlike
monkeys, cats and birds, goats do not feel
the need to constantly preen themselves.
You can relate. You’re in a no-fuss, come-
as-you-are kind of mood, and someone is
falling in love with your confidence.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). By the
time you read this, something will have
already happened to drain a bit of your
willpower. The bottom line: It will be very
challenging for you to get yourself to do
anything you don’t feel like doing.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You wish
you cared about something, or liked it, or
wanted it as much as those around you
seem to. But it’s great that you don’t! It
frees you to find the thing that will really
set your heart sailing.
TUESDAY’S BIRTHDAY (Sept. 22).
You’ll form a more peaceful arrangement
with your inner critic, which results in one
of your most prolific years to date. Your
October interaction with friends will set
a precedent. The end of the year shows
you making big money, and you’ll reinvest
it in January. You’ll travel with a group in
the spring. Capricorn and Taurus people
adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 50,
32, 21, 39 and 45.