THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017
FEATURES
Ostracized over parentage
Dear Annie: I need your advice.
Dear Annie: My wife and I are
In my social life and at my places in our late 20s and have been mar-
of employment, I used to tell people ried since we were 18. We have
that the man who raised me with my two wonderful children. The prob-
mom was not my biological father. lem I’m having is dealing with my
At work, customers and co-work- wife’s mother.
ers would say unkind things to me
We recently moved to a new city
about that. Then, a few
so my wife could be closer
DEAR
weeks later, I would get let
to her side of the family,
go for no logical reason, or
which was fine with me
ANNIE
it would turn into a hos-
because she never really
tile work environment and
had much of a relationship
I would be forced to quit.
with her mother growing
The final straw came when
up. We have now lived in
I was leaving church and
this city for three years,
the clergyperson shook my
and in that time, my wife’s
hand goodbye and at the
mother has never made an
Lane
same time pushed me out Annie
attempt to re-establish any
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
the door. I had a DNA test
type of relationship with
done, and it turns out that
my wife — or our children,
my dad is my biological father.
for that matter.
I don’t feel I owe people an
Every time there is a fam-
explanation, and even if I did, they ily function going on, my moth-
would probably not believe me any- er-in-law does everything in her
way. How do I handle these horrible power to keep my wife from find-
people? — Really Dad’s Little Girl ing out about it so that our family
Dear Really Dad’s Little Girl: is excluded. And whenever we host
I’m thinking there must be more family functions, my wife’s mother
to the story than you’ve included always has an excuse for why she
in your letter, because their behav- won’t be able to attend.
ior sounds bizarre. Your biology is
In addition, my wife and I have
none of their business. If you were not had one night to ourselves since
terminated because of your parent- we were in high school. We even
age, you should have legal recourse. took our firstborn on our honey-
moon because we couldn’t get a
Contact an attorney.
baby sitter. I think that is where
grandparents and other family
members should be involved. It’s
hard on my wife. We have two very
well-behaved kids, and it’s kill-
ing my wife that her mother won’t
watch our kids.
I know that my wife wants to
create a relationship with her mom
that she never had, just as she wants
our children to have a grandmother
in their lives. I am so sick and tired
of watching my wife reach out to
her mom. Am I wrong for want-
ing to protect my wife from certain
heartbreak? Or should I let this go
and let my wife handle her mother?
Any advice would be greatly appre-
ciated. — Protective Husband
Dear Protective Husband:
Your mother-in-law sounds like a
real piece of work, but there isn’t
much you can do about changing
her attitude or behavior. You can
and should continue giving your
wife support and encouragement,
but ultimately her relationship with
her mother is between the two of
them and not you. As for getting
away together alone for a night or
weekend, what about other mem-
bers of her side of the family? If
no one will help, then maybe you
could consider moving closer to
your side of the family.
5A
TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Recently, some-
thing might have happened between you and
another person that, in one way, signaled
that one of you understood what the other
was going through. But in another way, it was
offensive. So much lies in the interpretation!
Emotions need a rest.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Your experience
of the world is unique and all yours. So don’t
be surprised when they don’t seem to be on
the same page. They might still get there. All
that’s needed? A few flips.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Maybe the job
is getting repetitive. Or maybe your life is
getting repetitive. Though you don’t get paid
for life outside of work, it can become just as
monotonous as the 9-5 grind. But something
will break the cycle of repetition. And that will
please you immensely.
sense of humor. It’s the magic combo. You
can’t lose.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). The overarch-
ing feeling is the thing. If someone picks up
on the details and tries to make a case, well
... that may be sound in theory, but theory is
not practice. What’s real is what’s going on.
So: What’s going on?
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). If you can
resolve the historical, you can resolve the
present. Bonus: Sometimes this happens
without actually having to get your hands
dirty in the present.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). What you
wouldn’t give for a clean slate. It’s the wish of
everyone: Don’t forget it. And the grace of so-
ciety is that minor infractions can be rewritten
and glossed over with the stroke of a wand.
Really! So just start new.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Things today
will be the same as yesterday, and yet you’re
a lot different — not a little, a lot. Why?
Answer this question and your next big idea
is on the tails of it.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Running into
an ex is only fun if you happen to be looking
even better than you were. It’s why you give
extra effort to the mirror today. You never
know!
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Whatever led you
to your love, you’ll follow it again and again.
It’s not because you think it will lead to your
love; it’s because you know it will lead to your
rapture.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Someone is
being super mean to you. This goes way
back. It’s not about you, but that doesn’t make
it any easier not to take it personally. Stand
strong. The cosmic forces are with you.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Oh! The same
old questions will come again and again ...
but you don’t have to give the same tired
answers. Change it up. They’ll ask, “How are
you?” And your creative answer will better
your fortune.
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (Nov. 15). You
are strong on your own, and yet you’ll also
have a hero in your life this year. In 2018 you’ll
make a trade that improves your lot. Also you
may be willing to give something up for love
— but not everything! A brush with fame has
a lesson in it. You’ll be building a team in Feb-
ruary. Pisces and Capricorn adore you. Your
lucky numbers are: 3, 33, 39, 19, and 14.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Your responsi-
bilities will be more fun than you anticipated
they would be. Involve people who share your
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