BROKENHEARTED
MOTHER IN TEXAS DEAR BROKENHEARTED: As much as you love Teddy, it’s time to accept that you can’t fix what’s wrong with him; only he can do that. It won’t happen until he finally has to accept the consequences of his bad behavior. Taking him in and bailing him out is not the answer. It also helps no one when you have long conversations with the women who call you, so protect yourself by cutting them short. Considering the kind of man your son is, thank your lucky stars that he has no children — yet. DEAR ABBY: My father recently moved to an apartment with no storage and I was left with 10 large boxes of memorabilia. Going through these boxes brought many tears of remembrance and new insights into the lives of my parents and grandparents. My problem now is what to do with these things; I can scan photos and letters, but what about Great-Grandma’s wedding dress (stained and moth-eaten), Mother’s christening gown (too frail to use again) and the dear soft curl of hair from my uncle who died in childhood? I don’t have much storage room, and I’m not certain my children would even care about these things. Yet it doesn’t seem right to throw them in the garbage. I wonder what other people do with treasured items that have no value beyond sentiment.
SOFT HEART/
PRACTICAL HEAD IN TACOMA DEAR SOFT HEART: Do not automatically assume that your children would have no interest in the contents of those 10 boxes. ASK them. However, if they say no, then contact the state historical society or a local theater troupe and inquire if they would have any interest. You may be pleasantly surprised to find some of the items would be welcomed. DEAR ABBY: My wife and I are having a disagreement about laundry. When you buy new clothes that are still in the plastic wrapping, should they be washed before they are worn?
JIM IN NEW JERSEY DEAR JIM: It’s a personal choice. Some garment manufacturers recommend that certain items be laundered before wearing. However, if they don’t, I don’t!
Write Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O.
Box 69440, Los Angeles,
CA 90069.
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