Mother-in-law pleads for more modesty while breastfeeding
DEAR ABBY: My daughterin-law insists on not covering my granddaughter while she’s breastfeeding in public and allows the baby to nurse with her breast partially exposed (although the nipple is not visible). I’m concerned this may have affected my son’s employment because she did it at a companysponsored event, and he was let go a month afterward. His employers told him he “wasn’t fitting in.”
How can I get across to her that although the public breastfeeding movement is growing, it still isn’t acceptable everywhere, and she should exercise her judgment based on the situation?
— Discreet in the East DEAR DISCREET: You are correct that breastfeeding in public is gaining acceptance. There is nothing wrong with it. While you might mention your concerns to her, allow me to point out that there may have been other reasons your son was let go from his job. And one of them may have been that, indeed, he — not she — didn’t fit in.
DEAR ABBY: I recently moved in with my older sister, and so far, things have been great.
When I meet her guy friends, they always comment on how beautiful she is and how they really like her. But then they’ll add a little side note about how “cute” I am. I don’t like being called cute while they call her beautiful. Am I crazy to be mad over this? Should I bring it up with her or let it all blow over?
— Cute Sister DEAR CUTE SISTER: There’s nothing your sister can do to muzzle her male friends who probably think they’re paying you a compliment. I can’t see anything to be gained by bringing this to her attention because she’s blameless.
DEAR ABBY: My husband and I were married a year ago. I personally designed and filled out the invitations and thank-you cards. About two months after our wedding, I asked my husband to mail the thank-you cards for me.
Today, I went into a seldom-used closet and discovered a box containing all of the unsent cards! Should I send them now? And if so, how can I apologize for their tardiness since they are already sealed and stamped?
— Newlywed-ish in Connecticut DEAR NEWLYWED-ISH: It is never too late to say thank you. Put the thank-yous in the mail, send a group email to those guests whose email addresses you have and call the remaining ones to explain what happened and apologize. These things sometimes happen, and if your friends and relatives are nice people, they will graciously accept your apology.
It is an oft-discussed question: Which is most important: bidding, declarer-play or defense?
My view is that the higher the standard of the event, the more important the bidding. This is because experts can all play the cards well.
Buy Eric Rodwell’s “Bidding Topics” (Baron Barclay) if you want some insight into expert thinking on the subject. Rodwell, seven times a world champion, is one of the greatest bidding theorists of all time. In this book, he analyzes ideas of his own, like support doubles, and those of other people; for example, inverted minor-suit raises.
Today’s deal occurred during the 2014 Grand National Teams. At the other table, Michael Seamon (North) sensibly passed over West’s one-heart opening. Partner was a passed hand, and he had only 11 points, so they had at best a partscore, and the vulnerability was unfavorable. After that, East-West bid to three no-trump and made an overtrick.
In the given auction, Rodwell (East) redoubled to show 10 points or more. Then, over South’s onespade advance, an inexperienced player would have bid two hearts with the West hand, but not Jeff Meckstroth. He knew that he had respectable defensive values should his partner wish to try to penalize the opponents. And that is exactly what happened, South ending in two diamonds doubled.
After West led the spade queen, the defenders, with a little help from declarer, took three spades, one heart, three diamonds, two clubs, a spade ruff by West and a heart ruff in the East hand for down six, 1,700 to East-West.