Dear Abby: My sister is cheap and continues to buy my children horrible gifts

DEAR ABBY: My sister is cheap. She’s besides not bully astatine choosing gifts for people. Often, nan things she gives are worse than if she’d done thing astatine all. An example: She was conscionable present visiting and brought my 4-year-old a artifact car she’d picked up astatine a car shed waste (fine, truthful far), but 1 of nan wheels was surgery off. She had nan instrumentality successful her purse and said thing astir gluing it backmost on, but ne'er did. Once she left, we tried to glue it, but it turned retired nan artifact wasn’t fixable, and my boy was very disappointed.

This isn’t nan first clip this has happened. There’s a history of apparel that are excessively small, ripped aliases dirty, toys sent truthful precocious nan kid has agelong outgrown that stage, etc. It’s not a matter of money. She’s nan head of a ample rule school, truthful she tin bargain thing she likes. It is simply a matter of attention.

I’ve spoken to her respective times astir not bringing gifts anymore, but she glosses complete nan disappointment and says she loves seeing kids unfastened nan things she brings. Someday, my kids will beryllium aged capable to spot her behaviour arsenic quirky, but for now, I want it to stop. Am I right? — GIFT RIFT IN THE WEST

DEAR GIFT RIFT: You are not wrong. Your sister appears to beryllium “a small off-center.” I work together pinch you that 1 time successful nan not-too-distant future, your children will beryllium discerning capable to announcement nan “gifts” your sister brings are soiled aliases surgery and selected without respect to their interests aliases taste.

A measurement to debar nan problem would beryllium not to induce her to sojourn astir day aliases vacation time, aliases intercept her inappropriate gifts earlier nan kids spot them.

DEAR ABBY: Last year, we renovated our house. We now person a south-facing tile that is fresh for nan installation of star panels. Our inferior institution has an inducement programme to little nan costs of nan equipment, but it ends successful six months.

The only point holding america backmost is nan next-door neighbors’ old, gangly character that shades our tile wherever nan panels would go. The character is cracked and has been coming down successful sections complete nan past respective years. Previous owners of nan location had to repair their beforehand windows and gutter aft a ample branch came crashing down successful a storm.

The existent owners are a young mates pinch a mini baby. We person had occasional, friends driveway conversations but don’t really cognize them. Would it beryllium presumptuous to inquire if they would beryllium consenting to fto america salary to person their character removed? People tin beryllium prickly astir their property. But possibly they wouldn’t mind personification other covering what is astir apt an inevitable cost.

We want to proceed having a friends relationship, while besides moving guardant pinch our project. Thoughts? — UPGRADING IN NORTH CAROLINA

DEAR UPGRADING: Because you person a cordial narration pinch these neighbors, it shouldn’t beryllium violative to constituent retired that their character presents a problem. When you do, show them that a falling branch had damaged their beforehand windows and gutter, which caused an costly repair.

Explain that nan cracks successful nan character could coming a threat to their small one, past unpaid that you are much than consenting to salary nan costs of having it removed.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, besides known arsenic Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby astatine www.DearAbby.com aliases P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.