FEATURES
6A
Tomorrow’s horoscope
Ready to move mother out
Dear Annie: My mother has
always been a strong presence in my
life. Growing up, I couldn’t do any-
thing right. She took things away
from me and redid them, or stood over
me and directed.
Three years ago, my husband sug-
gested we move my parents in with
us because their neighborhood had
become drug and gang infested and
we feared for their safety. Dad has
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, which
have greatly slowed his movements,
but he is still able to feed, bathe and
dress himself. However, living with
my mom is a nightmare. She pokes
her head into our bedroom many
times a day and stands over me in
the kitchen, often getting between me
and whatever I’m doing. I have tried
talking to her about it, but it doesn’t
help.
We recently bought a house in
another city. I would love to get my
parents set up in their own place now,
but Mom has repeatedly said she can’t
take care of my father by herself. I feel
so trapped and guilty. What do I do?
— Wilting in the South
Dear Wilting: There are ways to
help your mother care for Dad with-
out sacriicing your happiness and
independence. Look into assisted-liv-
ing facilities close enough for you to
visit often. Check out home health
Annie’s
Mailbox
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
Kathy Mitchell
and
Marcy Sugar
care options, including the Visiting
Nurse Association (vnaa.org). Call
the Eldercare Locator (eldercare.gov)
at 1-800-677-1116 and ask for help.
Mom may not like it, but you have to
take care of your mental health.
Dear Annie: I would be grateful if
you pass along to your readers some
helpful hints when leaving a voice-
mail message, especially on a cell-
phone. I’m a Realtor and receive sev-
eral such messages every day. Many
people leave long, rambling messages
and then say their phone number so
quickly I can’t get it the irst time. I
then have to go back and listen to the
whole message again. Please tell your
readers when leaving a voicemail to
keep it short, say your phone number
slowly and then repeat the number. It
would be greatly appreciated by those
of us who rely on our cellphones for
a living. — Realtor in Orange Park,
Florida
Dear Realtor: This goes for any
voicemail, whether cellphone or land-
line answering machine. Sometimes
the connection is scratchy. Repeating
the number slowly would help. Please,
readers, keep this in mind. It could
explain why some of your phone mes-
sages haven’t been returned.
Dear Annie: Thank you for the
support you’ve shown in regard to
organ, tissue and eye donation.
The laws about organ donation
vary from state to state, but in many
states, a person’s documented dona-
tion wish now takes priority over the
family’s preference. It works sim-
ilarly to a legal will — if your wish
to become an organ and tissue donor
is legally documented, your family
cannot change it. However, it is still
important to share your wishes with
your family so they are not surprised.
Their cooperation and support make
the process go much more smoothly.
To ind out how to sign up as
an organ and tissue donor in your
state, please visit Donate Life Amer-
ica (www.donatelife.net). Readers
in Canada should contact their local
organ recovery organization to learn
how to sign up in their province.
On behalf of the more than 100,000
Americans awaiting a lifesaving
organ transplant, thank you. — Jenni-
fer Tislerics, Gift of Life Michigan
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2016
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). You’ll need
one or two more assessments of the situ-
ation before you can properly relax. So dive
in, make your notes, surmise the outcome
and then put the whole thing to rest so you
can finally have some fun.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). “No help
whatsoever,” “more trouble than it’s worth,”
“diminishing returns”: These phrases being
bandied about don’t reflect your feelings at
all. You see potential where others see only
risk and loss. You’ll prove them wrong.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You are
fair-minded and interested in the opinions
of others. You’ll go to extra lengths to make
sure everyone who wants to chime in on
a subject has the opportunity to be heard.
Don’t forget to add your own voice to the
mix.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). The money
that makes your life easier is the kind you
earn fair and square, free and clear. Then
there’s money that makes your life harder:
It’s borrowed or given with strings attached.
Avoid that kind now.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Don’t let things
get boring. Reversals will delight you, espe-
cially those pertaining to familial roles. You’ll
find charm in the way children act like adults
and adults play like children.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). What you
once struggled with is now so effortlessly
accomplished you hardly remember you’re
doing it. Details you got hung up on don’t
matter to you anymore — all signs that
you’re on to bigger and better things.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). If you’re going
someplace that no one has gone before,
you’re going to have to clear your own road.
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
This is only worth it if the destination is a
place your soul feels called to find.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You don’t
have to know much about gravity to follow
its rules. The compliance of everything
around is a perk that comes with being a
force of nature. Guess what? You’re a force
of nature, too.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Try not
to get too caught up in the long-term impli-
cation of a decision. Focus on whether or
not it feels, in this moment, like the highest
and best for you and everyone involved.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). That little
pot of trouble brewing on the back burner
needs some attention. If you ignore it, it’s
sure to boil over. If you stir it, you’ll only be
stuck doing that the whole time it cooks.
Turn off the heat. It’s the only way.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Your “live
and let live” policy usually serves you well,
but not today. Bottom line: If you don’t speak
up in today’s situation the other will assume
you’re a passive bystander.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You may
jump toward the sun, but you are not trying
to land there or anything. It’s just that having
brilliant goals makes getting off the ground
a lot more fun.
FRIDAY’S BIRTHDAY (May 6). You’ve
been so kind to the people around you, and
the warm social atmosphere you’ve built will
be a source of pleasure and comfort this
year. The next 10 weeks are for finishing a
big project. The reward will come in August.
September will bring a financial upturn. Trav-
eling to see more beauty will be well worth
the expense. Leo and Libra adore you. Your
lucky numbers are: 10, 30, 16, 2 and 29.