Colby Free Press Monday, August 7, 2006 Page 7 Mother Goose & Grim • Mike Peters (Sample) Mom dumps material woes on daughter DEAR ABBY: I am 21 and taste. Your thoughts, please? have a complicated problem. My Abigail — EMBARRASSED IN mother, whom I love very much PITTSFORD, N.Y. and who is one of the most won- Van Buren DEAR EMBARRASSED: If derful women ever, has, at 41, the party and trip are a gift from found herself in a very difficult • Dear you and your sister, I am mysti- situation. Abby fied as to why the guests are She recently confided to me asked to make contributions to that her marriage of almost 12 foot the bill. I agree that any do- • Patrick McDonnell years to my stepfather has been her husband and a marriage nation that will help to pay for the extremely unsatisfactory — es- counselor. It’s the mature way trip is above and beyond any- pecially in the bedroom. He has of handling the kind of prob- one’s “obligation,” and for your absolutely no interest in the deed lem she’s dealing with. sister to give your parents an ac- at all, and, as a normal, red- counting of what each guest blooded woman, she does. DEAR ABBY: My sister and I forks over would be tacky in the I suggested they seek profes- are throwing a large 40th anni- extreme. sional guidance, but they have versary/60th birthday party for yet to do so. To further confuse my parents and sending them on DEAR ABBY: A good friend the situation, Mom has found a trip as our gift to them. of mine from work and her fam- herself attracted to a 28-year-old In lieu of gifts, my sister sent ily are from Romania. They co-worker who is also very at- out invitations that stated we moved to the United States nine tracted to her and has made his would instead be graciously ac- years ago. She, her husband and feelings known. cepting donations to help pay for son have all just become U.S. For Better or Worse • Lynn Johnston I am not sure how to advise her the trip. Because the range of citizens. I am happy for them and about this. On the one hand, it’s donations will vary from person proud to know them. wrong to have an affair. But on to person, my sister has decided I would like to get them a gift the other hand, you only get one to give Mother a list detailing the in celebration, and I’m not sure life, and I want her to be happy. amount given by each guest. She what would be appropriate. Mom is a wonderful woman and feels that because some folks Could you suggest something deserves everything good in life, may go “above and beyond” that you think would work? I’d and I don’t know what to tell her. what others donate, our mother appreciate any input you would Please help, Abby. needs to know who the most gen- give. — IN A HOT SPOT IN TUC- erous gifts come from. — PROUD OF MY SON I am vehemently opposed to FRIEND, BROWNTOWN, DEAR IN A HOT SPOT: the idea. I feel that any donation WIS. Your mother may be a “won- that helps to pay for the trip is DEAR PROUD: How about Hagar the Horrible • Chris Browne derful woman,” but it was ex- “above and beyond” anyone’s giving them an American flag? tremely inappropriate of her to obligation, and that their being Editor’s note: Dear Abby is try to involve you in her sex life. part of the celebration is enough written by Abigail Van Buren, Please don’t give this your — regardless of how much they also known as Jeanne Phillips, blessing, or the person who will give. and was founded by her mother, get the blame for it later is I see no reason for my parents Pauline Phillips. Write Dear YOU. ever to know who gives what, Abby at www.DearAbby.com or Tell her again that she needs and think that my sister sharing P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, to resolve this problem with the information is in terrible Calif. 90069. Bridge Family Circus • Bil Keane

Garfield • Jim Davis

Blondie • Chic Young

Famous Hand Those who consistently perform well at the high- est levels of the game certainly are deserving of the reputations they have earned. But the chances are that if you watched a top expert play, you would not be greatly impressed. Crossword The fact is that an expert seldom does anything sensational. His most valuable trait is that he rarely Mort Walker makes a mistake. The ability to play one session • after another without erring is his stock in trade, but it does not induce kibitzers to stand up and cheer. Take this deal from a national championship. South was in four spades, and West led a heart. East took his A-K and returned a heart, won by declarer with the jack. South played the ace of clubs, ruffed a club and cashed the ace of dia- monds. Next came the jack of spades, which lost to West’s king. When West returned a club, de- clarer ruffed and easily took the rest. What did South do that was extraordinary? On the face of it, nothing. He had to lose two hearts Zits • Jim Borgman & Jerry Scott and a spade — and he lost them. Yet, upon closer study, South did something really good, and if he hadn’t done it, he would have gone down. He made the key play of cashing the ace of diamonds before taking the trump finesse. Let’s say he hadn’t done this. Suppose that af- ter he ruffed a club at trick five, he had next led the jack of spades, losing to the king. West would then have returned a diamond, and the contract would have been lost. South would have been unable to lead from dummy without losing a second trump trick to West’s ten, and he would have gone down one. Giant oaks from tiny Zits • Jim Borgman & Jerry Scott acorns grow. Tomorrow: The delicate art of defense. (c)2006 Inc. Cryptoquip

Sally Forth • Greg Howard