Author: Susan Murphy

Last Name: RatchedDear Aunt Bossy, My sister is in the hospital. She is in the ICU and will be for a while. Here is my problem. Most of the nurses and other people are wonderful, caring, and sweet. Unfortunately, there is one nurse who is a real rhymes with witch.

A Silenced Teen Dear Aunt Bossy, My thirteen-year-old daughter refused to participate in the school walk-out last week. As a result, her teacher and most of her classmates have accused her of being a gun lover, of not caring about her fellow students, and of being a brainwashed idiot.

Not to my Taste!Dear Aunt Bossy,               My husband gets upset with me because I don’t like to try new foods and won’t eat many of the dishes he loves. He loves liver, escargot, caviar, pate, and even kidneys and brains. No way will I let those things near my mouth.

SuspicionDear Aunt Bossy, I find myself in an Alfred Hitchcock production without a director, or maybe I have one, but I don’t like it.

Bejeweled, Bejangled and Bewildered Dear Aunt Bossy, I love jewelry and have a collection of very nice pieces, mostly artistic and semi-precious. My granddaughter is an artist and we seem to enjoy the same genre of art. Beginning when she was 14, and was visiting, I always invited her upstairs to “€œplay with the jewelry”€ and told her to take a piece with her.

You Can Handle The TruthDear Aunt Bossy, I was recently talking to my girlfriend about how awful it is that friends don’t tell each other when they have smeared lipstick or spinach in their teeth. We agreed on that, but when I said I even thought friends should tell each other if something doesn’t look good on them, she said she would never do that, which had me thinking about the times when she thought that about me and didn’t say anything. What do you think? – Paula

Realistic Resolutions Dear Aunt Bossy, At the risk of being predictable, what do you suggest as a good way to keep New Year’€™s resolutions? Lazy Lou

Strapped Santa Dear Aunt Bossy, I started my own business a few months ago. I have two kids; one headed to college this year and another headed next year. They both have scholarships and grants headed their way, so that is covered. But I can’t afford to do the kind of Christmas they are used to. What can I give them without disappointing them? Struggling Steve

Winter WonderlandDear Aunt Bossy, I know you have answered the main thrust of this question before, but I need more than suggestions and advice on how to take my mind off myself and find Holiday Joy by paying attention to other people. It is all I can do to drag myself out of the house, and when I see all the happy and joyous people and decorations for Christmas, I feel like such a waste, such a loser. What is the secret to being like those people who are so happy about the holidays? Lone Larry

Help or Hinder Dear Aunt Bossy, For all kinds of reasons, I live in a different city than my mother. She is in her nineties and is in good health, but I feel so guilty because I fear she is lonely.