Friend’s food criticism is hard for couple to swallow

ARIES (March 21-April 19). No one is SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). If you wind up and on all the time. Mojo comes and up spending slightly more than you budgoes. Promise yourself that you’ll stick with geted, don’t feel guilt, regret or shame or and believe in yourself through thick and in any way let the overage stress you out. thin. You would do it for any one of your The ends will find their own magical way friends. of meeting.

Dear Abby: My wife TAURUS (April 20-May 20). If you SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21).

and I have a friend, “Jonah,” could take the pain away from another, Cheerfulness is an often underrated value,

whom we love dearly, but you would, but growing is something no though if anyone can turn that around,

he has no filter. The one can do for someone else. Perhaps you can. Your joyful, caring ways will

problem is, anytime we that’s what makes it so difficult to watch. energize all you touch. You never know

invite him for dinner or It’s almost harder to watch than it is to go when you can change someone’s life with

take food items to his through! a smile.

house, he makes horrible GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Refuse to sucCAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Fashion remarks about my wife’s cumb to worry. Sing instead of stress; joke sometimes seems silly to you. Why should cooking, particularly when instead of getting impatient. Instead of doa perfectly lovely look go in one year and it’s a holiday party based ing something rash, do nothing at all, and out the other? Well, you don’t have to on my wife’s Slavic heritage. problems will absolutely solve themselves. worry about keeping up — your classic My wife is a really good

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Some of tastes never go out of style. cook. No one else makes your best creations, relationships and AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). fun of these foods, many of

You’re goopportunities have happened by way of which are common in the

ing to solve the problem going on between accidental magic, and it’s going to happen U.S., but Jonah makes

two people you love or at least shrink it. again in the next three days. negative comments every Try not to form an opinion before or while

time. I have told him that LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). One of your talyou hear both sides.

it’s rude, and so has my ents is dealing with other people’s hot tem

wife.WhatwasPISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). pers, anxiousness and irritation. You have in favor one day goes out the next. Does

We would hate not a way of acknowledging the reality of other that mean it was never true to begin with?

inviting him to future people’s feelings and thereby deescalating You can’t help what’s trendy. You can only

parties with our usual the situation and bringing peace. decide whether or not it’s for you.

crowd, but it gets me upset VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Writing IF TODAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY: You when he does this. My wife things down has magic powers that can push yourself this year, and it’s by exhas actually prepared an somehow go many ways. Writing things ploring your fears that you’ll learn your alternative meal for him so down can make them more real or easier courage. A rather arbitrary action in May he won’t have to eat the to let go of or harder to forget. leads to remarkable luck. It won’t always “heritage-style” food. He

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). If people did be easy to keep your commitments in even makes snide comthe right, considerate, fair and loving thing, relationships, but the sheer joy and beauty ments when I bring foods then no one would need a governing sysyou experience this summer will make you popular in other parts of tem. The trouble is that even people in the glad you did. Taurus and Leo people adore the U.S. same family can’t agree on what the right, you. Your lucky numbers are 40, 2, 25, 21 Abby, do we continue considerate, fair and loving thing is. and 16. inviting him or not? It is straining our friendship. — In a Food Fight in New Hampshire

Dear in a Food Fight: Because Jonah has indicated that he doesn’t like the food at your parties, stop inviting him. And because he doesn’t appreciate the effort when you bring regional food to his home, stop doing that, too. If he asks why he wasn’t included, feel free to give him an “unfiltered” answer. If you visit him, bring a generic house gift, such as nuts, a box of candy, a bottle of wine. If he doesn’t accept it graciously, stop doing that, too.

With a “friend” like Jonah, it would be better to socialize at a restaurant that serves food he does like, or at an activity that doesn’t revolve around food.

Dear Abby: My wife has gained a little weight and has become self-conscious about how she looks. I have told her she’s still beautiful. We haven’t been intimate in three months and I think it’s because she’s afraid I won’t like how different she looks without clothes.

I don’t know how to tell her that my love for her isn’t based on her physical beauty. It’s based on who she is as a person. THAT’S what is beautiful to me. Do you have any feedback for me? — Loving Her in Louisiana

Dear Loving Her: Before jumping to conclusions about why you and your wife haven’t been intimate, I think you should ask her. It may have nothing to do with her weight — and it could be something she should discuss with her gynecologist.

Of course, it never hurts to tell a woman that she’s beautiful because of who she is in your eyes and that she always will be. It’s a song we women never tire of hearing.

Dear Abby: My husband helps with the kids and with the housework. But he never remembers holidays and special occasions. We have been married 15 years.

I have talked to him about how hurtful this is, but it never helps. I want him to think about me and put some effort into getting me something. My friends say, “How can you complain? He helps you do housework!” What do you think? — Wife of an Imperfect Husband

Dear Wife: If the problem is that your husband doesn’t know what to buy for you, offer some suggestions. If he simply can’t remember the date start “reminding” him a week in advance. If he still doesn’t “pop,” then appreciate the fact that you have a husband who tries every day to show you he loves you by making your life easier.