Dear Abby: A couple of elderly neighbors recently moved in next door, and they mentioned they believed insect repellents could keep ants away. That’s not the only issue, though. Whenever they open their garage door, an unpleasant smell wafts over, driving us back indoors, roughly 80 feet from their property. It makes it impossible to open windows, relax on the deck, or do any yard work until they close it again. It’s hard to understand how they can tolerate it. How can we address this situation without causing lasting tension? Anomaly in Pennsylvania
Dear Stankout: You might want to reach out to your local health department to express your concerns. Mothballs, as you’ve described, aren’t designed for such use. If you have a homeowners association, you could also consider contacting them. If you do decide to approach your neighbors, you may need to mention that the odor is quite overwhelming, and perhaps ask them to close their garage doors sooner.
Dear Abby: My husband and I are raising our seven-month-old daughter, and we generally get along well. I adore him, but he has some traits that can be frustrating. He’s always on the lookout for new job opportunities. This isn’t necessarily bad, but it feels like every few months he claims to be bored and wants to seek a new position. While these jobs pay decently, they won’t significantly increase his income—and often they’re not even in the same city or state as our current home.
I don’t mind the idea of relocating, but I really don’t want to move far away if the benefits are marginal and we face the added expense of the move itself.
Just recently, during a chat, my father mentioned a company that has great pay and other perks. However, my husband’s current compensation and benefits are quite similar—this shift would mean relocating and finding a new job.
My husband has been at his job for less than a year, and I’ve been at mine for even less time. We’ve just signed a lease on our apartment. Yet, he wants to break that lease to move out. How can I convince him that this might not be the best decision for our family’s situation right now? Stressed wife and mother
For those feeling stressed: At this point, breaking your rental agreement and moving doesn’t seem like a wise strategy, especially considering the potential impact on your credit. I’m not sure what’s driving your husband’s behavior. Are there issues at work? But here’s the thing—things won’t improve unless you both figure out what’s behind it.
Neither of you have a solid employment track record yet. With your daughter approaching kindergarten age soon, you want to avoid disrupting her education and social life too often. It might be best to hold off on any moving plans until it’s financially feasible.
Contact Dear Abby at: http://www.DearAbby.com or PO Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
