THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2015
FEATURES
Daughter tired of taking care
Dear Annie: I have been
taking care of my mother since
I was 17 and she was disabled
from a car accident and unable to
work. I am now 47, and Mom is
72. Her health is getting worse,
so my husband and I recently
moved her in with us. My hus-
band and I both work full time.
I have caregivers who come in
during the day when we are at
work, and we take care of her at
night.
Annie, I’m so tired. My hus-
band and I can’t go anywhere
overnight. Our sex life has gone
downhill, because we are both
so exhausted. Mom has become
mean and combative, which
makes our lives miserable. She
doesn’t sleep much at night,
which means neither do I. There
are no other family members
around to help.
, KDYH WULHG WR ¿QG D VNLOOHG
nursing facility or other assist-
ed living place, but am having
DKDUGWLPH¿QGLQJRQHWKDWVKH
can afford. I want her some-
where safe, but I also want my
life back. I know this sounds
awful of me. Any suggestions
would be helpful. — Drained
and Frustrated
Dear Drained: Being a full-
baby shower, which I attended,
and I gave her a nice gift. Again,
no thank-you note.
Susie is getting married for
Creators
the second time and I am invit-
Syndicate Inc.
ed to the wedding. I have no de-
sire to give her yet another gift
Kathy Mitchell
that will be completely ignored
and
and unappreciated. What do you
Marcy Sugar
say? Do I have to give her some-
thing? — Thank-You’s Still Ap-
time caregiver is a tiring job, preciated
Dear Thank-You’s: If you
and you’ve been at it for most of
your life. It is perfectly natural attend the wedding, you are un-
that you are exhausted and ready der an obligation to give a gift,
WR¿QGDQRWKHUSODFHIRU0RPWR although it doesn’t need to be
DV JHQHURXV DV WKH ¿UVW RQH ,I
live.
Most nursing homes will you do not receive any thank-
accept Medicare when Mom’s you note in three to six months,
money runs out. Please call the it is perfectly OK to call Susie
Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677- and ask whether the gift was re-
1116 for information about the ceived. You’d be surprised how
available resources in your area. often such things are lost or mis-
%XW¿UVWDVNDERXWUHVRXUFHVIRU placed, especially when the gifts
respite care for yourself. You de- are brought to the wedding in-
stead of sent to the bride’s home.
serve it.
Dear Annie: A good friend of This includes cards with money
mine has a very rude daughter. inside. And thank-you notes can
“Susie” got married two years also go astray.
Of course, if Susie did receive
ago and I attended the ceremo-
ny and gave her a monetary gift. the gift and is simply too rude to
She never thanked me. Within have sent an acknowledgment of
months, Susie dumped the hus- any kind, she deserves to squirm
band and immediately got preg- a little when you ask her about
nant by another man. She had a it.
Annie’s
Mailbox
5A
Tomorrow’s horoscope
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). You need to
relax, but not completely. Right now one eye
needs to stay wide-awake, focused on your
next move. Otherwise, you’ll miss a rather
rare opportunity.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). If you have
many hobbies it’s easier to find ways of dis-
tracting yourself from negativity. That’s why,
even though there is little negativity in this
day, it’s still a fine time for cultivating new
hobbies.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You need a
bigger team. This is the bottom line, the top
line, and everything in between today. Get
more people. You support so many! You de-
serve your own cheering section, too.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Your fanta-
sy life is rich now, but instead of planning
your escape to a paradise island, use the
augmented powers of imagination that are
currently available to you to see some magic
and wonder in your current scene.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). There’s something
you used to love, follow or ritualize that no
longer seems to have a natural place in your
life. It happens. You’re different, it’s different
— things change. This is a good day for
moving on.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Your mind will
drift to things you said and did long ago.
For better or worse, these things cannot
be changed. When a loved one needs you
in the moment, you’ll snap right back to the
now.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Venture out
alone and you’ll succeed. Listen up and
you’ll hear the powerful and knowing voice
of your own instinct. There’s another voice
around you now, as misguided as it is prolif-
FRANK AND ERNEST
BLONDIE
THATABABY
SALLY FORTH
PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN
B.C.
LOLA
DILBERT
SIX CHIX
BIZARRO
MUTTS
NON SEQUITUR
BABY BLUES
WIZARD OF ID
ZITS
ROSE IS ROSE
ic. Block that one out.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You’ll get
more than one chance to make a deal,
though you should know that it is more favor-
able to act on the first one. Fresh enthusiasm
will create momentum.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Rela-
tionships are your gold. You’re like an artist
creating a masterpiece of personal connec-
tion. Tonight, new ideas will pop over your
head like bubbles in a glass of champagne.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). In those
moments when you feel lost, try to remem-
ber that even the most confident people are
not certain all of the time. Pause for a breath.
It won’t be long before you realize that you
know more than you thought.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You expect
something else from life than others are
hoping for — nothing better, just different.
Regardless of these differences, your inter-
ests will coincide nicely with the interests of
those around you.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Only time
will tell whether today’s move will bring you
closer to the goal, but it won’t matter. Either
you believed in it or you didn’t. You won’t do
anything until you’re absolutely sure you can
stand behind it.
FRIDAY’S BIRTHDAY (Nov. 6). Inspiration
strikes this month. All you have to do is re-
lax and listen to others with an open mind,
and perfect solutions will come. In Decem-
ber you’ll fulfill someone else’s needs while
trying to fulfill your own. The new year brings
romance and fireworks. You’ll be acknowl-
edged for a professional achievement in
June. Capricorn and Sagittarius adore you.
Your lucky numbers are: 40, 38, 1, 22 and 16.