‘Do not eat’ label will get message across

Dear Annie: I have a cousin who comes to visit frequently. Since she lives in a different town, she spends the night with my husband and me. We enjoy having her, except for one thing. She eats just about everything in sight.

“Mabel” goes into my kitchen and helps herself to whatever she sees. She also eats rather loudly, especially things like potato chips. Once I found her eating something that we were going to take to a party. I very nicely said, “Oh, I wish you hadn’t eaten that. We were going to take it to a get-together tomorrow night.” Mabel became quite offended and replied, “Well, then you shouldn’t have left it out.”

It seems to me that since she is a guest in my home, she should ask before taking food from our kitchen. I am tired of having to hide things so she won’t get into them. Shouldn’t I be able to leave an unopened bag of chips out on the counter and expect them to be left alone?

I am at my wits’ end. I don’t want a confrontation, but it’s reached the point where I don’t want Mabel to visit again. Any suggestions? – Ruffled in Missouri

Dear Ruffled: An unopened bag of chips on the counter is just begging to be eaten. That’s not the same as a casserole in the refrigerator. Yes, Mabel should ask first, but she obviously feels like a member of your family and acts accordingly. So, label those items that you are saving. Put a Post-It on the tuna salad or tape a scrap of paper on the pretzels saying, “For Tuesday night. Do not eat.” You also might be a good hostess and buy some extra bags of Mabel’s favorite chips to have on hand for those nights when she stays over. The woman obviously likes to nosh.

Dear Annie: I am writing about colon cancer. Everything you read tells you to get tested once you turn 50. However, this cancer can strike people under 50. I know because it happened to me. I was diagnosed last August at age 42.

I didn’t know the symptoms of colon cancer. Also, my mother had polyps, and her doctor never mentioned that my sisters and I should get tested. My cancer spread from my colon to my lymph nodes to my lungs. I am now taking chemo.

We need to be more educated about this type of cancer. If you have information that you can share with your readers, that would be great. – Cancer Survivor

Dear Survivor: Because colon cancer can develop without noticeable symptoms, regular screening is recommended. If there is a history of colon cancer in the family, screening should begin at age 40 or earlier. Otherwise, the risk for colon cancer increases starting at age 50. Some symptoms are:

1. Unexplained change in bowel habits, such as chronic diarrhea or constipation

2. Blood in the stool or rectal bleeding

3. Persistent abdominal pain or cramping

4. Unexpected or sudden weight loss

5. Chronic tiredness, weakness or unexplained fatigue

Any of these symptoms should send you straight to the doctor. For more information, contact the American Cancer Society (cancer.org).

Dear Annie: You recently ran a letter from a “Dedicated Reader and Cyclist” who made the point that “cyclists have the right of way, just like pedestrians, at intersections.”

On the contrary, it is my understanding that cyclists are to obey the same traffic laws as motor vehicles, obeying traffic control signals, lane usage, signaling turns, etc. If cyclists want the benefits of pedestrians, they need to get off the bike and walk. – J.W. in Phoenix

Dear J.W.: Having the right of way does not mean that cyclists are not subject to traffic laws. They are, and so are pedestrians. In those states where bicycles have the right of way at intersections, it simply means you allow the cyclist to cross the street before you enter the intersection and plow into him.