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From retired accountant to uninvited inspector

Dear Annie: My 72-year-old father retired from his accounting job two years ago and appointed himself “Director of Operations” of my household. He lives 15 minutes away and stops by unannounced at least three times a week. He’s reorganized my garage (“Your shelving system was illogical”), corrected how my kids load the dishwasher and replaced the batteries in our smoke detectors without asking. Last week, I came home to find he had trimmed our hedges because they were “inviting rodents.” He insists he’s “just helping.” My wife is annoyed but tries to stay polite. ...

Defining the characteristics of the four stages of cancer

DEAR DR. ROACH: Can you define the characteristics of the four stages of cancer? I understand that stage I is generally when cancer is caught early and can be treated with a good success rate, while stage IV is usually the opposite. But I’m not sure what the intermediate stages are. — B.G. ANSWER: Unfortunately, the exact staging for cancers depends on the type of cancer. But in general, you are correct that stage I cancers for solid organs generally consist of small tumors that have not spread, while stage IV usually signifies that cancer has spread to distant organs. Stage I ...

The president that plays by no rules

Donald Trump breaks every rule in the book, and he’s never read the book of rules. Time after time, Americans see he’s constitutionally unable to follow the Constitution. To wit, he, with Israel, just started a war on Iran that ricochets around the Middle East. Contrary to the War Powers Resolution and the Constitution, he did not seek approval from Congress. The deed was just done. Trump let loose the arsenals of winter, which assassinated Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, igniting a firestorm of attacks across the world’s most volatile region. Iranian drone ...

The high cost of being maid of honor

Dear Annie: My younger sister is getting married in June and has asked me to be her maid of honor. I was genuinely touched — until she handed me an extensive “wish list.” It includes hosting a destination bachelorette weekend (on my dime until others reimburse me), attending dress fittings three hours away on weekdays, organizing a bridal shower with “an elevated garden-party aesthetic” and being available for “brainstorming calls.” I work full-time. I have two small kids and a husband who travels. When I mentioned how excited I was but that I might not be able to meet ...

Claritin-D greatly reduces cold symptoms for 84-year-old man

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have found what seems like an almost-magical way to stop the progression of the common cold and a cure for it. I am a reasonably healthy 84-year-old male with a medically sound lifestyle. Historically, I have gotten about two common colds per year that always starts with nasal congestion. It rapidly progresses to a runny nose, sneezing, a sore or scratchy throat, coughing up green mucus, a low-grade fever, and a general feeling of malaise, all of which lasts for about eight days. Recently, I have found that if I take a Claritin-D when the nasal symptoms first start, ...

Both sides now: The cons and pros of ‘Operation Epic Fury’

A young lawyer once asked an old Washington hand what to expect when he went down to work for a U.S. Senate committee. The old hand, who’d worked in the Capitol for years, reflected. “Here’s the thing, son,” he replied. “Things ain’t all on the level down here.” The point was reconfirmed last week, after the Trump administration launched a military campaign against the Iranian regime in conjunction with Israel, which America dubbed “Operation Epic Fury.” The president who derided former President Joe Biden for “getting us into” Russia’s war against Ukraine by ...