Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 97
GEORGIA, I have a question, My daughter is away at college. Since she will stay in the city this summer for an internship, she asked me to send the rest of her things out of her bedroom. While doing this, I came across an item I was uncertain about what to do with. Way back in the corner on a high shelf in her closet, I found a shoebox that contained a....toy. I imagine she would be beyond embarrassed to know I discovered it (if my mother had found something like that in my room, I would have died!) Should I put it back and wait and see if she...
GEORGIA, I have a question, My son just told me his daughter, age 26, is getting breast enhancement surgery. How do I address that when I next see her, probably in several months? It’s not like commenting on a new hair color or hairdo. Old men commenting on female anatomy, particularly that part, are not looked at favorably, and I don’t want her to think her grandpa is creepy. As I see it, this goes in two ways: 1. She mentions it to me, though this is probably not likely to happen. So, since she got the surgery to make a visible dif...
GEORGIA, I have a question, When my son Liam (17M) was born, I started saving for his college education. I wasn’t rich, but I saved a little each month so he wouldn’t struggle when ready. Over the years, I would joke with him, telling him, “If you don’t go to college, I’ll spend this on a trip to Europe to drink the best beer in the world.” He always laughed, rolling his eyes, knowing I was only half serious. Tragically, Liam passed away in an accident just before his 18th birthday. The pain was unbearable. His mother (my ex-wife) and I were...
GEORGIA, I have a question, In this case, can two wrongs make a right? I (29F) and my husband (30M) are expecting our first baby. We announced it at my brother’s wedding. And now, half the family is furious with us. Before you judge me, let me tell you the whole story. Two years ago, when we got married, it was one of the happiest days of my life... until my brother decided to steal the spotlight. During the reception, in the middle of his toast, he got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend in front of everyone. The crowd went wild, p...
Georgia, I have a question, Last weekend, my 16-year-old son went thrifting with his friends. He found the score of all scores (in his mind, at least) - a signed Mr. Beast T-shirt, sized large, with a signature and a doodle of a snake. One of his friends resells thrift finds and told him he could make $300 reselling the shirt. He brought it home and was so excited. Well...I washed it. He told me it was valuable, but I washed it anyway because it was from a thrift store. You can just barely make out the faded marks of what once was. He went...
GEORGIA, I have a question, I’m happy with my life - in my late 40s, successful in my profession, solid marriage, and two wonderful sons - until my younger sister enters the room. She’s a surgeon married to another doctor; they have boatloads of money, run marathons for charity, and have the world’s most polite teen. She’s the kind of person who took up painting as a hobby, then won a major competition a year later, got an agent, and booked a gallery show. She acts modest but seems clueless about how every family event turns into a Q&A and is t...
GEORGIA, I have a question, My mother taught me that when being toasted, one doesn’t take a sip, as that’s like tooting one’s own horn. When my spouse and I celebrated an anniversary with a party, the guests toasted us with champagne. When I didn’t sip, one of the guests asked me why, implying that my marriage wasn’t something I wanted celebrated. YIKES! My choices were to “correct” the guest—which I don’t feel is right, as they aren’t one of my children—or leave the impression that my marriage was less than toast-worthy. Neither option appeal...
GEORGIA, I have a question, I never wanted to be a father. After one too many scares in college, I got the snip. I didn’t tell my mother or sisters because, frankly, as much as it may upset them, our family name dying out doesn’t affect me - we aren’t the royals. Over the holidays, I messed around with a family friend's daughter several times. Yesterday, I was woken up by a furious phone call from my mother. The daughter claimed to be pregnant, and I was named as the father. My brain didn’t catch up to my mouth - I told my mom that was impossi...
GEORGIA, I have a question, My current partner has claimed since we started dating two years ago that bullying is his love language. Some days, I handle it well. Other days, it makes me feel very disconnected and unwanted. He enjoys taking jabs at me and has repeatedly claimed that this is what he saw between his parents, so it’s normal. I have pointed out to him that using his parents is not the greatest example of a marriage as both spouses cheated and his mother finally left his father after 20+ years of marriage, once the youngest of six ch...
GEORGIA, I have a question, I (21F) am in college and usually go home for the holidays to spend time with my dad (48M) and extended family. My parents divorced when I was 12, and I’ve always spent part of the holidays with each parent. My dad remarried early last year to “Lisa” (46F), and while we’re polite to each other, we’re not particularly close. This past year, I made plans months in advance to visit my mom’s side of the family for Christmas. I told my dad and Lisa early on, and both seemed fine with it. Fast forward to the second week...
GEORGIA, I have a question, I (25F) am the youngest of four; the rest of my siblings are all married, two of them have kids. I have one child with my ex and two with my fiance. My fiance (29m) is the oldest of three; his two sisters are not married and do not have kids. We have our wedding planned for July. Ever since we told his family, they have been planning nonstop. They literally have vision boards made up at their house, without my opinions or anything. My mother-in-law bought her dress already in a VERY light gold color. Whenever I see...
GEORGIA, I have a question, I work in a small office with just a few people. I get along with everyone and even feel like I’ve made lifelong friends there. However, my boss is terribly forgetful. So, it usually takes a while to get out of something at the office. We recently ran out of toilet paper. After a few times of asking my boss to get more, I broke down and brought my own, which I bring in and out of the bathroom when I need it. The other day, my coworker approached me and asked if they could use my toilet paper. I’m already annoyed by...
GEORGIA, I have a question, What if you attended a New Year’s Eve party with seven other families (about 30 people) running around, mostly male? The night goes excellent, and you leave at 12:15 AM after celebrating the beginning of a new year. At 1:05 AM, you get a text that there’s a hole in the wall; a photo accompanies the text and a request to ask your family about it. No one knows anything. This goes on and on into the next day. Finally, the host asks everyone in attendance to donate $25 to fix the hole since we don’t know who did it, t...
GEORGIA, I have a question, My five-year-old started kindergarten this year and has made many new friends. We recently invited one of these friends over for a playdate; in return, my daughter was invited to her friend’s father’s house (her parents are not together). When we take our daughter to a playdate with a new friend, we always go in with her and then stay long enough to ensure everything is good, meet the parents, etc. My partner took our daughter over to this playdate and reported that the apartment was “very messy” but that, after a...
GEORGIA, I have a question, My father-in-law was “just visiting” from Puerto Rico in mid-July. August came, then September, October, and November. In December, he finally told us that his wife (not my husband’s mother) had told him not to come home. So, we (my husband, four children, and I) invited him to stay with us. At first, we told him not to worry about rent because he is on a fixed income and disabled. We noticed he was sending a lot of money to his ex-wife, so we asked if he could help out with his toiletries to offset the burden of fo...
GEORGIA, I have a question, I treated a friend to lunch, but when we entered the restaurant, she mentioned that someplace else was better. I was taken aback and thought it was an unconscious slip, but this happened again with a different friend. What could I have said to indicate their comments were rude without offending them? LUNCH CHOICES Dear CHOICES, It is impolite to tell others that they are being rude, but perhaps you may accomplish this by making them feel foolish instead. Look concerned and ask, in a quiet voice, if they would prefer...
Georgia, I have a question, My fiance and I got engaged over Christmas. His brother got engaged over Thanksgiving. We were so happy because we are all good friends and thought going through the same phase of life together would be fun. They got their wedding venue immediately and booked for June 6, 2026. They did not ask us about the date before putting down a deposit or anything for the venue, nor did we expect them to. We had a conversation with them afterward, and we agreed we wouldn’t book for June 2026 out of courtesy to them, so both w...
Georgia, I have a question, What’s the protocol for picking up the check when a couple dines with a single person? When visiting our daughter for the holidays, my husband and I went out to dinner with her, her boyfriend, and her boyfriend’s mother. The mother is a single parent, and we have met her a few times. My husband and I paid for the meal, which he thought was the polite thing to do. However, I disagree, as the boyfriend’s mother is loaded! She has pearls and furs and smells of Christian Dior. Why should we have to pony up for her meal...
Georgia, I have a question, My annual Christmas party is coming up, and I want to uninvite my sister and her fiance. Let me explain. Last year, when asked if she was going, she said with disgust, “I’m not going to that,” but then showed up late, announced her engagement, and left. I would’ve been happy for her, but she didn’t say hello to me, didn’t say goodbye, didn’t even show me the ring. I just heard cheering from the other room, and then, after they left, it was all anyone could talk about. This year, I invited all my siblings again, and i...
GEORGIA, I have a question, At Thanksgiving dinner at my inlaws this weekend, my mother-in-law handed me several napkins in the middle of the meal. I became very self-conscious, thinking I must be making a mess. I checked my mirror, and everything was fine as far as I could tell, but I still felt embarrassed. Sometimes, I need extra napkins, but I prefer to ask for them myself. On the other hand, I appreciate my mother-in-law's kindness, so I wouldn’t want to discourage her from being alert and helpful. What’s your take? NOT MESSY MESSY EAT...
Georgia, I have a question, My fourteen-year-old daughter just had her baby last week. She chose to name her daughter Prayerleigh Annnejanston. I absolutely hate the name. I don’t know what to do. Do I voice my concerns or just let her do her own thing since she’s an adult now? NAME HATIN’ Dear HATIN’, Oh my, oh my, oh my. There is so much to unpack in that one short paragraph. 14. Fourteen. FOURTEEN. Your 14-year-old CHILD just had a CHILD of her own. She IS NOT an adult, as you stated, but a little girl who is probably scared of what her futu...
GEORGIA, I have a question, This morning, my husband showed me a great sale on an artificial Christmas tree. It was about the price we paid for fresh trees for two years. We both want to switch to an artificial tree. My 23-year-old daughter lives with us, and she insists that we continue the tradition of getting a real tree. I feel that since she plans on getting her own place soon, she shouldn’t get a vote. She can have whatever kind of tree she wants when she moves out. I also feel that even if she did get a vote, her opinion doesn’t hav...
Georgia, I have a question, Last Sunday, I saw something at church that really unsettled me. A woman, probably in her 40s, walked in covered in tattoos and numerous piercings. She looked homeless, her clothes were fairly ratty, and she didn’t smell the best. For me, the church has always been a place to put your best foot forward, a place of modesty and reverence, and I couldn’t help but feel like she could have tried harder when visiting such a sacred space. After the service, I decided to approach her. I tried to be polite, but I told her...
Georgia, I have a question, Last year I (16F) went prom dress shopping with my grandma (54F) and my mom (35F). I found a lovely dress, and they each paid for half. I was cleaning my room a few weeks ago when my grandma stopped by and mentioned how she would “love to try it on and borrow it for a weekend.” I laughed her comment off and again hung the dress in the back of my closet. Yesterday she asked if she could borrow the dress for a formal party this weekend. I said NO. She then went on a rant about how she paid for half of it and it...
Georgia, I have a question, My best friend is getting married. We’ve been lifelong friends and have dreamt of this day most of our lives. I am so very happy for her. She asked me to be her maid of honor; however, I cannot be at her wedding due to an overseas deployment with the military, which I leave for in about a month. She understood and asked another close friend. Last weekend, we went dress shopping with her mom and the maid of honor. The bride found a dress she absolutely loves—it is beyond gorgeous. However, it is also EXTREMELY out...
