Don’t be so hard-line on nude tanning routine

Advertisement

Advertise with us

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I was excited to get sunshine back and get out in my yard among my bushes — and start my all-over tan. I’m famous in my tennis group for my dark tans and white outfits. Unfortunately, a new family moved in next door during the winter and now those kids are outside until dark, yelling and making a huge racket.

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.

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 31/05/2024 (814 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I was excited to get sunshine back and get out in my yard among my bushes — and start my all-over tan. I’m famous in my tennis group for my dark tans and white outfits. Unfortunately, a new family moved in next door during the winter and now those kids are outside until dark, yelling and making a huge racket.

The dad is making an even bigger disturbance with his friends and their tools and loud music. His work buddies are over almost every night, working on a giant tree house they are building. I overheard the happy loudmouth host telling his friends they are all invited to bring their brats over to play any time during the summer.

Here’s the other big problem: that tree house is in an old, extremely tall tree, which looks right over my fence into my yard. I’m losing all my privacy, and I can’t have that when I’m a sunbather.

I went over there in a huff yesterday and requested the father to cease and desist. His face turned red and he said that he had heard about me and I should put up a screen so his kids wouldn’t see me tanning naked.

Then he closed the door in my face. I asked a cop friend of mine what I should do and he agreed with the screen idea. Why should I have to do this when I own my house and my lot? God knows I paid enough for it and this is outrageous. What can I do?

— Losing Privacy I Paid For, Westwood

Dear Losing Privacy: Yes, you do own your house, out-buildings and back and front yards, but sadly for you that ownership does not extend to the air and sightlines. Airplane pilots and their passengers, people on hot-air balloon rides, different kinds of workmen climbing tall poles — all of them can certainly look down and see you.

It’s time to give up. All it takes is two strips of cloth. Buy a bikini for the summer of 2024. Either that, or invest in a fabric or even wood-slat screen. If you don’t like the sounds of the kids playing, turn up your own tunes or put on some headphones.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: My ex-wife has moved back to Winnipeg. I really want her to go back to the U.S. because she just can’t be far enough away.

We share no children and she has no reason to contact me, but she has called me three times this week because she has no friends left here. I know she’s drinking again.

She claims she quit and cleaned up her act, but I don’t believe her, and a million sorries couldn’t begin to make up for the way she abused me.

I don’t know where to turn, but I will call the police if I have to to keep her away. I’m already losing sleep and she made a wreck out of me before.

What can I do to stop it before this happens? I used to love her, but no longer. I thought I could handle this if it happened, but I can’t. Please help.

— Not Going There Again, St. Norbert

Dear Not Going There Again: Al-Anon’s groups for friends and families of alcoholics (al-anon.org) can give you the kind of support you need at this time. They will share their knowledge, experience and strength to help you fend off your abusive ex and regain your equilibrium.

Do not hesitate to make contact, as you are quickly feeling a loss of control now that your ex-wife is back in the city and bombarding you again.

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

City inundated with thousands of complaints after launch of new transit system

Morgan Modjeski 11 minute read Preview

City inundated with thousands of complaints after launch of new transit system

Morgan Modjeski 11 minute read Friday, Aug. 21, 2026

Despite complaints from thousands of dissatisfied users, Winnipeg hasn't hit the brakes on the rollout of its new primary transit network. And it appears that ignoring the public response cost Winnipeg Transit millions of dollars in lost revenue and ridership.

Read
Friday, Aug. 21, 2026

Five Things: PM Carney explains why Canada left the U.S. negotiating table

David Baxter, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Five Things: PM Carney explains why Canada left the U.S. negotiating table

David Baxter, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 1:58 PM CDT

OTTAWA - Canada is preparing to hit the U.S. with dollar-for-dollar tariffs in response to new 50 per cent duties on $28 billion worth of Canadian products that took effect when talks between the two nations collapsed as negotiations neared the finish line. 

Prime Minister Mark Carney was quiet publicly during the final days of negotiations, but now has now explained his rationale for telling the Canadian negotiating team, led by Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and chief negotiator Janice Charette, to leave the table.

Restrictions on further trade deals

"The U.S. Introduced at the last hours, in the last hours, efforts to restrict our ability to have other trade deals. You heard me say a moment ago, what we've accomplished in the past year, 20 new deals, economic and security partnerships, the prospect of doubling our market access because we believe in free trade. We're the partner of choice in many respects for countries around the world and the Americans wanted to restrict that. They had language that what they wanted to restrict that, unacceptable," Carney said during a press conference on Parliament Hill.

Read
Updated: Yesterday at 1:58 PM CDT

Plenty of alternatives to U.S. wines on the shelves

Ben Sigurdson 5 minute read Preview

Plenty of alternatives to U.S. wines on the shelves

Ben Sigurdson 5 minute read Yesterday at 6:00 AM CDT

In February 2025, Manitoba (and most other provinces) pulled American liquor from store shelves as part of the ongoing trade dispute with the United States.

Then in December, the province followed a similar course to others and put American booze that was already on hand back on shelves, selling off inventory that had been wasting away in warehouses for months, and directing proceeds from those sales to charities.

Lineups sprung up at numerous stores as consumers snapped up bestselling American products — think Maker’s Mark, Jack Daniel’s, Apothic Red and the like. After that initial rush, what was left has been languishing on shelves ever since, with many products eventually being drastically discounted for a quick sale, lest they become too long in the tooth.

I decided early on not to write about/review U.S. products in this space until things were well and truly sorted. But a few months back, I found myself in the mood for a big, oaky red wine and — in a moment of weakness, or nostalgia, or maybe just curiosity — I picked up a $30-ish California Cabernet Sauvignon.

Read
Yesterday at 6:00 AM CDT

Executive exodus continues at Shared Health with three recent departures

Chris Kitching 5 minute read Preview

Executive exodus continues at Shared Health with three recent departures

Chris Kitching 5 minute read Friday, Aug. 21, 2026

Manitoba’s provincial health authority is looking for its fourth chief financial officer since 2023 and additional replacements after the recent departures of three executives.

Read
Friday, Aug. 21, 2026

‘Strong sense of unity’

By Melissa Martin 5 minute read Preview

‘Strong sense of unity’

By Melissa Martin 5 minute read Yesterday at 5:14 PM CDT

Manitoba government and business leaders are rallying behind Prime Minister Mark Carney’s plan to fight back, after a sudden collapse of trade talks between the U.S. and Canada sparked a new salvo of U.S. tariffs on some Canadian goods.

On Saturday, after Carney vowed to respond with retaliatory tariffs, Manitoba premier Wab Kinew said his government stood “100 per cent” behind the prime minister’s plan to respond to what Kinew called U.S. president Donald Trump’s “unjustified and immoral” tariffs.

“History will not be kind to Donald Trump, so we should never appease him,” Kinew said. “We should fight back, which is what Canada is doing today.”

Kinew met reporters for a brief news conference at the legislature on Saturday afternoon, about an hour after finishing a call with Carney and the other premiers. There was a “really strong sense of unity” on that call, Kinew said, and emphasized that he backs the federal decision to “walk away from what would have been a bad deal.”

Read
Yesterday at 5:14 PM CDT

Quick quotes: Here’s what people are saying about the Canada-U.S. trade negotiations

Catherine Morrison and David Baxter, The Canadian Press 9 minute read Preview

Quick quotes: Here’s what people are saying about the Canada-U.S. trade negotiations

Catherine Morrison and David Baxter, The Canadian Press 9 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 8:04 PM CDT

OTTAWA - The United States imposed 50 per cent tariffs on billions of dollars worth of Canadian exports Saturday, after the two countries failed to reach a new trade deal before an extended deadline imposed by President Donald Trump earlier in the week.

In response, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Canada will retaliate with matching dollar-for-dollar tariffs. Carney also suspended talks with the United States and summoned his negotiators back to Ottawa.

Here's what people are saying in response: 

——— 

Read
Updated: Yesterday at 8:04 PM CDT