Daughter catches dad texting other women
DEAR ABBY: My 14-yearold daughter caught her father, my husband, emailing and texting other women. He has been doing it for months. He says he went on dating sites because he was unhappy in our marriage and needed attention and to feel desirable. He claims he only emailed and texted these women discussing relationship troubles, no sex talk. I’m furious he was so careless that our daughter found the emails (in one he stated his sex drive was very high and asked how her sex drive was). I am devastated that he would do this to our family. He says he didn’t think it was cheating because it was only online and sex wasn’t discussed. Please advise.
— Furious in the South DEAR FURIOUS: Your husband isn’t being honest. At the very least there WAS “sex talk” as soon as he used that three-letter word in his emails/texts to the women on the dating sites. You two are overdue for a visit to a marriage and family therapist to determine if the damage your husband has done to his relationship with you and his daughter can be repaired.
DEAR ABBY: My ex-wife and I were together for five years (married for two). While she was with me I supported her financially and put her through college. She left me a year ago. I was the one who filed for divorce. After she left, I gave her half the money in my savings account to help her while she was trying to land on her feet. She has found a job now, but struggles to pay bills. Recently, she called and asked me to “lend” her money to help with her power bill. I refused. While I understand that she’s no longer my financial responsibility, I still feel compelled to help her. What can I do to prevent her from putting me in an awkward situation (I have since moved on to a new relationship) without having to be a complete jerk?
— Nice Guy in Texas DEAR NICE GUY: As you accurately put it, your ex-wife is no longer your responsibility. After she walked out on you, you did the right thing in filing for divorce. By paying for her education and enabling her to support herself, you were more than generous. The surest way to prevent yourself from being hit on for money would be to respond with a firm and final NO.
DEAR ABBY: I’m a 9-yearold girl and my mom doesn’t spend a lot of quality time with me. What should I tell her to get her to spend time with me?
— Needs Time in Florida DEAR NEEDS TIME: What a sad letter. I can only suggest that you tell her you need more of her and hope she hears how important your message is.
DEAR READERS: Don’t forget to turn your clocks forward one hour tonight at bedtime. Daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m. tomorrow. It’s a ritual I love because it signals the coming of spring, with longer, brighter days and warmer weather.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com
UNIVERSAL UCLICK
Jean de La Fontaine, a 17th-century French poet, wrote, “To win a race, the swiftness of a dart / Availeth not without a timely start.”
To make a contract, the swiftness of a line of play availeth not without careful forethought.
In this strange deal, South has one of the strongest hands you will ever see, and North has almost the weakest hand possible. South understandably drove into six spades. What should he have done after West led the heart king?
North’s three-club rebid was a double negative, warning of a very weak hand, typically 0-3 points. South tried to find a minor-suit fit before jumping to six spades. North put down his hand with a feeling of foreboding and an “I tried to warn you” comment.
Declarer had only 11 winners: five spades, one heart, two diamonds and three clubs. His first thought was that he needed diamonds to split 3-3; but then he realized that he had a second chance if he played the cards in a timely fashion.
South won with his heart ace, drew one round of trumps, then made the key play of leading a low diamond from his hand.
East took the trick and returned a heart, but South ruffed, cashed one more trump, then played off his diamond ace-king. If the suit had divided 3-3, declarer would have drawn the missing trump and claimed. Here, though, when East could not ruff, declarer trumped his last diamond on the board, ruffed a club in his hand, removed West’s final trump and claimed.