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DILBERT ScottAdams PEARLSBEFORESWINE StephanPastis PICKLES BrianCrane BABYBLUES JerryScott&RickKirkman GETFUZZY DarbyConley ZITS JerryScott&JimBorgman SHERMAN'SLAGOON JimToomey ARGYLESWEATER ScottHilburn BIZARRO DanPiraro DEARAMY»I'mina long-term relationship with a man who lives on a farm. He's wonderful, but he has some rough edges, most of which I'm OK with. The one thing I can't accept is his dirty hands and fingernails. I understand that a guy who works on a farm is bound to get his hands dirty. My point is that before he eats or goes out in public, he should wash his hands, including getting the grime, out from under- neath his nails. Whenever I bring it up, he says that's what hap- pens when you live and work on a farm. He says I don't understand what it is like to be a farmer. Your thoughts? —GrossedOut DEAR GROSSED OUT » I grew up on a farm, and I have proudly associ- ated with farmers for my entire life. There is no question that farming is a tough and dirty business that leaves residual calluses and tough-to-clean hands and nails. Nails, however, are tricky (your guy should keep them short). You should try to be more tolerant about this. The real issue is his refusal to try to do some- thing differently (is he familiar with Lava soap?). The obvious compromise is for you not to inspect his nails quite so closely and for guy to make an effort to de-grime at the end of a long day. DEAR AMY» My niece has turned into a devil child. Her mother died when she was young. She is a teenager now. Her father (my brother) has always had limited emotional maturity. My mom and I stepped in, handling most of the parental responsibilities, including providing lots of love and emotional support. She spends most of her time at my parents' house. She has always been a moody child but has become unbearable to the point of being downright mean with her surliness and lack of respect. She is in therapy, but it has not helped. She recently began taking an- tidepressants. We can say nothing to her without her blowing up at us. We are at our wits end. — Almost Frayed DEAR FRAYED » Teen girls are not the most predict- able and emotionally sta- ble to start with, and your niece's situation sounds particularly unstable. All of the adults in this family system should engage in her therapy so that you may learn how to communicate with her and she can adopt some reasonable limits. Giving an antidepres- sant to someone who is still in adolescence should not be done without the family also participating in counseling. Depression is a family disease. Farmer's dirty fingernails and hands disgust his girlfriend (You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: askamy@tribune.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or "like" her on Facebook. Amy Dickinson's mem- oir, "The Mighty Queens of Freeville: A Mother, a Daughter and the Town that Raised Them" (Hyperion), is available in bookstores.) Amy Dickinson Ask Amy Sudoku Instructions:Theobjectistoplacethe numbers1to9intheemptysquaresso thateachrow,eachcolumnandeach 3x3boxcontainsthenumberonlyonce. AnswertoPreviousPuzzle CelebrityCipher ByLuisCampos Instructions:CelebrityCiphercryptogramsarecreatedfromquotationsbyfamouspeople, pastandpresent.Eachletterinthecipherstandsforanother. NEACrossword Cancer(June21-July22)— You will be feeling out of sorts. Spend some quiet time catching up on reading or research. Most of all, distance yourself from an emotional situation. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — You have a lot to be grateful for. A lucrative job offer that interests you will pop up. Look for an opportunity and you will find one. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Work hard, but don't ignore your health. Getting stressed or run-down will damage your ability to be productive, erasing your chances of progress. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) — You are at your most appealing, and someone is trying to get your attention. You may have to make an adjustment. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) — Aim to please by being self- sufficient. Stay in control of your affairs rather than depend- ing on others to handle your finances or career objectives for you. Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) — An idea you have been rebelling against could be more lucrative than you thought. This may be your lucky day, so make the most of it. Stop criticizing and start contributing. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Don't shirk your responsi- bilities. You will have a lot to answer for if you haven't been pulling your weight in the work- place. Cut your losses by taking care of business. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — With a few minor adjust- ments, you can make great progress. If you let your intuition and creativity lead the way, you won't be sorry. Romance is highlighted. Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20) — Think about your future. It's time to lay the groundwork to obtain a comfortable standard of living. Look into plans that will help you reach your goals. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Not everyone will be open to constructive criticism. Be diplo- matic, and consider the feelings of others before you dole out advice. Work on your own is- sues, not those of the people around you. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — You can't get ahead by looking back. Stick to your game plan, ignore your critics and finish what you start. Keep moving forward; you're heading toward a brighter future. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — There will be favorable devel- opments in your life. If you are attached, you will find a deeper connection with your partner. If you are single, be prepared for an exciting new chapter. Horoscope By Bernice Bede Osol FRIDAY, JULY 4 FRIDAY, JULY 4, 2014 REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM |YOURDAILYBREAK | 5 B