Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/324279
DILBERT ScottAdams PEARLSBEFORESWINE StephanPastis PICKLES BrianCrane BABYBLUES JerryScott&RickKirkman GETFUZZY DarbyConley ZITS JerryScott&JimBorgman SHERMAN'SLAGOON JimToomey ARGYLESWEATER ScottHilburn BIZARRO DanPiraro DEARCAROLYN»My brother, sister-in-law (SIL) and nephew, 5, live halfway across the country from us. I live near my parents where we grew up. There was some signifi- cant upheaval between my parents and brother's fam- ily a couple of years ago, and it was very tense. The few times a year that SIL and Nephew and sometimes Brother (who can- not always come) visit, they are up and down the state visiting family and friends. The last visit, my parents were away. SIL and Nephew stayed with us for a couple of nights. Now they are coming again in a few weeks. SIL emailed to ask if they could stay with us again, before they visit with her family. Her email made it clear she is not excited about seeing my parents and mentioned (halfheartedly) setting aside one night "so they can see (Nephew/ Brother)." I feel she is putting me in a position of choosing her over my parents. I responded that I would be willing to have them stay with us if she made seeing my parents with my nephew more of a priority. I am heartbroken for my parents (and feel a little used, too). They are good and very loving people, at times argumentative (Dad) or fussy (Mom), but always wonderful grandparents. I have not heard back from her. Do I just wait? My sister thinks I am right to be loyal to our parents. My husband thinks I should tell SIL that she can stay with us if she lets Nephew stay overnight with my parents without her. Is there anything to be done besides wait? —M. DEAR M. » You can apolo- gize to SIL for overstep- ping your boundaries. No hedging. And you can stop acting on advice only from those in your camp. While you're entitled to and surely justified in your heartbreak, it is so not your place to dic- tate whether SIL brings Nephew to your parents' home, when, how, or for how long. She and your brother visit as they see fit. Period. By imposing conditions on hosting SIL, meanwhile, you not only failed to make your parents more appealing to visit (seri- ously — when was the last time being pressured into something opened your eyes to its beauty?), you also almost certainly dam- aged one of the connec- tions between SIL and her husband's family that is sort-of working. She made a point of visiting you without your brother pres- ent . You interpret it as her using you, but I see it as a bridge between families of her design. Dynamiting that bridge stands to cost your parents a lot more than a forced and grudging Nephew overnight would benefit them — and that's assuming you actually got SIL to agree to it, which her silence says isn't likely. So, apologize, uncondi- tionally. You put yourself in the middle when you didn't belong there. Woman trying to bridge a gap in her family should butt out Carolyn Hax Ask Carolyn Email Carolyn Hax at tellme@washpost.com, follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ carolyn.hax or chat with her online at noon Eastern time each Friday at www.washingtonpost.com. Sudoku Instructions:Theobjectistoplacethe numbers1to9intheemptysquaresso thateachrow,eachcolumnandeach 3x3boxcontainsthenumberonlyonce. AnswertoPreviousPuzzle CelebrityCipher ByLuisCampos Instructions:CelebrityCiphercryptogramsarecreatedfromquotationsbyfamouspeople, pastandpresent.Eachletterinthecipherstandsforanother. NEACrossword Gemini(May21-June20)— The answer to a personal prob- lem will reveal itself. A situation that you thought unresolvable will come to an amiable conclu- sion if you negotiate. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — An unexpected surprise will develop, helping a difficult situ- ation turn positive. Cast your worries aside and plan to relax. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — If you wish to raise your standard of living, make some adjust- ments. Your current employer may be nice, but could be taking advantage of your talents. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Your good-natured joking will be misinterpreted. Make sure you are laughing with your friends, not at them. A feud is likely to develop if you aren't tactful. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) — A short trip will clear your head and motivate you to take on something new. Discover- ing new skills and enjoyable activities will help you make new friends. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) — Don't retreat into your shell. It's more important than ever to keep moving forward in a posi- tive manner. You will ruin what you have already accomplished if you aren't a team player. Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) — Ask yourself if you are moving forward or just coasting. It may be necessary to increase your efforts if you want to reach your destination. Past experi- ence will help you discover future opportunities. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Follow your instincts when it comes to financial decisions. There is money to be made if you are patient. Plan a romantic evening; it will improve your life. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You are facing an emotional downturn. Get together with close friends or engage in physi- cal activity. It's hard to mope when you are active and hang- ing out with positive people. Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20) — Usher in a new project. Your energy level is high, and your ideas for improvement look good. Brainstorm with col- leagues to drum up interest in your plans. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Leave some time for romance. A travel opportunity will prove to be professionally helpful. People you meet today will provide in- spiration for a new project. Mix business with pleasure. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Make sure your calendar isn't overloaded. If you have too many tasks to complete, you won't have time to enjoy friends or family. Pace yourself accordingly. Horoscope By Bernice Bede Osol WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4 | YOURDAILYBREAK | REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2014 6 B