6A
FEATURES
Sisters’ kinship deteriorates
Dear Annie: I have lived If it were a short trip to see her for
within a day’s drive of my eldest a short visit, I think I could man-
sister for many years. Several age that. But it’s an eight-hour
years ago, as she was getting back trip, and then I would be captive
on her feet after a divorce, I went to her rules for a couple of days.
to visit for Christmas. I had a great It’s more than I could handle. I
time. But after that, things seemed am not really interested in stay-
ing in a motel in order
to get progressively
DEAR
to visit. And I have had
tenser with each visit.
enough of God blessing
She started partici-
ANNIE
my day. What am I miss-
pating as a foster parent
ing? — Puzzled
for infants and canceled
Dear Puzzled: First,
a Christmas visit to us
I don’t think there’s any
on short notice because
puzzle piece that would
she had to look after her
click and snap everything
first child over the holi-
into place along with it.
day. I tried to be support-
Lane
Your sister’s behavior has
ive of her new endeavor, Annie
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
very little to do with you
but when I asked about
and everything to do with
the family situation that
put the child in foster care, I was where she is on her own path.
Perhaps you two could plan a
snippily told, “That’s confidential.
trip somewhere halfway between
I can’t talk about that.”
She is hurt that I am ignor- your town and hers. The neutral
ing her now. But she has yet to ground might help you both relax.
invite us for a visit since cancel- Try engaging her in an open and,
ing the Christmas visit several judgment-free conversation. Tell
years ago. Email communication her that you’re proud of her for
gets twisted, and she doesn’t call committing to taking care of a fos-
by phone. She signs her emails, ter child, and ask her how that idea
“May God bless your day,” and came to her. Seek to understand.
And keep in mind that in the
when I told her that bothers me,
aftermath of her divorce, your sis-
she got very defensive.
Even if she were to invite me, ter could have gone in any num-
I’m not sure I would want to go. ber of dark directions. Instead, she
found solace in faith and charity.
Good for her.
Dear Annie: I’ve recently
read some letters to you about
servers in restaurants. Personally,
one thing that grates on my ears
like fingernails on a chalkboard is
when a server addresses me and
says, “How are we?” Then he or
she asks, “Are we ready to order?”
I can’t stand the “we” thing.
Servers are not part of our expe-
rience, other than waiting on
us. Is this something new train-
ing includes, or is it a personal
choice? I’ve even gone so far as to
ask why my server used “we,” but
I don’t remember what the answer
was. At any rate, I’d sure prefer
it if they said, “How are you?”
and “Are you ready to order?” —
Annoyed Patron
Dear Annoyed Patron: Serv-
ers’ livelihoods depend on tips,
and studies have shown that per-
sonable little gestures from a
server, such as drawing a smiley
face on the check, inspire patrons
to leave bigger tips. Warmth is
rewarded. So that might explain
the “How are we?” phenomenon.
I get that it peeves you, but try to
empathize with your server rather
than be irritated by her. She’s just
doing her job.
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017
TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Your allies and
your adversaries are strong, and ultimately this
is the stroke of good fortune that helps you to
stay strong yourself. A worthy opponent is a
great blessing.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). The shortest
distance between two points is a straight
line, something that pretty much never occurs
naturally. For instance, your personal path will
curve, switchback, pitch up and down — but
it’s all progress.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Why do you find
it so much easier to be wise for others than
for yourself? Because when you give advice,
you’re not the one who has to follow it. But if
you do choose to follow your own advice now,
it will lead to fast success.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’ll celebrate
the big events when they come up, but don’t
wait for big events to celebrate. The silly, small
events will be more memorable. Anyway, why
do you even need a reason to revel in all that’s
good?
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You’ll be making
“notes to self” all day long. It will help you to
write them down, or you’re likely to forget.
You’re onto something; you just don’t know
what it is quite yet. Look at what you’ve cov-
ered and where you’re going next.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). No one will think
any less of you if you stick to your values even
when the cool kids are smoking in the bath-
room (or whatever the grownup version of that
is). Your integrity makes you more than cool; it
makes you hot.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). It is better to try
and fail than to do nothing and succeed. Take
a chance. The more you risk rejection and
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
emotional injury, the easier it gets. The easier
it gets, the bigger your life becomes.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). There are things
you’d like to do that never seem to fit into your
schedule. That’s how you know that they are
not really the important things. You always
have time for what is truly important to you.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Big
breakthroughs rarely come — a few times in
a lifetime for the lucky. Most accomplishments
are the result of incremental efforts, building
momentum by chalking up a little progress
each day.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Your friend-
ships will open doors, bring out your best and
bring you great joy. As Capricorn President
Woodrow Wilson said, “Friendship is the only
cement that will ever hold the world together.”
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). What holds
the skyscraper up is buried hundreds of feet
deep in the ground; the taller the building, the
deeper the foundation. Be patient with your
own building process. You won’t show signs of
height so much as depth.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). It is easy to mis-
take imagination for ego. Both tend to work in
the language of illusions and distortions. Much
depends on who is at the center of the fantasy.
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (Feb. 2). Let
people spoil you like they want to this month,
even though you don’t need all of the fuss.
They’ll be better off for the energetic invest-
ment, and more attached to you, too. A new
talent blossoms in March. April brings a move.
Love has you doing unexpected things in July.
A windfall happens in October. Libra and
Capricorn adore you. Your lucky numbers are:
21, 38, 4, 6, and 44.