September mourning as lake season ends

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/09/2018 (2943 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: When summer is over, I get depressed. My wife and I (no kids) pack up to leave the lake after the September long weekend and rarely get back, although we always say we will. We go and say goodbye to our lake friends and the nearby shopkeepers and promise to stay in touch, but never do.

We have three blessed summer months going back and forth to the lake, and the rest of the year doesn’t hold a candle to it. I’m sorry to be such a drag, but September and October are months of mourning for me. November is hell and December starts to be okay with all the celebrations. January to April are so cold they suck, and then May is the beginning of warm weather and venturing out to work on our lake property and getting ready for the summer again. My wife feels just as lousy as I do. I can’t stand another winter like this. Please help. We are both way too young to retire.

— Plummeting Again, Fort Garry

Dear Plummeting: No kids? That’s good for you, in your situation. November and February need to be vacation times for you from now on — somewhere hot and by the water, even if it’s only for 10 days at a time. Book your fall trip in September, and another one in late January, the times when your mourning is at its worst. Look for a good deal and get out of Dodge on the cheap.

If you know you have two magical winter holidays coming you won’t greet September feeling ready to jump off a bridge. Depression, in your case, is situational and can be alleviated. You may both have to put away $100 every two weeks in order to afford two holidays per winter. Big deal. Eat cheaply, knowing you will be rewarded later.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: I love this woman who lives in another English-speaking country and we have visited each other’s homes several times. Both our families are kind of friendly, but scared stiff we will marry, with one of us leaving for the other’s country.

Both of us have good jobs that involve international travel and could work anywhere in the world. How do we get the relatives to stop the negative vibes we’re getting from both sides?

— Upset and Annoyed, Winnipeg

Dear Annoyed: Be as honest with your own parents as you have been with me, and now! Tell your mom and dad how you would work things if you made it permanent, and ask them to stop being negative right now.

It is up to your lady friend to decide if she wants to say anything like that to her parents. Have you actually discussed marriage? You can understand she might not want to be as open with her folks as you are, unless she’s sure a marriage is in the future. A woman’s parents can be very protective if they think their dear daughter is going to jump ship to another country where they won’t see their future grandchildren grow up. Your own parents could feel the same way, so tread lightly.

Got problems in your personal life? Email Miss Lonelyhearts at lovecoach@hotmail.com.

Miss Lonelyhearts
Advice Columnist

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