Slow payment for bookkeeping is costing family

8/3/20

DEAR ABBY » I take care of my daughter-in-law’s taxes and have for the past 15 years. I have never charged her for it. I told her I would be her fulltime bookkeeper and charge her $300 a month, but it’s like getting blood from a turnip. I have to beg her each month for my pay.

My husband said I should stop doing it for her. What should I do?

DEAR GOOD » Your daughter-in-law may resent the fact that you want payment for keeping her finances in order, but It’s time to tell her that dunning

Bridge

Searching through my archives, I found this deal from 1951. In that year, the Korean War was continuing. That always reminds me of my favorite Britcom, “As Time Goes By.” A young English soldier, who was about to go off to fight in Korea, falls in love with a nurse played by Judi Dench. When he leaves, she writes to him, and he writes to her, but neither letter reaches its intended destination. Each thinks the other is no longer interested. She marries and has a daughter, but is widowed. He goes to Kenya to run a coffee plantation. He gets divorced and, 38 years later, returns to London. They meet, fall in love again and get married to live as happily ever after as a TV show permits. It is a wonderful show. her for money every month has become too stressful. Suggest that she set up an automatic fund transfer to your account to cover the monthly fee. However, your husband has the right idea and it might be better for both of you if she hired someone else.

DEAR ABBY » I am 41, divorced for the second time, and I have fallen madly in love with a wonderful man. He got out of a 12-year relationship six months ago. Until just last week he still had ties with her, but he finally washed his hands of her. The only thing is, he lied to her to avoid a confrontation.

Look only at the North and East hands. Against four spades, West leads the heart three: two, ace, king. What should East do next?

In the auction, North’s two-spade raise was an underbid (note that his

It hurts me deeply, and it has forced a wedge between us. He doesn’t understand why it hurts me so much, and he doesn’t seem to care. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

DEAR HEARTBROKEN » I wish you had revealed what this gentleman is afraid to tell his ex. His unwillingness or inability to tell the truth is a serious character flaw and not something you should ignore. hand has only seven losers, the normal number for a game-force!), and South’s jump to game was a slight overbid.

South’s falsecard fooled nobody. If West had started with the doubleton heart fourthree, he would have led the four, not the three.

So, most defenders sitting East would promptly give partner a heart ruff — and let the contract make. West would return, say, a club. Declarer would play a trump to East’s ace, ruff the next heart high, draw trumps and run the clubs.

Instead, East must switch to his club queen at trick two. Then, it goes club to the ace, spade to the ace, heart ruff, club ruff for down one.