Wife’s beach-body belief is her own business

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: My wife thinks she still looks good in a bikini, but I have some not-so-good news for her. However, I am smart enough not to relay it.

Last year though, as a hint, I bought her a gorgeous white one-piece bathing suit (nearly $200!) with sparkly jewel-like trim on the bra part. She hasn’t even worn it once. “Too much material for the beach!” she says. “I can’t get a decent tan in that!”

Well, this year she can buy her own stupid suit! What’s wrong with her?

— Cool Guy, North End

Dear Cool Guy: Your wife may look in the mirror above the sink, and the bikini top is all she can see — and it still looks great to her at her age. So what if she doesn’t check out the view below that or worry about it? Maybe she just isn’t concerned what other people think of her body and what she chooses to wear at the beach, which is a pretty healthy attitude toward one’s body image.

So let her enjoy what she wants to enjoy, and feel good about herself all summer long! A big part of looking good is the happy smile on your face.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: My wife and I come from families with histories of twins. But we just found out this week we are not expecting twins — just one child on the way.

My wife is so disappointed! I don’t know what to tell her to comfort her. It’s not like she failed at anything. I’m happy for one baby!

— Twin Letdown, Windsor Park

Dear One Baby: Most couples have one child at a time and that’s a good thing for developing parental skills. Then mom and dad can try to learn everything necessary for bringing up a kid, without the complications of a twins situation. Once your wife is busy with baby No. 1, she’s sure to be less focused on the twin idea and will get over her disappointment.

Plus, with your two families’ genetic tendency for having twins, it’s certainly possible there could be a “double act” in your future.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: As we regularly work together in my big, well-equipped garage, my car-restoration buddies are often invited for dinner at my place, followed by my wife’s fantastic desserts.

The trouble is, with inflation these days it’s costing us too much to offer these big meals. How can we fix this to keep everybody happy? We don’t at all resent the work we put in to make dinner, but it seems rude to charge the our guests money when they are almost like family. What do you suggest?

— Car Crazy, Headingley

Dear Car Crazy: Outline the food-supply price surge and ask the guys to scout out different stores for good deals or sales on food items they’d like for the group. You could possibly shop together, and your buddies would likely offer to kick in a few bucks on their own volition.

You could also consider having your mates help you plant a big garden, and then take turns weeding when they come over. You could even name the rows after the guys, so they can hassle each other over the health of their veggies!

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: I am a happy camper with all the necessary bells and whistles for a whole summer of camping in 2025. However, my wife isn’t quite as excited, although the thought of sipping tequila by the fire makes her smile.

The problem this year is that her cranky sister and her crew have bought all the gear to camp as well, and they disapprove of my beloved and me drinking alcohol. What do you suggest?

— Tequila Joe and his Wife, North End

Dear Tequila Joe: The smartest thing you can do is not to set up camp right side-by-side with your wife’s teetotalling relatives, so you have a little natural separation rather than living on top of one another for the whole summer season.

Talk to your wife about it and work out a plan. That way you two can hang out with her family when you feel like it, but also have the option of keeping to yourselves with some nice tequila at your own campsite. Your wife will thank you for this advice as the summer wears on!

Please send your questions and comments to lovecoach@hotmail.com or Miss Lonelyhearts c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6.

Maureen Scurfield
Advice columnist

Maureen Scurfield writes the Miss Lonelyhearts advice column.

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