FEATURES
6A
Tired of unpleasant woman
Dear Annie: About 30 years ago,
my husband became friends with
“Rob,” who was personable and fun.
However, Rob’s wife, “Doris,” was
unpleasant to be around. In 30 years,
she never had one nice thing to say
about anyone, including me.
Rob became ill and spent months
in a nursing home. Doris often would
phone me and say she wished he
would “just go to sleep.” Three
weeks ago, he inally did. Doris now
calls us several times a week. She
carries on about how wonderful Rob
was and how much she misses him.
She is usually drunk when she calls.
When they married, Rob had
a young daughter from a previous
marriage and Doris had two sons.
There has always been a rift between
the children. Rob’s daughter told me
that when she was a child, Doris was
terribly mean to her and has never
made any effort to create a warmer
relationship.
Recently a walkathon was held
in Rob’s memory. People walked in
teams and the top-10 teams were enti-
tled to a prize at the end. Doris’ son
and grandson were paired with her
stepdaughter’s two children. Their
group left before the prizes were dis-
tributed, so I suggested to Doris that
she choose four prizes for them. She
returned with prizes for her son and
Annie’s
Mailbox
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
Kathy
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grandson, but nothing for the oth-
ers. When I asked why, she said there
were no prizes left. But, Annie, there
were dozens of prizes left. This really
upset me, because it proved what a
spiteful and mean-spirited person she
is.
I told my family about this and
they said it was time to get Doris
out of my life. But we live in a small
community and it will be dificult
to avoid her. My question is, should
I tell her why I’m upset or just stop
answering the phone when she calls?
I have not spoken to her since the
walkathon. — Upset in Texas
Dear Upset: You are not obli-
gated to remain friends with Doris
simply because you have known her
for 30 years. You apparently never
much cared for her. Since you are
planning to end the friendship any-
way, it does no harm to let her know
why. Please don’t be unkind. Simply
tell her that the way she treats other
people, especially Rob’s daughter
and grandchildren, bothers you so
much that you won’t be able to con-
tinue the friendship. Then suggest
that speaking to a therapist might be
life-changing for her. People who
are so negative often have untreated
depression.
Dear Annie: I read the letter from
“Oregon,” who said she was in an
accident during a bicycle race and her
husband had her cellphone and all of
her identiication in his backpack.
My husband and I run half mar-
athons. He’s faster, so we are rarely
together. Here’s what we do: All run-
ners have a bib with their race num-
ber printed on it. On the reverse is
space for your name, medications
and emergency contact info. On my
bib, I write my husband’s name, cell-
phone number and his bib number.
He does the same for me. We also
have ID bracelets that we wear any-
time we’re running, even in our little
subdivision. You never know when
there will be an emergency. — West
Virginia
Dear West Virginia: Thanks for
the great suggestions. Even if you
aren’t in a race, you should have
identiication, including your name,
an emergency contact, any medica-
tions, etc. It pays to be careful.
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2016
Tomorrow’s horoscope
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). It’s your
natural, loving response to point out an in-
cremental sign of progress, or appreciate
someone’s creation. The support you give
others feels so good to you, it’s its own im-
mediate payback.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Many ro-
mantic comedies rely on the story conven-
tion of two characters who can’t stand each
other, except for the fact that they are ac-
tually in love. Well, as you’ll discover today,
sometimes opposites really do attract.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). All you’ve
absorbed has changed your purpose and
being. You’re grateful for the training you’ve
received and you’ll pay it forward in mentor-
ship of others.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). In the cur-
rent group dynamic, yours will be the first
word and the last word, and the words that
everyone remembers. Luckily for everyone,
you’re thoughtful — you don’t take this re-
sponsibility lightly.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You need to influ-
ence the group before your plans will move
forward. One way is to match your idea with
an emotion. And the easiest way to do that
is to turn it into a story and tell it well.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Your focus on
business dealings, sorting out professional
concerns and responding to the needs and
moods of a group will pay off now and then
pay off later too so long as you see each
thing through to completion.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). After the fall,
loosen up, shake it off and wind it up again.
The avant-garde playwright Samuel Beck-
ett called it: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No mat-
ter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”
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). Sometimes
you hear the lie and you let it go, not be-
cause you like being lied to but because the
lie is small and you’re big enough to see
how people get hung up on their defenses.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You
gave your heart freely and it floated like a
bubble capturing all the oily reflections of
color and atmosphere and lightness; then
popped. Don’t let that stop you from giving
freely again. Not every love is so fragile.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Maybe
don’t worry so much about if it’s a good
idea or a bad idea just now. Action is the
important part. When you act, you learn. It’s
not the right advice for every day, but it will
work mighty fine for you today.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Put your
teamwork to the test to find out what the
strengths of it might be. Accomplishment
with the group will be more satisfying and
meaningful than what you accomplish
alone.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Whatever
you’re doing with investments and earn-
ings, this a moment to double down. It will
be the move you smile back on two years
from now.
TUESDAY’S BIRTHDAY (June 21).
You’re not trying to win it all, you’re just try-
ing to win enough to bring credibility and
momentum to your project. You’ll see the
evidence it’s working in August. Spend your
bonus carefully in September. There will be
another in October you can be freer with.
Your feelings and thoughts are aligned to
create a beautiful relationship dynamic. Li-
bra and Virgo adore you. Your lucky num-
bers are: 3, 22, 1, 44 and 15.