Dear Matilda

  • Dear Matilda

    Pooped!

    Dear Matilda,

    We have an issue with a careless neighbor and her little gray dog. Every morning this woman allows her dog to take a poop on the pathway to our front door. And sure enough, every morning my kids find it on their way out the door for school and proceed to spread it all over the front pathway…

    On the few occasions when I have been up early enough to catch this jerk, she just smiles and walks away, leaving a steamy pile of poop gracing our entryway. We love dogs and always pick up after our own animals. There is also a leash law in our town that this lady seems to have decided to ignore. I’m not sure where this person lives, and I don’t want to start unnecessary conflict, but I’m sick of this crap. Any advice…?

    -Pooped

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  • Dear Matilda

    Social Civility

    Dear Matilda,

    Every year my husband and I throw several large social events at our home. Some for simply gathering good friends, others for networking with colleagues and fostering professional relationships. Over the years, we have adjusted our guest lists and removed those that became socially challenging for us to ‘manage’ during various events (i.e. basic rudeness, over-indulgence, or any socially inappropriate, embarrassing behavior that may reflect poorly upon us.)

    On several occasions, guests that were removed from our invite list called or emailed to ask why they didn’t receive an invitation, or worse, showed up uninvited with the assumption they were welcome. This has proven to create an awkward situation for us. Is it just me, or is it the height or rudeness to assume you are invited to an event, even though you didn’t receive a formal invitation? Are we duty-bound to entertain people simply because they had the privilege of attending one of our gatherings previously? Please Matilda, share with us your sage wisdom on this matter…

    – Irked in Arkansas

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  • Dear Matilda

    Thelma & Louise

    Dear Matilda,

    One of my best gal pals from college lives across the country. We have remained very close over the years, talking several times a week by phone and Skype. Two months ago, we decided to plan a road trip to Colorado to visit her niece, whom I’m very close with. We’re both really excited to have a bit of quality face-to-face time together while traveling. So, we’ve been enthusiastically planning excursions and adventures into our 6-day journey, including museums, shopping, a girls spa day, hiking a few national parks, fun restaurants to visit with her niece, etc.

    Then, about three weeks ago, I was contacted by another friend from college whom I have consciously maintained little interaction with over the years. She informed me that she’d heard about our road trip and invited herself to join us.

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  • Dear Matilda

    Hairballs!

    Dear Matilda,

    Any idea how to clear a clogged drain without using harsh chemicals? I’m in a real pickle right now.

    – Hairballs


     

     

    Dear Hairballs,

    I appreciate your desire to find a solution that isn’t going to harm the environment or corrode your household plumbing. So, let’s approach this as women in my Grandmother’s era managed their own ‘lady plumbing’, with a wee bit of vinegar…

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  • Dear Matilda

    Oh Deer!

    Dear Matilda,

    We recently installed an 8ft. deer fence around our back yard with the hopes of growing a beautiful picking garden that would not become a gourmet salad bar for our lovely local deer population. Unfortunately, the gate was left open, and now I have two female deer that refuse to leave my gated yard.

    I don’t want to hurt them, I just want them gone, immediately if not sooner. Any advice…?
     


     
     
     

    Oh My Deer,

    My very first thought was a cross bow, though you kindly stated your lack of interest in venison sausages. (Rats!) So, I’ll share with you a little trick I learned on the family dairy farm when the cows would raid Mum’s garden.

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  • Dear Matilda

    Beautiful Girl

    Dear Matilda,

    I am a 14-year old girl with terrible acne. I’ve tried all the products at the store and nothing works. My face has red, puffy volcanoes all over it! Is there anything you know of that can help me? Please!!!!

    – Zitted-out & feeling awful


     

     

    Dear Beautiful Girl,

    Thank you for writing to me with your facial issues. Puberty can feel like such a betrayal of the body, yes? Hormones are awakening within the body and mind, and it’s truly quite overwhelming at times. I recall my face looking like a constellation in the northern sky when I was about your age. My dear Mum had a few farmhouse remedies from the old country I’d be happy to share with you. We’ll have you radiant and clear-faced in no time my dear, no worries.

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  • Dear Matilda

    Full House

    Dear Matilda,

    My generous in-laws invite us to use their luxurious cabin in the mountains, rent-free, a few times throughout the year. We usually invite another family to enjoy a holiday with us, and divvy up the meals and other costs accordingly. Most, if not all of our guests go out of their way to pay for restaurants, etc. as a token of their appreciation for the invitation to join us at the cabin. This is certainly not expected, but always appreciated given the rental rates for cabins in the area are seriously off-the-charts $$$!

    Recently, I invited a friend & her family (2-adults, 2-kids) to join us for our upcoming holiday at the cabin. We agreed on the dates and began planning our adventures. A few days later, while attending a charity luncheon, my friend invited another woman and her family, whom I am not acquainted with, to join us at the cabin for our upcoming holiday. I was without words and unable to respond before she audaciously stated she was sure it wouldn’t be a issue because there was enough room for their family of four (bed-wise) to stay with us at the cabin….

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