Stop prying into your mother’s love life — it’s none of your business

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/10/2016 (3279 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: My mother thinks we don’t know who her boyfriend is and it’s getting ridiculous. He lives across the back lane and she didn’t invite him for Thanksgiving dinner, poor guy. His wife died less than a year ago and we figured he and my mom have been seeing each other for about four months. I asked her a few weeks ago if he was invited to Thanksgiving dinner. She said innocently, “Why should he be? He’s just a neighbour.” And I said, “Tell me that story again when you get married to the guy.” She playfully swatted me with the dish towel, but her cheeks were pink.

How do we get her to bring the poor guy over? Did he sit there all alone waiting for her to slip over with a Thanksgiving dinner plate at 9 p.m.? I saw her sneaking out and going through his gate, but I didn’t say anything. — Her Daughter, Miss Busybody, River Heights

Dear Miss Busybody: What do you care how fast or how slow this romance goes? Maybe he’s shy or feels guilty about dating someone so soon after his wife died. They’re going at their own pace, so don’t supervise. Don’t kill this budding romance completely by teasing. Did you like getting teased when you started dating somebody? No one does. The best way to kill a new romance is to have the whole family peeking and teasing.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: There have been many times throughout my life that I have had that infatuation feeling that Young Lover wrote in about — the big crush you have when you don’t yet know someone well, and think they’re perfect. I’m not the bad-boy type toward women. Maybe it is the fact I don’t drive, or maybe I don’t have bulging muscles, but every woman I have been with over the years has embraced me for a while, or has just wanted to be friends. I have been through too much of this. I have this one philosophy: I think that women are the loveliest creatures on Earth. I stand by that. Please tell me what I am lacking. — Signed, “I”, Winnipeg

Dear “I”: Check out what you’re putting on Facebook or online dating personals to see if there’s anything offensive. Political and religious comments are not great topics to lead with. Your philosophy about women being “the loveliest creatures on Earth” is the best beginning to attracting women. Is there a reason you don’t drive?

Do you belong to any groups where you might meet people as friends first before dating, so you don’t go from one infatuation to another, but proceed from friendship to dating someone you actually know? Then it’s not just a few dates with a stranger, getting infatuated with her and then it’s over.

In the meantime, check with stylish friends or family about the best haircut, eyeglasses and clothing for you, and take them shopping. Attractiveness increases your ability to date successfully, and you’ll have a better chance of finding love.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: Extra-stinky feet are a real problem for my husband, who plays sports and is a runner. It doesn’t matter that foot smells are sickening to me, he claims he can’t smell anything and acts as if I must be making it up. Finally, one of his friends commented to him about his stinky feet and he finally got the message. He pretends he doesn’t know what to do differently. Any suggestions? — Wife of Big Stinky Foot, Winnipeg

Dear Wife of Big Stinky Foot: If a doctor recommends a powder, certain socks or types of shoes, your husband will take advice to buy them faster than taking advice from you. And it wouldn’t kill your honey to wash his feet after he gets home and takes off the offending shoes and socks. You could suggest that.

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

Miss Lonelyhearts
Advice Columnist

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