DEAR READERS: Twenty-five years ago tomorrow, I told you about a new, nationwide effort to honor and remember our nation’s troops, veterans and families by seeking out and preserving their war correspondence from every conflict in U.S. history.
The response was overwhelming. The founder of this initiative, Andy Carroll, just told me that, as of this week, and on this special 25th anniversary, the archive has collected more than 200,000 war-related letters and emails. The nonprofit organization Andy created, the Center for American War Letters (CAWL), based at Chapman University in California, is still seeking correspondence.
I would like to thank those of you who have already donated letters to CAWL for sharing them, and encourage those of you who are not aware of CAWL but might have letters to contribute to visit its website (WarLetters.us) to learn more. CAWL is especially interested in any correspondence, including emails, from younger veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. — LOVE, ABBY
DEAR ABBY: Over the past few months, due to extenuating circumstances, I have been spending a couple of days a month at my sister’s. While there, I sometimes had the feeling that something was crawling on me, but thought it was just the idea of being somewhere other than my home.
Last time, however, I woke up during the night not only with the crawling feeling, but also the sound of buzzing in my ear. I also noticed that when I sat in the spot where I usually do, bugs were getting in my hair. Now my sister is asking me when I want to come and stay for a couple of days again. I don’t want to hurt her feelings, but I don’t want to deal with bugs again. What should I do? — WARY IN WEST VIRGINIA
DEAR WARY: What you should do is level with your sister. Explain that during the last few visits, you have felt something crawling or buzzing while you were in bed, and that you also noticed some insects getting into your hair. Your sister’s home may have an infestation of some kind, which won’t get any better until she calls a pest-control company.
DEAR ABBY: My husband is deceased. I have two grandsons (42 and 39) and a great-grandson (24) living with me. None are married. I do not allow overnight guests. This morning at 3, I heard a girl come upstairs from the downstairs bedroom to get another girl. I was livid. Am I wrong to give them walking papers? I’ve told them before this was a NO-NO. They thought I was asleep. (I was reading.) — CAUGHT ’EM IN ILLINOIS
DEAR CAUGHT ‘EM: If you prefer not to have men mating like rabbits under your roof while all you have is a book, your wishes should prevail. It’s your house, your rules. It’s time these “naughty boys” found a place of their own, and you are within your rights to insist upon it.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
Good advice for everyone — teens to seniors — is in “The Anger in All of Us and How to Deal With It.” To order, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby, Anger Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)
