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No compromise when it comes to the dogs

Dear Annie: I’m one of those people who talks to her dogs like they’re little roommates. I don’t mean baby-talk nonstop, but yes, I tell them, “Good morning.” Yes, I apologize if I step over them. And yes, I know exactly which squeaky toy means “play” versus “comfort.” I have two dogs: Daisy, who’s 12 and moves like an old lady in slippers, and Moose, who’s 5 and believes every delivery driver is his best friend. They were with me through my hardest years -- including a time when I’d come home to a silent house and feel my throat tighten before I even took my ...

Living through century of history

An email recently arrived from a lady named Paula Gorgey, who is a fan of my work. We corresponded a bit and I learned that Paula is 100 years old and had grown up in Hungary. Sensing a good story, I asked if she would consent to a phone interview. Much to my delight, she said yes. “I was born in Budapest on August 24, 1925, just a few years after the Great War,” Paula began. “My father was an officer on a submarine during the war, and it’s a great point of pride that my grandson is currently serving on a nuclear submarine based in Hawaii.” I asked Paula about her ...

Don’t despair, baseball season around the corner

The early 20th century baseball star Rogers Hornsby was asked what he did in the off season. “People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.” As winter drags on, we can all appreciate Hornsby’s sentiment. As I write, a 40 mph wind is blowing in below zero temps. Whatever charm winter had, (“Oh look, the mosquitoes are gone”), faded with the passing of the Christmas season. Like the weather, the news has also been bad. The divisions in our nation are wide. So, I’ve decided to write ...

What’s missing from ICE conversation? Dialogue

Right now, Minnesota is in the national spotlight, and not for good reasons. First, because our state government failed to stop massive fraud. Then because federal immigration enforcement drew national attention, protests, and tragedy. These operations removed dangerous criminals from our streets, including people convicted of violent crimes who were in the country illegally. They also resulted in the death of Renee Good. Depending on who you ask, you’ll hear two very different stories. Some say Good acted on a moral obligation to oppose federal actions. Others say an ICE officer ...

The purse

Astronomers tell us that somewhere out in the vastness of space there are curious objects known as black holes. Formed during the collapse of super-huge stars, these things are so massive and their gravity so intense that nothing — not even light or Harry Houdini — can escape the clutches of their immense gravity. When I first heard about black holes, I got that funny feeling called déjà vu. This is because I thought that they were describing my wife’s purse. If women are an enigma wrapped in a mystery, then their purses fall into the realm of the unknowable. As any married ...

Confronting a loved one with an eating disorder

Dear Annie: My husband confided to me that his mother had an eating disorder in the past, and there are possible signs she may have relapsed. When she visits us, she will exercise for hours daily, regularly disparage her physical appearance and skip meals claiming that she is “too bloated” to eat. I’m never sure what is the best way to respond to her self-criticism or behaviors. My husband states that she saw a therapist years ago for this problem but has not received any treatment since. He thinks she would be resistant to any further treatment, but I can’t figure out ...