THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2015
FEATURES
In-laws are poor company
Dear Annie: My mother-in-
law lives an hour away from us.
My husband’s sister, “Dot,” and
her husband, “Jeff,” and their
married children, periodically
come to our house for overnight
stays in order to visit Mom. My
husband often invites Dot and her
family to come for several days
at Christmas. We now are lucky
enough to have a vacation cabin,
and he invited them to stay with
us for two weeks.
When they visit, Dot and Jeff
do not help with meals or do dish-
es. Jeff drinks lots of coffee, but
never offers to make a pot. Dot
means well, but is such a talker
that she easily gets sidetracked on
her way to help at cleanup time.
They do not take us out for a
single meal or offer to order piz-
za. They both speak loudly. Jeff
mostly talks about himself and
Dot can carry on for hours.
My family gathers at a hotel
for the holidays, and we invite
my siblings to the cabin for two
nights each summer. While my
husband welcomes my siblings,
I do not enjoy hosting his side. I
want to show respect for my in-
laws and make my husband hap-
py, but it’s really unpleasant to be
around them. I cannot handle two
in the kitchen,” and “Tonight, it’s
your turn to treat us to dinner —
you get to pick the place.” Assert
yourself, and make sure your hus-
Creators
band is on board. And when the
Syndicate Inc.
conversation becomes too much,
go for a walk. Alone.
Kathy Mitchell
Dear Annie: As a senior citi-
and
zen, I would like to suggest that
Marcy Sugar
stores, including grocery stores,
provide some benches through-
weeks.
out their shopping areas. I could
I told my husband that we shop longer after taking a break.
should discuss these invitations The benches in front, outside the
before they are extended. His re- checkout area, are inconvenient.
tort is that I would never agree to
Also, the scooters offered at
host his sister. Do you have any some stores often have not been
suggestions? — Can’t Do It
fully charged. They are left in
Dear Can’t: All such invi- parking lots, and employees need
tations should be discussed in to bring them in to recharge. Cus-
advance, but then you cannot tomers should plug them in. It
dismiss all requests to host Dot only takes a moment. — Trying
and Jeff. The compromise is the to Be Independent
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Dear Trying: You make a
it more tolerable to host your in- good point that benches at vary-
laws if they stayed for a shorter ing points throughout a store
duration — say, three days or could encourage shoppers to
less. Two weeks is too much, es- spend more money, and owners
pecially for guests who refuse to might consider that an incentive.
help out. Also, set some guide- As for plugging in scooters, that
lines. It is perfectly OK to tell relies on the consideration of
Jeff, “As long as you are having each individual user. The same
coffee, please make a pot for the applies to those who use regular
UHVWRIXV´,W¶VDOVR¿QHWRVD\WR shopping carts and leave them all
either one, “I could use some help over the parking lot.
Annie’s
Mailbox
5A
Tomorrow’s horoscope
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Your current
inner circle is so demanding that you’re
hesitant to make efforts to establish new
friendships. However, the benefits to widen-
ing that circle will be numerous and definite.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Retrospect
makes the good times seem better and
the bad times seem worse. However you’re
thinking about it now, don’t act on those
sentimental feelings you’re having.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You think
you’re not ready, but it’s time, so just do it.
Maybe it’s something to do with your grav-
ity-defying air-sign-ness, but quite often,
when you fail, you fail upward. That will
happen again today.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Yes, what
happens to you is far less important than
what you take from the experience. Then
again, the takeaway has a tendency to get
delayed like mismarked mail. In the mean-
time, talk about what happened.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). While the bene-
fits to working with a crack team are enor-
mous, the best way to earn a place in such
a group is by putting in the kind of solitary
practice and study time that you’ll put in to-
day.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Too much
generosity and agreeableness can actual-
ly work against a relationship. It is possible
to take too much responsibility or give way
more than the other person, thus stunting
the relationship. Lopsided wheels don’t roll.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). The need for
balance and justice will once again compel
you to make gestures of diplomacy. This
will include defusing a tense situation and/
or helping a group find their common goals.
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
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Learning to
be a leader who can inspire and motivate
others is among the most valuable skills
you can pick up these days. That way, when
you rebel against your own authority, you’ll
know how to handle it.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Recent
changes that your loved one has made
will really take some getting used to. Then
again, others have had to get used to all the
changes you’ve made along the way, too.
This is just a matter of taking turns.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Some
have a loneliness about them that never
seems to abate. Even through smiles, con-
versation and laughter, loneliness remains
the ghosted image over their being.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). The critics
are out today, and they’ll join the trolls un-
der the bridge to add just enough validity
to comments to make for a barbed landing.
But if you never take it personally, you’ll
never get hurt.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You might
notice that you’ve come full circle, and
though it comes with a twinge of mixed
emotion, you can take heart that it’s not the
end of the journey. That’s the thing about
circles.
FRIDAY’S BIRTHDAY (Oct. 2). You’re
becoming like the person you admired way
back. Starting in January, the road to suc-
cess might jiggle your bones and rattle your
teeth, but that won’t stop you from arriving
in March, road-weary and yet victorious, at
success’s gate. Push through and accept
the destiny that has always been yours.
Virgo and Scorpio people adore you. Your
lucky numbers are: 7, 14, 38, 21 and 9.