I’m driving back to my parents’ home from a state park on a beautiful summer day.
After devastating floods rampaged through Texas,
DEAR HARRIETTE: My sister and I have always been close, but lately, things have become tense between us, and it’s all because of our kids. Her son and my daughter go to the same school and are in the same grade. Recently, they’ve been having a lot of problems getting along.
Hello, readers! Welcome to a bonus letters column. We are happy to report that you are keeping our inboxes busy, so we’ll dive right in.
CLINTON’S HISTORY 10, 20, 30 AND 40 YEARS AGO
DEAR HARRIETTE: Over the past year, I’ve gained a significant amount of weight, and it’s been difficult for me emotionally and mentally. I’ve become extremely self-conscious about how I look – to the point where I sometimes avoid social situations altogether. I feel like I’m constantly comparing myself to the person I used to be, and I don’t recognize my reflection anymore.
Dear Doctors: I am 82 years old, and I have tested negative for Alzheimer’s disease. But I do have some cognitive dysfunction. Can this be slowed? I exercise 30 minutes a day. In addition to that, I walk at least 1 mile. I also bicycle vigorously for two six-minute periods a day. Do you think this is helping?
On Friday, the Trump administration laid off about 1,350 employees at the State Department. A number of news reports described the staff cuts as “devastating.” Others suggested the downsizing will endanger U.S. national security. The New York Times said the cuts “demote longtime U.S. values,” while The Washington Post said they “will degrade America’s standing in the world and curb U.S. soft power.”
DEAR HARRIETTE: My daughter just graduated from college in May, and my husband and I couldn’t be prouder of her. She has a job lined up in New York City and will be moving there in mid-August. The lease at her college apartment ends in July, and we were really hoping she would come home before starting this next chapter. We thought it would be a nice way for her to relax, regroup and spend some quality time with family before she’s off building her new life. When we suggested it, she told us she doesn’t want to come home. She said she wants to stay with some university friends until her lease is up. Honestly, this response really hurt. We’ve supported her every step of the way, and we were looking forward to having her back under our roof, even if just for a short time. I can’t help but feel like she’s trying to distance herself from us now that she’s an adult. Is it wrong to want this time with her? How do I deal with the sadness and disappointment I’m feeling without making her feel guilty? – Missing Our Daughter DEAR MISSING OUR DAUGHTER: Accepting that your daughter is independent and walking into the next stage of her life has got to be difficult. It is understandable that you long to spend a bit of time with her before she moves further away. It also makes sense that she wants to be with friends she has made in college whom she may never see again.
The internet has gotten to be a mean place. I have a Facebook author page (CarrieClassonAuthor), but folks looking for insightful comments on current events will be disappointed. I post pictures of flowers most of the time and occasional photos of my cat, Felix. It is not the place to go for cutting-edge news. Other than my photos of flowers, I don’t do much on Facebook, but I am a member of a few groups, and most of them have to do with writing.