DEAR ABBY: I like cats and canine. My household has one in every of every. Each are indoor pets.
My drawback is my spouse and daughter have stuffed our house with cat and canine paraphernalia of all sizes and styles. There are seven canine and cat beds in the master suite, 5 within the spare bed room, 4 in our daughter’s bed room, three in the lounge and one within the kitchen (as a result of our cat supposedly likes to observe my spouse prepare dinner).
There are additionally cat timber scattered about, a four-story cat cage, and cat and canine toys strewn throughout the flooring. There are packets of cat and canine treats in every single place. I simply love stepping on them whereas barefoot at evening.
Am I unreasonable to counsel that our cat and canine needn’t be handled like royalty? I think they’d be simply superb with one mattress every — you recognize, like us people.
— OVERRULED IN CALIFORNIA
DEAR OVERRULED: It seems your spouse and daughter have gone overboard making an attempt to make sure that the furry members of the family are snug.
A compromise is certainly so as, notably concerning areas that you spend essentially the most time in — like your bed room, front room and kitchen.
It will even be thoughtful if somebody made certain the flooring are cleared of toys and treats earlier than bedtime so that you gained’t be injured in your approach to the lavatory.
DEAR ABBY: My finest good friend of 60 years misplaced her husband 13 years in the past. She has one son, who’s profitable and busy together with his younger household.
They attempt to embrace her in numerous household gatherings, however she at all times has an excuse as to why she will’t attend — she doesn’t drive at evening, doesn’t like their mates, and so forth.
The reality is, she begins ingesting at 2 p.m., and by 4 p.m. she begins sending me impolite, hurtful textual content messages. I’ve tried ignoring them, not responding, turning off my telephone, and so forth. I do know she’s lonely, however she blames all the pieces on everybody else and takes no accountability for her personal actions.
I like her however I can’t take it anymore.
I’ve talked to her about this, and she or he simply laughs. Then that very same afternoon, after a couple of glasses of wine, she throws it again in my face. Please advise.
— OVER IT IN ARIZONA
DEAR OVER IT: By now it’s best to have realized that as a lot as you wish to, you possibly can’t repair what’s fallacious along with your “best friend.” Solely she will try this by lastly admitting she has grow to be an alcoholic and resolving to do one thing about it.
The longer you tolerate her abuse, the longer she’ll maintain abusing you and herself.
Inform her as soon as and for all that you’ll not enable her to harm you, and till she demonstrates that she’s coping with her alcohol drawback, you need nothing extra to do together with her. Then step again and block her calls and every other communication.
Buddies don’t deal with their finest mates the best way you’re being handled, and also you shouldn’t have to tolerate it.
Expensive Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also referred to as Jeanne Phillips, and was based by her mom, Pauline Phillips. Contact Expensive Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Field 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
