FEATURES
6A
Hoarding hubby irks wife
Dear Annie: My husband is
a good, dependable man, but he
is a terrible hoarder. A number of
years ago, we agreed on separate
bedrooms, so he could be messy
in private. When we bought our
current home, it came with a
garage and he was in seventh
heaven. All of his “treasures,”
including things that had been in
boxes for decades, would have a
home. He would have the garage
to himself, as well as the huge
workroom in the basement. In
return, I got the master bedroom,
and the third bedroom would be
for our books and household iles.
Well, Annie, my book room
is now a constant stash place for
transient items and the down-
stairs workroom looks like an
explosion went off. The garage
is illed to the hilt with his stuff.
I have one small shelf with gar-
dening materials that I strug-
gle to reach over all of the
accumulation.
He never throws anything
out, for fear he “might need it.”
This includes mail going back
weeks, which he leaves on the
dining room table until the stack
topples over. Then I put the stack
in a shopping bag and stash it
beside his computer. Where it
Annie’s
Mailbox
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
Kathy
Mitchell and
Marcy Sugar
stays for decades.
But the latest drama has me
really irked. A few years ago,
he bought a beautiful, expen-
sive mattress, but claimed it
made him sore. So he started
buying one cheap air mattress
after another. The original mat-
tress ended up in my book room,
so now I can’t even reach the
household iles. He wants to
put it in my bedroom, claiming
I have two bedrooms to his one.
Am I being too inlexible and
strict? I can’t stand clutter, and
I feel he is constantly encroach-
ing. Every time I manage to cre-
ate an empty shelf, he ills it.
How can I make this better?
— Drowning in Stuff
Dear Drowning: Your hus-
band will continue to encroach
on any available space. He
can’t help himself. You’ve been
exceedingly tolerant, but every-
one has limits. Please contact
the International OCD Foun-
dation (iocdf.org) for informa-
tion on hoarding and how to
help your husband. You can start
by respectfully asking whether
he will allow you to dispose of
the mattress, since he will not
be using it again and it is taking
up a lot of space. Under no cir-
cumstances should you let it be
stored in your bedroom.
Dear Annie: Your response to
“Fearful” should have included
advice to see her ophthalmolo-
gist for an eye exam. Her poor
night vision may be due to devel-
oping cataracts, a common prob-
lem in older persons. Interocu-
lar lens replacements is a very
short, safe procedure performed
under local anesthesia. My sur-
gery is scheduled, and I’m look-
ing forward to once again driv-
ing at night. — Montana
Dear Montana: Several
readers suggested that “Fear-
ful” might enjoy driving at night
once she has cataract surgery,
if that should turn out to be the
problem. It’s a great suggestion,
although she may have other rea-
sons for not driving at night that
are unconnected to her vision.
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016
Tomorrow’s horoscope
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Boundaries
are set for so many reasons — property,
communication, fear, etc. There doesn’t al-
ways need to be a reason to draw a line,
and yet there is one now.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Your job will
continue to be difficult if you don’t ask for
help. So ask for help. Many capable people
surround you, all of whom are looking for-
ward to being able to support you in some
way.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Maybe “tree
hugger” is a hippy stereotype, but there
is real logic to wanting to wrap your arms
around nature. The natural world connects
people in a way that nothing else can. Get
into it.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). It is good to
be able to represent to yourself and others
that you are not afraid, that you will make
a difference and that you are completely
able to stand up for your beliefs.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). The one who
challenges you isn’t sure about your
strength, but he or she will be soon. These
are the kinds of tests that bring about your
finest moments of personal fortitude.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). The idea
that “everything” could hinge on one thing
is usually an overstatement. But today it
rings true in some way. Your “everything”
— that is, however you feel about yourself
— becomes magnified. Take an inventory
of your best attributes.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). The thing
about it is that you don’t know what you’ve
got till it’s gone. That is the way it goes in
the song, and the way it goes in real life,
too — for the clueless ones. Not you.
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
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You like to
learn — need to, even — and learn you
do. Today will bring you the entire scope of
the lesson up front so that you can decide
what to do with the fallout of this.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). A dif-
ference of views will occur — strengths
and weaknesses will be pointed out. It’s
nothing that you don’t know already; this
is an ongoing argument. But past today it
won’t go on much longer.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). The
one who respects you has good reason.
Now what do you think that reason might
be? Investigate it. You’re great. Why don’t
you know this about yourself already?
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Your
friend has been calling you, and you have
been less available than usual. Circum-
stances — that’s the long and short of it.
But all of those situations will clear up very
nearly.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). What is to
be said for a person who can’t deliver what
you want? You can only have respect for
the intention if it’s followed up by action.
Yours will be the first and the last move, so
think it through very carefully.
TUESDAY’S BIRTHDAY (June 14).
Family celebrates you, and an adventure
with your kin will kick off this solar return.
Next month produces an idea to run with.
There will be two cash-out points, one in
August and one at the end of September.
Reinvest. It’s worth your time and the best
of your attention. November and February
show you richer. Aries and Pisces adore
you. Your lucky numbers are: 4, 40, 33, 39
and 14.