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This article was published 28/01/2025 (639 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I’m a retired widow in my 70s. This past Christmas, I gave my good friend a Norman Rockwell print on canvas that he’d shown an interest in. I was eager to give it to him, and so proud of myself for having found the perfect gift.

He finally hung it up in his large, cavernous house, but in the laundry room! What should I say, if anything? I was shocked and a little upset.

— Disappointed, Crescentwood

Dear Disappointed: No wonder you were surprised, since this man had already expressed interest in the print. Perhaps he’s amused by Rockwell’s take on things, but thought the house he lives in would clash with Rockwell’s style. Still, a hallway would have been a much nicer home for your gift than the laundry room.

Rather than trying to swallow your feelings, why not ask him outright why the picture was relegated to the laundry room? He may be living in fear of his family’s tastes. Or maybe this old friend told you he liked Norman Rockwell simply because he knew you did and he wanted to support you.

You can’t feel worse about this than you do already, so why not get the Rockwell Incident out on the table between you. You might even laugh about it — and end up getting it back as a gift to take home and hang on your own wall.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: I’m a dancer. I took lessons for years and performed in competitions. I still dance in my dreams and sometimes kick my poor husband when he’s sleeping with me, even in our king-sized bed.

Last night I was dreaming and accidentally kicked way out with one leg — and got him where it really hurts. This morning he suggested we get two double beds so I can dance in my dreams and kick freely and he can get some deep sleep in safety.

I said, “There goes our sex life!” Then he said too casually, “Well, there’s that.” But I’d love to stop lying there half-asleep wondering when the next kick is going to come! Please help.

— His High Kicker, Downtown

Dear Kicker: Look at this as a fun project — not the shutdown of your lovemaking adventures. A king-sized bed with a narrow six-foot-long padded bolster down the middle, one that can be thrown off the bed easily when you want to make love, could work very well. You could seek out a furniture maker to design a romantic headboard for you. Perhaps the scene could feature a male and female dance pair!

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: I’m going to tell you a secret: I love my animals more than any human partner I’ve had. I call all my pets by cutesy names, and I don’t care if anyone teases me. The way I see it, the animals will always be true to me.

My human partners are only with me until they inevitably mess up. As soon as they’re out the door, there’s perfect peace in the house again with my animals. Someone I respect told me I must be crazy to live my life like this, and he told me I need to talk to a shrink. So, I made an appointment.

The psychologist said to me, “It depends on one important thing. Are you happy with the situation?” I said, “Perfectly. It works for me.”

I left halfway through the appointment, but now I’m wondering if I’m being short-sighted. I’ll be old in the near future, and who will look after me and the housekeeping in my mini-palace? I’m comfortable financially, but I don’t have many close friends that aren’t animals.

— Animal Lover, Charleswood

Dear Animal Lover: Your animals can’t “look after” you, but a paid nurse/housekeeper could do the necessary work. You’d need one who truly loves animals who could come in to cook and clean for you, and enjoy looking after the four-legged gang. Perhaps he or she could even live in, possibly in a self-contained suite, if you have the workable space. It’s worth considering!

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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