THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016
FEATURES
Caregiver smells like dog
Dear Annie: My husband is
in hospice care and I have a care-
giver come once a week to give me
a break. I truly appreciate her help
and pay her an hourly rate.
The problem is, the caregiver
has dogs and smells like it. I am
allergic to dogs, and her scent gives
me a headache as soon as I return
home, and it continues the follow-
ing day. The dog scent is in my fur-
niture, around my husband and all
over the house.
How do I approach this without
hurting her feelings? I don’t think
she is aware of her dog odor. —
Sensitive Nose
Dear Sensitive: You have to tell
the caregiver that you can smell the
dog in your house. Chances are, she
is so accustomed to the odor that she
doesn’t realize how potent it is. Say
that you are very sensitive and ask
whether she might consider show-
ering and washing her hair on the
days when she comes to your home,
and also wearing freshly laundered
clothing. (Or she could keep a set
of clothes at your house that she
can change into.) That might make
enough of a difference for you to
tolerate it.
If she objects, or if nothing
changes, it may be time to ind
another caregiver. Someone who
Annie’s
Mailbox
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
Kathy
Mitchell and
Marcy Sugar
causes you to have a headache for an
entire day is not giving you the kind
of respite you need. We know you
like her, but this is a paid position
and you should ind an employee
who its all of your requirements.
Dear Annie: You printed a letter
from “Better Safe than Sorry,” who
said all the guys she meets at work
are “creepy” and constantly inap-
propriate. You said she might want
to reconsider her work environment.
Feminists will not likely appre-
ciate my comments. In addition to
her work environment, I would also
recommend that the writer look in
the mirror and review her appear-
ance, and then consider her words
and mannerisms when engaging
with these men. She may uninten-
tionally be encouraging inappropri-
ate behavior with the message she is
sending these “creepy” men.
I am 67 years old and female.
I am continually amazed at how
many women are offended by
men who respond to the woman’s
overtly sexual communication. I am
not excusing inappropriate behav-
ior on the part of any man, but I am
reminding women that messages
are conveyed through what you say,
how you say it and your body lan-
guage. When you get an inappro-
priate response, review the message
you are giving from the perspective
of the recipient. — Watch Yourself
Dear Watch: Obviously, if a
woman is wearing a blouse cut
down to her navel and touching a
man provocatively while she coos
in his ear, she is creating a sexually
charged conversation and inviting
a similar response. Women cannot
do that and then blame the man for
reacting. And by the way, this can
happen to men, also. Some women
misinterpret a guy’s friendliness as
lirting, and think he’s more inter-
ested than is warranted. And if it
happens a lot, those men may need
to dial it back. A great many men
and women don’t realize how they
come across, and any unwanted
attention that happens too fre-
quently should be looked into. But
let’s face it — too many men think
all women are fair game regardless
of the circumstances.
5A
Tomorrow’s horoscope
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). You feel driv-
en to create, give your opinion, make some-
thing they might buy. It’s a gamble, but today
the odds are in your favor. Play them and
cash in.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). While scruti-
nizing the possible directions your life could
take in the future, you’ll be joined by flashes
of memory, mentors from the past, ghosts
to guide you on.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Do you be-
lieve in telepathy? You could have a most
unusual psychic experience today, as unex-
plainable as it is personal. At the very least,
this is a sign of how connected you are to
someone or to your higher guidance.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Delegate
when necessary -- and when not necessary.
If you don’t start giving away some of these
tasks now, they will build up and build up
until the hundreds of tiny tasks you’re doing
cause you to topple.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). There is very lit-
tle that’s really ours in this world. Let things
come and go. If it’s yours, it’s yours for good:
It can’t be taken from you, won’t leave you,
and even if you forsake it, sell it or abuse it,
you’ll somehow get it back.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Is there secret
information being passed back and forth be-
tween people on different ranks and in dif-
ferent networks? The tinge of paranoia isn’t
for nothing. Take it as a sign to pay attention.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Don’t let your
euphoria over the happy resolution of one
situation keep you from the reality of dealing
with another situation. Face it; deal. Face it;
deal. That’s the way this day will go.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Interesting
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
people cross your path every day. You don’t
know how interesting, of course, until you
get to know them. The physicality often lies.
Go deeper.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Con-
trarians will be challenged: Are they being
stubborn because the idea or request is
something to be strongly disagreed with, or
is this resistance a general attitude of stub-
bornness?
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). The
rules for time travelers will apply: If it makes
someone happy or changes the course of
a person, including you, or does anything
at all to alter the timeline, it matters signifi-
cantly.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). The scene
change has nothing to do with you, at first,
except that your entrance is coming. Now,
should you move and decide or should you
pause and feel your way through it? The
second will work today.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). A very as-
tute observer might read your mood and
respond accordingly, but unfortunately, such
people may not be populating your midst
today, so prepare to deal with a mismatch
of tones.
WEDNESDAY’S BIRTHDAY (June 22).
The responsibilities and obligations that
used to seem too daunting to bear alone
are now a piece of cake. This is how you’ve
grown, and you’ll become even more emo-
tionally strong and spiritually generous in
this solar cycle. Your financial breakthrough
will be in August. Love is the feature in Sep-
tember and the other person is going all
in. Pisces and Virgo adore you. Your lucky
numbers are: 4, 29, 3, 9 and 14.