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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 4, 2017)
6A FEATURES Invitation with a price Dear Annie: My friend Dear Annie: I read the bought a condo in Florida. letter from “Family Mat- She wants me to come stay for ters,” whose son and daugh- a week while she is there but ter-in-law have not yet invited thinks she needs to charge me her to their new home, and I $350 to stay with her. Why related completely. You are absolutely right; giv- would a friend need DEAR ing the benefit of the to charge you if she is doubt is very import- there, too? If I chip in ANNIE ant in this situa- for some food, what tion, and I love what am I paying $350 for? you had to say. But Is this fair? — Feel- ing Used time may not change Dear Feeling much, either. I have a Used: It does not similar situation. My seem right to me to son and daughter-in- Lane ask that of a friend. Annie law spend virtually Creators Syndicate Inc. If it were a vacation every holiday with rental and you were her family. splitting the cost, sure. But I have also gotten very blue this is a condo she owns, and over this and felt very slighted she’s invited you to come and had my feelings hurt. But visit. Perhaps the strain of I finally decided that is com- the cost of the condo was pletely pointless. Dwelling on more than she fully realized hurt and anger breeds more it would be; that’s the only hurt and anger. My husband plausible explanation I can and I have started our own think of for her charging a fee. tradition of combining Christ- Regardless, treating friends mas and Thanksgiving and like customers is no way to having a family dinner at our pay the mortgage. If she is home between those holidays. looking to make $350 a week We try to plan it early and off houseguests, she should give all of our family mem- bers time to work it into their open a bed-and-breakfast. holiday schedules. I don’t ever fix turkey and dressing, because it’s a lot of work and everyone’s had it recently. So the meal is simpler, which saves work and stress, leaving time to enjoy the day. I invite everyone to bring a dish, but I let everyone know it’s not necessary. My perspective has changed. I no longer focus on being slighted or alone with my husband during the holidays. It’s our time to do what we want and give to oth- ers through charity or good- will. Our dinner with the fam- ily is all about stress-free fun — enjoying the family, the grandkids and the day, guilt- free. I have a much better atti- tude, I get to host in my own home, and I get to make our own tradition. And there’s a lot less work. It’s fun, and I am all about fun at this age. Happy holidays! — Working on Me Dear Working on Me: Your good spirit is conta- gious. Thanks for serving up some perspective with an extra helping of holiday cheer. THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2017 TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc. ARIES (March 21-April 19). If you can manage to delay the usual knee-jerk verdicts that humans love to form in the first 10 seconds of another’s presentation, you’ll set off a series of sweet events, all made possible by your act of listening. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Make sure you’re on the same track with the other person; that way, you’ll avoid the problems that come with making assumptions. Tonight you’ll get the chance to show the team that you play fair. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). With most things you tackle today, the result will be better if you delay the payoff for as long as possible. It will work in everything from relaying information to governing your own willpower. CANCER (June 22-July 22). There’s so much you could say on matters, but since you’re all too aware of the short attention spans that most people have, you’ll aim your words toward a particular destination and leave out anything that doesn’t fit the bill. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You’ll come across those who’ve yet to discover their own depths. Maybe they are afraid or haven’t had any rea- son to dig deep. Or maybe they’ve lacked role models. Regardless, the relationship can only go as deep as the shallowest person. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). To suspect that you’re the underdog isn’t exactly an uplifting feeling, although you can take heart in the fact that everyone loves an underdog. Go forward in full faith that you have a chance at victory. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Humans love to assign reasons for things that happen, to bridge the gaps of logic and close every case. The trouble is that what follows is often praise or blame. And sometimes there really is no defini- 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 tive “responsible party.” SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). No one ever influenced the world by being the same as everyone in it. But if you don’t seem at least somewhat like the others, they’ll mistrust you. Group acceptance will be required. Start with what you all have in common. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). It’s as if you were designed for adventure. When the others are afraid to go first, your trailblazing nature takes over. March forward and the others will follow. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). It’s fun to be in unfamiliar places when you have a guide. But today there probably won’t be a clear model, and you’ll have to make due by observing the people around you who seem to know what they’re doing. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Like a nice neighborhood that wants to preserve the peace, your life could use a few speed bumps — con- structs you’ve put in place specifically to slow yourself down, thus preventing accidents. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). The scenario is fresh, and you’re still deciding who you want to be. Consider what each role requires. For instance, winners take chances. Heroes take risks to help others. VIP’s make others feel important. TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (Dec. 5). Your cosmic gift is one of determined and exclusive focus on the things that are going to make your life better. You’ll be freeing yourself of an anchor of sorts over the next three months. In March, family works together and all are lifted. In 2018 you’ll take pleasure in the sale of something that helps people. Leo and Pisces adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 6, 10, 23, 40 and 11.