Breaking News

Columns

Home Work

Dear Readers: Lots of us are working from home now; this is a new phenomenon with COVID-19. Here are some hints for a workable, efficient home office space. A distraction-free spot in your home is necessary. You’ll need lots of outlets nearby, with a bright, well-lit desk. Experts suggest not only overhead lighting, but also a table lamp for focused lighting. A sunny window can boost spirits, too. A proper office chair is necessary. Although it may be tempting to sit on the couch or a bed to work, good posture is critical. The monitor of your computer should be at eye level, and ...

Widow Vows Never to Share Her Bed With Another Man

DEAR ABBY: I am a single man who recently met a widow who is nine years older. We connected via an online dating site. At the end of our three-hour conversation, she said, “No man will ever share my bed.” This is because of her second husband, who died six years ago. She said if a man shared her bed, she felt it would be cheating on her late husband. When she said it, I was surprised and shocked. I hadn’t asked her if she would share my (or another man’s) bed. What are your thoughts on this, and do a lot of widows adhere to this practice? Should this be considered a ...

Wedding Planning

Today’s Sound Off is about planning a wedding: Dear Heloise: My fiance and I want a small, intimate wedding in mid-October. Neither of us has been married before (I’m 28 and my fiance is 31), but we feel a large wedding is just not for us. We want an evening ceremony of no more than 70 people. My sister will be my bridesmaid, and we’ll have a sit-down dinner afterward at my church, which is 124 years old. It’s where my parents and grandparents were married and holds deep meaning for me. My future mother-in-law wants a huge affair of nearly 300 people with six bridesmaids, a ...

Slow Payment For Bookkeeping Is Costing Family Its Harmony

DEAR ABBY: I take care of my daughter-in-law’s taxes and have for the past 15 years. I have never charged her for it. When she brings me the paperwork, it is always a mess. I told her I would be her full-time bookkeeper and charge her $300 a month, but it’s like getting blood from a turnip. I have to beg her each month for my pay. My husband said I should stop doing it for her. What should I do? I feel that this is driving a wedge between us. She owns a small construction cleaning service and makes good money. — GOOD WITH FIGURES IN FLORIDA DEAR GOOD: Your daughter-in-law may ...

Perfect Pregnancy Plans, Ruined by a Pandemic

PHOENIX (AP) — It was the day after April Fool’s when I stared at a tiny window on a pregnancy test and watched a very clear plus sign quickly appear. I sprinted from my side of the house to my husband’s office (see: bathroom), banged on the door like a crazed person and jumped up and ...

Open Or Closed?

Shut that **** door! Do you want the whole insect world coming in the house? Do you remember your parents screaming that to you and your siblings? We must have heard it thousands of times between spring and fall. Summertime posed a problem for keeping doors closed. Without air conditioning, the front and back doors were equipped with screens to create a flow of air through the house. We had transoms over many of the inside doors, including the bedrooms, that also were designed to circulate air. I’m not sure they served that purpose as much as they were for eavesdropping on other ...