Author: L.A. Plume

Dear L. A. Plume, How and when is it acceptable to ask a host if you may bring a guest with you to a party? My mother was in town and when I asked if I might bring her to a brunch, I was told no. My mother couldn’t understand not being included as an out of town guest.   Peeved

  Dear Readers,   Just because you can, should you use social media as a platform to hurt or embarrass someone? It is one thing to promote yourself, state your opinion, share your pictures, etc… But to use it as a free-for-all to air your grievances against a person seems petty and shameful.

Dear Readers,      Such a treat this week – my readers have written to me with answers instead of questions! Here is what they have to say to/for themselves. Thank you Merry and Mr. X! xoxo, L. A. Plume

Dear L. A.Plume, This is a comment on a letter you printed in your column recently. The letter was from “Ernest” and it read: “Dear Ms. Plume, Everywhere I go to listen to music, I see a tip jar by the band.  Don’t they get paid to play?

  Dear L. A. Plume,   I’m writing this to you from a social event, which happens to be a cocktail river cruise. One of the guests has incited a conversation about politics with the captain of the ship, so now, instead of enjoying information about the history and wildlife of the area we are listening to a heated debate.

Dear L. A. Plume, I have recently moved to this area from a small town that was much more casual. I notice that women here even seem to dress up to go to the grocery store! I know the stories about women who clean their homes before the cleaning lady comes, which I must admit seems a bit ridiculous to me, but anyway . . . here’s what I need to know: Is it customary in this town to dress up with good make-up and jewelry before going to the hairdresser? I have an appointment at a new salon and I don’t want to start off making the wrong impression.Shirley

Dear Ms. Plume, We are not unused to experiencing the odd rude customer when we are shopping: the person who leaves the clothes that have been tried on in a wad on the dressing room floor, the person who puts 22 things on the express grocery belt designated for 15, the tired mother who lets her child scream in the candy aisle and then screams back in front of all of us, etc. But what about the rude shopkeeper?

Dear L. A. Plume,I have just received a message on Facebook from a friend of a friend, whom I’ve only briefly met, asking if she can come stay in my guest room for a week while she visits the mutual friend. The mutual friend has animals to which she is allergic, so she thinks it would be nice to stay at my house!!!

Dear L. A. Plume,Spring is in the air and I’m ready to throw some parties. However, it seems that everyone these days has some allergy, dietary restriction, or other impediment to easy entertaining. What is the protocol for making sure I don’t serve something that is going to offend, or be harmful to, guests?Deedee

Dear Ms. Plume,I went to the orchestra last night and the only thing that detracted from the concert was “the scent of a woman” several aisles away. I’ve noticed that as I’ve lost some of my range of smell, even fragrances I used to like often bother me, or have taken on properties that aggravate my sensibilities.