Dear Sidney,

I live alone with my little buddy, a sweet 14-year-old rescue. This information really has nothing to do with my morning angst and the question that comes from it.

I have three good friends. We all live alone. One such girlfriend is up before dawn each day and on the phone by 8 a.m. Unfortunately, the recipient of her daily calling is yours truly. I do realize that I am not forced to answer these calls, but my sense of female bonding and kindness beats me out every time.

Having just ended the morning call from X, it is now 9:30 a.m. My plan was to walk the dog a bit and get the outdoor chores done before it got too hot, but I spent a cooler hour and a half painfully listening to last night’s paranoia attack, when her three cats woke up, ears straight up, screaming on the bed. After being awakened by her brood, she heard the crunching of the gravel in the backyard and a voice whispering “See, see, see.”

My friend lives in Sugarloaf in a neighborhood that has turned into vacation rentals. There is a constant turnover of L.A. area visitors, sometimes 10 to a cabin. Last night two of the cabins were busy with partygoers.

I suggested a RING camera, but her budget is skintight and she just can’t afford the expense, she says. My dear friend went on and on about her fears, her finances, and the sleepless summer nights plaguing her felines. At one point, I put her on speaker and headed to the kitchen for another cup of Joe.

My patience with these morning phone calls has peaked. Please give me permission to stop answering her in the morning and to return the call in the evening when the chores are done and I’m on my second glass of wine. Thanks.

Burdened in Crestline

Dear Burdened,

You have my permission. Thank you for answering your own question. I do hope that by sharing this problem in my advice column, you’ve now been able to get this problem off your chest.

Sydney

Send your questions for Sidney to [email protected] or by snail mail to Dear Sidney, The Alpine Mountaineer, P.O. Box 4572, Crestline, CA 92325.

This advice is intended for entertainment purposes only. No animals were harmed in the writing of this column.