use. She leaves them alone
FAMILY CIRCUS DENNIS THE MENACE for hours or brings them
around people the kids do
not feel comfortable with.
She tells the kids that my
COMICS
husband kept her from
seeing them all those years,
B5
THE HAYS DAILY NEWS
which is patently untrue. He
Annie’s Mailbox has gone out of his way to
make sure they have some
MONDAY, MAY 2, 2011
WATCH FOR BREAKING NEWS AT
KATHY MITCHELL ⁄ MARCY SUGAR sort of relationship. I truly
try my best to stay out of
HDNEWS.NET
Dear Annie: When I the middle even though I
married my husband, I don’t feel she behaves in the
suddenly became a full-time best interests of the chil- his attorney. If the children
stepmother to his three dren. She says I’m “just the have not had counseling,
young children, all under stepmom” and should keep please consider it. And give
age 5. Their mother would my mouth shut. them extra doses of affec-
pop up when it was con- She has violated every tion, attention and stability.
venient for her. She rarely court order as if she is They need you to be their
called on their birthdays above the law. She also has rock.
and often left them waiting no problem involving the Dear Annie: The letter
for scheduled visits. I raised kids in this mess and seems from “Love My In-Laws,
those children, and they to have won them over by But” gave me a big laugh.
BEETLE BAILEY called me “Mommy.” playing the victim. How Obviously that “gracious
Now, after 10 years, the should I deal with this prob- hostess” is not Italian. In
mother has returned and lem that won’t go away? — my family, a snack is usually
plans to stick around. This Irrelevant Mommy a seven-course meal, and
woman is irresponsible, Dear Mommy: Those we always urge our guests
immature and impossible children desperately want to eat, eat, eat! We prepare
to reason with. There have their mother’s love and will enough for an army.
been many problems, eventually realize that it She is welcome to bring
including drug use around comes with strings attached. her in-laws to my house,
the kids. They are afraid Until then, let your husband and if there are any left-
to upset her for fear she handle all problems so you overs, she can have them.
will abandon them again. don’t become the target of — Italian Mama
I understand their worries. her manipulations. Keep
She has threatened on more a record of any damag- — Write to: Annie’s Mailbox, P.O.
than one occasion to walk ing behavior, missed visits, Box 118190, Chicago, IL 60611;
out on them if they tell drug use, etc., which your or e-mail questions to
GARFIELD their father about her drug husband should report to anniesmailbox@comcast.net
BIZARRO CLOSE TO HOME
CRANKSHAFT
BABY BLUES
Daily Sudoku
PAJAMA DIARIES
To solve a sudoku puzzle, the numbers 1
through 9 must fill each row, column and box.
Each number can appear only once in each
row, column and box. Use the numeric clues
provided in the boxes.
BLONDIE
TODAY’S ANSWER
Dr. Paul
Donohue
HEALTH
DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Recently, we
moved to a farmhouse in the country. All
ZITS our sinks and toilets have iron rings. We
have well water. Is this iron a danger to
health? — M.R.
ANSWER: Even when iron rings are
found on porcelain, the iron concentration
in your water isn’t at a level that’s a health
threat.
DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My boy-
friend is in the habit of belching. I can put
up with it when we’re alone, but in public
places it’s embarrassing. He doesn’t turn
the volume of his belching down at all.
He says he can’t, and he says it happens
before he can do anything about it.
What causes belching? Can the noise
level be turned down without harm to the
belcher? — H.H.
MOTHER GOOSE & GRIMM ANSWER: A stomach filled with air is
the cause of a belch. Your friend should
slow down when he eats.
Gulping air with each mouthful of food
is the biggest contributor to filling the
stomach with it.
Your friend can turn down the volume
of his belch without any harm to himself.
He also can be conscious that he’s about
to belch. He simply is ignoring nature.
Write to Paul Donohue, M.D.,
P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL
32853-6475.