Lisi Tesher is an advice columnist for the Star and based in Toronto. Send her relationship questions via email:聽lisi@thestar.ca
蚕听A few weeks ago I found myself home alone in the middle of a workday. My office internet was down so we were working from home. But we couldn鈥檛 access our files, so we accidentally had a day off. I went for a run, then came home to shower. Knowing I was alone in the house, I had my music playing loudly, the door open and I decided to masturbate. Loudly.
Imagine my surprise when I got out of the shower, dried myself off and sauntered downstairs naked 鈥 only to find the cleaning lady standing in the kitchen. I quickly turned around and went back upstairs, calling out, 鈥淪orry! So sorry!鈥 as I hurriedly got dressed.
I grabbed my jacket and left the house. I called my wife and told her what happened. She couldn鈥檛 stop laughing! But now I can鈥檛 go home until the cleaning lady leaves because I鈥檓 thoroughly embarrassed.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
What do I do?
Too Loud
础听You laugh along with your wife and you make sure that the next time the cleaning lady comes, you have some flowers and maybe even a small bonus 鈥 not as a bribe but as an ‘apology’ for your inappropriate behaviour.
You didn鈥檛 do anything ‘wrong’ as you thought you were alone in your own home. But you weren鈥檛. Oops! If you don鈥檛 make it a big deal, it won鈥檛 become one.
蚕听My Canadian-born daughter lives in the United States with her American husband and my young grandchildren. They are Trump supporters, anti-vaxxers and Republican Christians. We are the complete opposite, and I am suffering from fear of the future of my country.
We made it through the pandemic, but I fear this is not going to go well. We are boycotting everything American, including travel.
How do I go forward and keep our relationship intact?
Canadian Grandma
础听You have every right to feel the way you do and believe everything you believe. But so do they. Even if it is completely opposite to your beliefs, and how you raised her. She is an adult and responsible for her own actions.
But for the sake of the grandchildren, you鈥檒l have to agree to disagree. You can boycott everything American 鈥 except those children. And if that means having to cross the border to see your grandbabies, then I suggest you suck it up. However, if you鈥檙e willing to do so, she needs to also be willing to bring her children to you. Depending on your finances, lifestyles and responsibilities that could mean you visiting for a week, and then her coming to you a month or two later to visit. You鈥檒l have to work it out yourselves.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
Bottom line: don鈥檛 let politics affect your relationship with your grandchildren who are oblivious to it all and simply deserve the love of a grandma.
蚕听I鈥檓 in lust with a man a decade younger than me. And he鈥檚 reciprocating the fun. The sex is fantastic. And all we do is laugh together. We enjoy each other鈥檚 company immensely. But his friends think it鈥檚 gross and he鈥檚 wasting his time. My friends just shake their heads in judgment.
I don鈥檛 care. I had a lousy husband who drank away our savings which put an end to our hopes of having a family. I just need some joy in my life.
Is that so bad?
Joy after Pain
础听Not bad at all. As long as your relationship is consensual, then enjoy each other. Own the age difference and accept it may end abruptly due to life stages. Until then, just have fun.
FEEDBACK Regarding 鈥渟mitten encore鈥 (Feb. 4):
Reader: 鈥淚 agree he should be open with his wife that their child’s teacher was an old flame. But I don’t agree that 鈥榓 little bit of jealousy shows (a partner) loves you and wants to protect (the) marriage.鈥
鈥淚’ve been married over 33 years to a kind and gentle man. I鈥檝e also had a close platonic friendship with a straight male friend. My husband has never shown any jealousy or insecurity about that relationship. His faith in me, our marriage and in himself further endears me to him.
鈥淢y husband has plenty of attractive female coworkers whom he considers friends. I like that he respects these women, enjoys their minds and personalities. If he finds any of them physically attractive, he has the good sense not to share that with me. I cherish our mutual trust.
鈥淚 was married before to a man jealous of everything: work colleagues, handsome movie stars, my university degree. He was insecure, controlling and I wish I’d recognized the red flags earlier. I left when he became verbally abusive.鈥
Opinion articles are based on the author鈥檚 interpretations and judgments of facts, data and events. More details
Lisi Tesher is an advice columnist for the Star and based in
Toronto. Send her relationship questions via email:聽lisi@thestar.ca
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation