Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/619533
DILBERT ScottAdams PEARLSBEFORESWINE StephanPastis PICKLES BrianCrane BABYBLUES JerryScott&RickKirkman PHOEBEANDHERUNICORN DanaSimpson ZITS JerryScott&JimBorgman SHERMAN'SLAGOON JimToomey ARGYLESWEATER ScottHilburn BIZARRO DanPiraro DEARAMY»Iamashamed to say that my husband and I keep an extremely messy and dirty home. My husband was raised by a ho arder and I was raised by a neat freak, our apartment seems to fall closer to the hoarder side. Our apartment is disgust- ingly dirty. My husband works full time (plus overtime) and I work full time and go to school full time, between this and our three pets there is just no leftover time or energy to clean the house. Clutter is the biggest problem overall. Junk will be piled on every surface. I do my best to keep garbage and food waste out of the picture but our pets will pull out garbage and hide it in the clutter. We usually run out of clean dishes after a week or two and then one of us binge cleans the dishes and the cycle starts all over again. In the past year my home has been spotless maybe four or five days. This always happens the day we are expecting family or the landlord to come over. It takes me half a day to power- clean the apartment and it is beautiful — but then within a week it be- comes a disgusting mess again. Recently, my father surprised us with a visit. He didn't say anything to my face, but I heard from my brother that he was disgusted and ashamed of me because he raised me better than this. I am just at my wits' end. We've tried allocat- ing chores and making flexible schedules, but there is always an excuse why something can't be cleaned. Some nights I don't even have time to feed myself or shower, let alone tidy the living room and put away the groceries. I don't want my par- ents to have this view of me. I want them to see me as an adult who can keep a clean home. —Help?! DEAR HELP » One way to cope with this is to hire a biweekly cleaner. You will power-clean before the cleaner's first visit, and preclean and deal with accumulation before subsequent visits. You can get to the point where a few minutes each day will help to keep things in order. Living in filth is not good for any member of the household, including your pets. This might always be something of a strug- gle because of what you are like, how busy you are and the presence of your pets. But if you want to change, you can change. There are many resources teaching people how to tidy up, but my favorite is the Flylady. Check out flylady. net for practical tips ("BabySteps") on how to get started when you are overwhelmed, and how to establish new habits. Flylady suggests that people start with the sink. That's where you should start, too. This is one of the most ambitious and life-chang- ing efforts you can make, and it is transformative. Coupleinfilthyapartment wonder how to cope with mess You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: askamy@tribpub.com and follow her on Twitter @askingamy. Amy Dickinson Ask Amy Sudoku Instructions:Theobjectistoplacethe numbers1to9intheemptysquaresso thateachrow,eachcolumnandeach 3x3boxcontainsthenumberonlyonce. AnswertoPreviousPuzzle CelebrityCipher ByLuisCampos Instructions:CelebrityCiphercryptogramsarecreatedfromquotationsbyfamouspeople, pastandpresent.Eachletterinthecipherstandsforanother. NEACrossword Capricorn(Dec.22-Jan. 19) — Promises made will not be honored. You are best off relying on your own efforts to make things happen and get what you want. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Getting involved in activities that are geared toward children, friends and relatives or taking part in festivities in your com- munity will bring you joy. Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20) — You may want to overdo it and spend more than you should, but it will be the little things you do that will actually make the difference. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Tension is mounting, and tempers are short. Be careful how you approach subjects that affect loved ones. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Get in the spirit of the season. Don't fret if you haven't completed your to-do list. Your time and attention will bring the highest rewards. Love is in the stars. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Take a deep breath and refuse to make last-minute decisions based on worries about what others want or expect. Being thoughtful and kind is the best gift you can give. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Offering your help to those less fortunate will be eye-opening and will give you a better sense of what life is all about. Your kindness will impress someone you love. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Make sure your motives are clear if you lend a helping hand to someone in need. You can't take on the weight of the world. Offer suggestions, but don't pay for someone else's mistake. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — You'll want to please everyone, and with a little effort you can. Simple but thoughtful offerings are favored and will make a dif- ference when it comes to how others perceive you. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) — Expect the unpredictable. Noth- ing will go according to plan. Don't get angry, just go with the flow and do your best to get things done on time. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) — Be creative about how you help others. What you do to improve your family dynamic or to help out in your community will have more impact than a monetary gesture. Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) — You'll be moving fast and ready to take on whatever challenge comes your way. Your ability to maneuver through crowds and unfamiliar territory will help you finish what you start. Horoscope By Eugenia Last WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2015 REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM |YOURDAILYBREAK | 3 B