Annie’s Mailbox: Photo of new kids bothers daughters

Dear Annie: I am a divorced mother of two college-age girls. Over the years, their father hasn’t bothered to have much contact with them.

The problem is, in the past two years, we have received a picture at Christmas of his four little girls by his second wife. This really hurts my daughters’ feelings and just makes me mad. It’s like he is throwing his new family in our faces. It even says “Merry Christmas from the family.” Do you think this is right? – Disgusted in Penn.

Dear Disgusted: It is extremely insensitive, but we don’t believe Dad is trying to be deliberately hurtful. And his wife is likely the one who is doing a mass mailing without considering the recipients. Let your ex know that you appreciate his effort to stay in touch with his children, but ask that he please not send the photograph because it makes them terribly unhappy. We hope he cares enough to do something about it.

Dear Annie: Having suffered with body odor and been miserable for well over a decade, your column was a godsend. I followed your readers’ suggestions. I bought zinc supplements and immediately started taking them. It didn’t seem to help, and then I saw a later column and tried apple cider vinegar. There were days the vinegar stung so severely that I gave up that plan in less than a week. However, by that time, the zinc had taken effect.

I am now a very happy camper. Sincere thanks to you and your readers for solving an embarrassing problem when my dermatologist could not. – Smelling Better

Dear Better: Thanks for letting us know. We love the way our readers look out for one another.