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( f'rtge 2 NORTHWEST HERALD Section B Wednesday, August 14,1985 Advice DEAR ABBY By Abigail Van Buren Son's love letters shock mom DEAR ABBY: The day I sent my 13-year-old son off to camp, while cleaning his room, I came across some letters he had received from his "girlfriend." Ahby, they left me numb! Ap­ parently he is sexually involved with her. She's 14. He is very popular and a good kid, but I never expected anything like this! My inclination is to ground him when he conies home and not let him out of my sight. But I know that is not the answer. He returns in two weeks Please help me. UPSET MOTHER DEAR MOTHER: When your son returns, have a heart-to-heart talk with him, but keep your cool when you tell him what you know. Ttien make sure he knows everything a sexual­ ly active adolescent should know; otherwise a mother (or father) may appear at your door with a pregnant teen-ager--then it will be too late. Don't assume that in providing your son with the information he needs to prevent venereal disease or accidental pregnancy you are con­ doning his sexual activities. You're not--you are being realistic. Since he is already sexually active, you must teach him sexual ethics and sexual responsibility. The sex drive, a God-given natural urge in all of us, is one of the most difficult to control, so like it or not, it's the parents' responsibility to see that their sexually active children don't get themselves--or anybody else--in trouble. DEAR ABBY: How can a man change so much in one year? My husband used to be a lov­ ing, caring, sexually alive man. We were con­ sidered an ideal couple who never argued. He quit smoking a year ago (doctor's orders), and now he's turned into an arguing, complaining person who finds fault with everything I do. He goes to bed mad about something every night. He lies there like a log and never makes a move toward me--no hug, kiss or even a caress. He has eaten himself into clothes two sizes larger from snacking from the minute he comes home from work until he goes to bed. I long for some love and companionship. If it weren't for the children, I would seriously con­ sider leaving him. He refuses to talk, so we can't even talk about what's bothering him. He wasn't this way before he quit smoking. I almost wish he'd start smoking again. How do I get a conversation going with him? Please answer soon. My marriage depends on it. I love the guy, but he's not the man I mar­ ried. HIS WIFE DEAR WIFE: Your husband has obviously undergone a personality change. He's unhap­ py, and is either consciously or unconsciously trying to punish you. His having quit smoking may or may not be related to his sudden change in personality and behavior. This should be reported to his physi­ cian. If he doesn't report it, you must. H»ere Is something either physically or psychologically wrong with him. Farm industry shrinking By Sonja Hillgren UPI Farm Editor WASHINGTON - The number of American farms, continuing a 50- year slide, declined by 43.770 over the past year and by *147.880 since 1980, the Agriculture Department says. "Given the state of the farm econ­ omy, the number isn't surprising." said department economist Donn Reimund on the release Monday of the annual estimate of farm num­ bers as of Junei. The department said the number o^farms have fallen to 2.28 million, down 2 percent from 2.33 million last year and down 6 percent from 2.43 million in 1980. Farm numbers have been falling since a peak of 6.81 million in 1935. The total increased slightly in 1980 and 1981, mirroring a back-to- the-land movement that saw some Americans move to small acreages, mostly on the Pacific Coast and the Northeast. The decline resumed in 1982 to 1985. Large farms -- with annual sales of $100,000 or more and accounting for 14 percent of. farms and 47 per­ cent of total land -t fell from an average of 1,562 to 1.520 acres over the past year. "It would show the larger produc­ ers aren't going out and expanding their farms as they were in the 1970s," Reimund said. "Things are pretty much the same in the farm sector, which isn't good." Dick Peterson Never decline a chance to recline There comes a time in every man's life when the call to be reclined must be answered. It is a time when sitting no longer is enough, when lying down is too much, when the carpeted floor has become the domain of dogs whose pitter-patter-pounce of paws has turned it into a wall-to-wall kennel, when you feel too full of life to rock. That call has beat from the seat of my pants and the small of my back for a year. I wanted a chair in which could kick back and automatically have a footrest. I wanted a chair in which I could kick back a little more and be semi-prone and semi-upright at the same time. I wanted a recliner. Bad. We've all had those days or weeks or months. You come home from work, tired, and you don't know what to do with your body. Sitting in a rocker on a hard-back chair, the floor or your third of the couch doesn't satisfy that need for comfort. In all likelihood, this discomfort is caused by the physical malaise induce by gainful employment. Your atrophying muscles are crying out for a mile-long jog or a hundred pushups. Being physically unfit and proud of it, you tell yourself your body couldn't possibly want exertion. Standing is uncomfortable. Leaning against the wall is uncomfortable. You think about hanging upside-down from the ceiling, but you consider the strain it might put on the light fixture. And you realize the last time you felt this way was the first time you were on your own. You had an apartment, spartanly furnished. The bed, of course, was the centerpiece. It served as a place to sit, lie and sleep, and from which to eat, read, watch TV and recall the conveniences of home. It was the time in your life that you spent time in bank lobbies enjoying their furniture. So. you looked in the want ads and bought a pink couch for cheap. Life had meaning again. Don t get me wrong; couches are crucial to any residential living environment. But, you need choice. And the chair with the most fhoi.ee- is the recliner. It's the perfect complement to any couch Our recliner has three definite positions in which to sit, and there are an infinite number of positions in between. And with its X ' l ' sturdy and square arms, your legs are not confined to the floor or footrest. If you can't hang your leg over an arm, what good is the chair? You might as well put it on display in a museum. • - A recliner is the perfect piece of furniture for reading the newspaper or watching television. You just kick it all the way back, open up the paper, rest your elbows on each arm and enjoy. In the fully reclined position, you can watch TV without having to go through the trouble of fluffing a pillow just-right to rest your head on. You lay back and watch, not even having to move your head. It's the perfect position for eating and drinking, too. Better than a perfect piece of furniture, it is the perfect vehicle for a night of opulent sloth and relaxation. Our recliner also has two electrical features, a built-in heating pad for your back and Magic Fingers for your entire body. The heating pad is a definite plus, but I remain perplexed by what to do with the Magic Fingers. Apparently, the vibration is soothing. However, I find it akin to sitting on a chair With an electric sander strapped to its bottom, hardly the ideal of comfort, The only benefit I can see from Magic Fingers is its limited ractical joke potential. When someone's sleeping.^) my,, chair 've already become possessive), I'll be able to flip the'switch and watch the rousted sleeper jump. That's limited potential. I've even come to appreciate the way in which the chair was used for the last time by its previous owner. She died in it. When you think about it, what better tribute can there be to a chair? K uts are kids' stuff Cuts for kids 12 years old or younger, 4.99 One Better® perm 39.88 Solar Nails 20% off in August Save on short and sassy haircuts for boys and girls 12 years old or younger, thru Sat., August 24th. Or treat yourself to a cut and our Helene Curtis perm. Shampoo and style included. Sbme perms not recommended for bleached or frosted hair. Red ken and Nexxus products always available. Sale prices effective thru Sat., Aug.17th, unless otherwise noted. Kids! Don't forget our Sticker Club! CHAR&E IT. OPEN SUNDAYS. «| Spring Hill Mall • 428-6988 198f> C Penney Company inc. ENERGY. We can't afford to waste it. SwsorMhy ^ _anASBUMAZ /1&£W\ Sponsored by *er£̂ v Rain or • shine - we got you I covered Jazz band Sky divers Square dancers SO's music Carnival rides New and antique car shows Country fc western International Food Fair Bingo » *1 iK^ssss AtJi Arts a crafts Hy w Beer wagon HOURS: Thurs. 5p.m.-midnight Fri. 3p.m.-midnight Sat. 9a.m.-midnight Sun. 9a.m.-l0p.m. - - Classic Car Show Sunday August 25 SEE YOU AT CARPENTER PARK enter fVI For Chemical Dependency PCHECK IT OUT YES NO Is drinking or the use of other drugs making your home life unhappy? Is drinking or other drug usage affecting your reputation? Have you ever felt remorse after drinking or using drugs? Do you drink or use other drugs to build up your self confidence? Have you gotten into financial difficulties as a-result of drinking or other drug usage? Does your drinking or using of other drugs make you careless of your family welfare? Do you drink or use other drugs to escape from worries or troubles? Have you ever had a complete loss of memory as a result of drinking or other drug usage? If you answered YES to any one of these questions, there Is a definite warning that you may be an alcoholic. CALL US, IF YOU WANT TO TALK A'QOUT IT 815-338-8448 • • 1 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • if