Owners welcome, canines are not

Dear Miss Manners: After a fishing trip, we invited some friends over who live an hour away to enjoy our catch. They replied they’d love to, and reminded us they now have two dogs.

Before we responded, they wrote again: “We hope you can put up with us and our two dogs for the day, and overnight if we drink too much.”

When they had just one dog, we had them over in the summer when we spent the day outside. I stated the invitation was meant only for them and we were not prepared for two dogs at this time — considering it will be rainy, my husband is allergic and our home was recently remodeled with new hardwood floors.

They were then unable to come and were sad to hear we didn’t welcome their “well-behaved girls.” They said their house was open if we wanted to come there. Any better way I should have handled this?

Gentle Reader: “I’m afraid that our house is illequipped for your dogs, but we would love to have just the two of you” is likely what you thought you said.

But anyone reading your letter, including Miss Manners, clearly inferred that your hardwood floors were more important to you than their dogs.

This is clearly not what they wanted to hear. Since they seemed to have remained in good standing by asking you to come to their house instead, however, Miss Manners advises you to take them up on their offer graciously.

Dear Miss Manners: I do coursework on weekends at the public library. They have several sets of tables and chairs; some have padded seats.

I have a herniated disc and sitting still for long periods of time on a hard surface is bad for my back. So, I swap out the chairs and always put them back. This hasn’t inconvenienced anyone as far as I can tell, but I feel it may be rude to take space at a large table and swap chairs to make myself comfortable, even if no one complains.

Gentle Reader: As with public transportation and any other unreserved, unpaid seating, the solution is to offer to move if someone asks.

Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, missmanners.com or email her at dearmissmanners @gmail.com.