Focus on own plans and don’t stress about ex

Advertisement

Advertise with us

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I’m a gay man and I’ve made it through the university year doing my best to get over a painful break-up. After Christmas, I was finally starting to heal — but I still needed my ex to stay the heck away.

Read this article for free:


or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Subscribe and receive a limited-edition Free Press branded hat or tote.

Digital Subscription

One year of digital access for only $205*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I’m a gay man and I’ve made it through the university year doing my best to get over a painful break-up. After Christmas, I was finally starting to heal — but I still needed my ex to stay the heck away.

I thought he was respecting that, but I heard this weekend he’s “tired of protecting me” and is going to live his life freely. The worst part is he’s got a new guy and they have rented a cottage at what we used to refer to as “our beach,” for the best months of the summer.

That was too much! I phoned him up and let loose. He said nothing. Finally, he said calmly he’s OK being “just friends” with me, and he suggested I could rent another cottage at the same beach, with his blessing.

Who needs his blessing? Why couldn’t he have found a job far away, like in Mexico? He can speak several languages. How am I expected to be pleasant when he’s around anywhere?

— Dreading Summer, Westwood

Dear Dreading: Instead of focusing on your ex’s summer plans, it’s time to turn your back on him and build a great summer for yourself. Use your jealousy as energy to spur your research into other beautiful lakes and cabins in Manitoba and northwestern Ontario.

If a small group of your close friends rent together, the cost could be more manageable for a fabulous cabin this year. It could even turn out to be a different but great new summer experience.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: My sisters and their husbands have always been family-oriented, but now there’s a problem with the big family summer plan for 2026.

Two couples, including mine, have sold our older places, and bought new properties at a much nicer lake and beach. There will be lots of carpentry work going on this summer — it’s very exciting.

But now my favourite younger sister and her new husband have announced they’re staying in the city all summer to save money so they can build from scratch near us next year. That’s such a letdown for this summer! We’ve always holidayed together with everybody.

I suggested they come to the lake with our family, she said sternly, “No, we need to save our money.”

I asked why and my sister said, “Next year we plan to hire a crew who can build us a cabin fast.” Great, but what can we do to save this family summer?

— Different Wavelengths, West Fort Garry

Dear Different: Respect everybody’s decisions for this summer.

Support your younger sister’s decision and their building dream for the year to come — or even the one after that, as construction can be very expensive!

You should still invite them up for the long weekends — even just one weekend — and pitch a big tent for them to stay in, if you have to.

Put a good effort in creating a weekend or two together for them to remember. It could still be a great summer for the whole family to remember in different ways.

Please send your questions and comments to lovecoach@hotmail.com or Miss Lonelyhearts c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6.

Maureen Scurfield

Maureen Scurfield
Advice columnist

Maureen Scurfield writes the Miss Lonelyhearts advice column.

Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.

Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.

Report Error Submit a Tip

More Stories

Men’s recovery home dedicated to ‘homeless hero’ Faron Hall’s memory

Scott Billeck 14 minute read Preview

Men’s recovery home dedicated to ‘homeless hero’ Faron Hall’s memory

Scott Billeck 14 minute read Yesterday at 12:30 PM CDT

Faron Hall never got the chance to begin recovery. Once heralded as Winnipeg’s “homeless hero” after twice plunging into the Red River to save strangers from drowning, Hall told St. Boniface Street Links executive director Marion Willis shortly before his death in 2014 that he wanted help for his alcoholism.

Read
Yesterday at 12:30 PM CDT

Fighting tariffs with the power of boycotts

Editorial 4 minute read Preview

Fighting tariffs with the power of boycotts

Editorial 4 minute read 2:01 AM CDT

Speaking this week about an important deadline for a renewal of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico agreement on trade, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew promised that Manitoba will continue to keep American booze off the shelves of government liquor stores if a fair deal cannot be reached.

“No CUSMA, no booze-ma,” Kinew said with poetic flair.

Manitoba is not alone in this threat.

Although he lacks Kinew’s poetry, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he was only willing to allow U.S. wine, beer and spirits back onto the shelves of government liquor stores if the U.S. scaled back the 50 per cent tariffs on steel, aluminum and autos U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose on Aug. 19.

Read
2:01 AM CDT

Manitoba family finalist for cattle producers environmental award

Aaron Epp 3 minute read Preview

Manitoba family finalist for cattle producers environmental award

Aaron Epp 3 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

A family in western Manitoba is one of seven finalists for a national environmental award honouring beef cattle producers.

Connor and Kyla English, alongside Connor’s parents, Brian and Leanne English, are nominated for the Canadian Cattle Association’s Environmental Stewardship Award. The 30-year-old award is presented to beef farmers and ranchers who explore innovative ways to protect, preserve and enhance their operations and the environment simultaneously.

This year’s recipient will be announced on Wednesday during a banquet at the Canadian Beef Industry Conference in Winnipeg.

The English family’s roots near Bradwardine — about 265 kilometres west of Winnipeg — date back to 1898. Today, Connor, Kyla, Brian and Leanne manage a herd of about 320 breeding cows on nearly 445 hectares (1,100 acres) of owned and rented pasture and forage land.

Read
2:00 AM CDT

City Lego seller continues to build up its business

Gabrielle Piché 4 minute read Preview

City Lego seller continues to build up its business

Gabrielle Piché 4 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 8:54 AM CDT

Brick by brick, a Winnipeg Lego seller is building its third expansion — in less than two years.

Read
Updated: Yesterday at 8:54 AM CDT

Célébrer des employés qui mettent la main à la pâte

Jaider Cabarcas 6 minute read Preview

Célébrer des employés qui mettent la main à la pâte

Jaider Cabarcas 6 minute read 2:01 AM CDT

L’immigration francophone joue un rôle grandissant dans la vitalité de Saint-Pierre-Jolys. À la Boulangerie Saint-Pierre, des employés venus de plusieurs pays contribuent à la croissance de l’entreprise tout en s’intégrant à la vie du village. Une diversité que l’entreprise souhaite célébrer avec une nouvelle murale.

La Boulangerie Saint-Pierre, à Saint-Pierre-Jolys, connaît une importante expansion depuis quelques années. Pour Jocelyn Gagné, propriétaire de l’entreprise familiale, cette croissance repose largement sur le travail de ses employés, dont plusieurs sont des immigrants francophones. C’est pour souligner leur contribution que la boulangerie, en collaboration avec l’artiste franco-manitobain Gérald Laroche, a entrepris la création d’une murale qui ornera bientôt sa façade.

Jocelyn Gagné, qui travaille dans l’entreprise depuis l’âge de 13 ans, alors que ses parents étaient propriétaires, constate bien que la société a changé à travers les années. “On est rendu dans près de 150 magasins, on a grandi pas mal vite dans la dernière année. On a beaucoup plus d’employés que dans le temps de mes parents.” Avec une telle croissance, le besoin d’engager davantage de main-d’œuvre est venu naturellement.

Un Folklorama à l’année longue

Read
2:01 AM CDT

Five-star review of Winkler Bible Camp

Taylor Allen 3 minute read Preview

Five-star review of Winkler Bible Camp

Taylor Allen 3 minute read 2:01 AM CDT

Nile Fehr’s voice reaches another level of excitement when he talks about one particular aspect of Winkler Bible Camp: the pizza.

“The pizza? Chef’s kiss,” explained the nine-year-old.

“The pepperoni pizza was so good. It was so cheesy, there was so much pepperoni on there. You know when you go to a restaurant and they have pizza on the menu and you have it and it’s like the best pizza? Pizza is usually better when it’s made at restaurants, like, there’s a method.

“But I think (this camp) found the method that makes it taste better.”

Read
2:01 AM CDT