DEAR ABBY: I am 40 and single, with no children and no girlfriend. For many years, it has become increasingly difficult to get my parents to come to my home for dinner. They live only 45 minutes away. Both are retired and healthy. As anyone who knows me can attest, my home is always clean, smells great and I love to cook.
Abby, it’s a miracle and an act of God when they finally agree to a date and time to visit. I invite them for dinner at least three times a week (because they decline the first or second time), and it’s months before they actually accept. It appears they just don’t have the desire and it’s hurtful. I have spoken to them about this, but it has gone nowhere.
Two weeks ago, they finally agreed to come after a month or two. I was happy and excited, only to have them cancel midday. They seem to have no issue picking up one or both of my nieces once or twice a week, going to yoga, attending concerts or festivities, coming into the city twice a week, taking trips, etc. It feels like it’s expected of me to go to their place and, if I refuse, it’s always, “Oh, why?”
I have been the black sheep for 25 years, and I wonder if I were married and had kids, would Mom and Dad come over as they do with my brother and sister-in-law? What is your advice?
— HOME ALONE IN NEW YORK
DEAR HOME ALONE: If your parents are keeping up the travel schedule you have described, they are living full, busy lives. It may make more sense (in their view) for you to come to them. I detect a smidge of sibling rivalry in your letter. Because you can’t force other adults to change their behavior, it might make sense for you to change your attitude about the family dynamic if that’s possible.
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DEAR ABBY: I’m 19. My father’s mother has never been a grandmother figure in my life. No healthy relationship was ever formed. My dad says it was her fault, but she has implied that the fault lies with my mother. Dad’s mother accepts close to zero responsibility for the situation.
I recently, by accident, referred to her by her first name, and my aunt (Dad’s sister) thought it was disrespectful. How can I politely make her understand that I wasn’t being disrespectful because there is NO RELATIONSHIP? I don’t think anyone sees this from my point of view. There’s an overwhelming consensus that I need to forgive and forget because she is technically my grandmother. I don’t share this feeling. Any thoughts?
— TECHNICALLY THE GRANDDAUGHTER
DEAR GRANDDAUGHTER: You do not have to forgive and forget a grandmother who never tried to have a relationship with you. However, in order to keep peace in the family, you DO have to treat the woman with respect. A way to do that would be to use her honorific and refer to her as “Grandma.”
Cherry Hill is home to a new gaming space that takes childhood playground games and drops them into padded LED-laden arenas.
Activate Gaming is a 14,000-square-foot immersive gaming complex opening Nov. 21, where groups cantackle Mission Impossible-esque laser gauntlets and scatter from giant digital eyes in an amped-up game of hide-and-seek (Squid Game, anyone?).
Staffers (from left) Jason Shacket, Justin Dyaz, Christina Schmidbauer, and Robert Cole, prepare for the laser light gauntlet inside Active Gaming in Cherry Hill, N.J., on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.
“We don’t have an age bracket or a specific demographic,” general manager Tahai Exum said. “We want to encourage everyone to come, where a lot of this is just the childhood games that we used to play out in the cul-de-sac or in our backyards with our friends after school.”
Activate will be transforming the site of a former Rite Aid, a wider trend among landlords to revitalize dormant spaces. As longtime tenants of large retail spaces start to leave these facilities, a new crop of immersive retail experiences is taking them over, including a massive entertainment center in the Moorestown Mall, Cherry Hill Mall getting a Dick’s House of Sport, and Center City’s Fashion District considering experiential retail offerings after the success of Puttshack and F1 Arcade nearby.
Activate Gaming, located at the site of a former Rite Aid, at 1509 Route 38 in Cherry Hill, pictured on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.
What is Activate Gaming?
Walking into the complex, about a mile down the road from the Cherry Hill Mall, players are equipped with a wristband that activates the game rooms and tracks their scores. Rack up enough points and rewards like Croc accessories, portable speakers, and exclusive apparel are up for grabs.
Players are ushered into a sprawling, cushion-floored hall with 13 stalls of different games of their choosing. Each round of a game is one to three minutes long, which allows a fresh set of new players to get in.
From there, players can choose to get back in line and scan their wristband for another round, or try the other games on offer. Think of an arcade with loads of games, but instead of playing with a controller, players are part of the game themselves.
Shooting hoops, playing hide-and-seek, and the all-time childhood classic “the floor is lava” are heightened in these rooms with interactive prompts, trivia, and thumping techno music.
For instance, Activate trades the couch cushions and ottomans from traditional “floor is lava” for an LED tile-lined floor that illuminates squares for players to take refuge on. With each new round, players race to the next pressure-triggered tile to win.
Basketball gets turned into a trivia game where contestants are prompted with questions like “Where is the most densely populated island found?” and shoot a basketball into the correctly labeled hoop. This time the answer is “Haiti,” Exum said, referring to the Haitian island of Ilet a Brouee.
Players prepare for a race through the laser light gauntlet at Activate Gaming in Cherry Hill on Nov. 18, 2025. The immersive gaming space opens at the end of November.
In the laser gauntlet room, staffers Robert Cole from Philadelphia and Justyn Diaz from Pennsauken roll like ninjas below the lasers as a smoke machine wafts clouds throughout the room to illuminate the lasers into view. The staffers — even Cole, who previously worked at Dave & Buster’s — have never had employee training like this before.
The games that guests play are the same ones staffers play every week.
“I don’t know anywhere you can go and get paid to play games,” Exum said. “Our staff are playing these games ahead of launch, and when we’re open, to better explain and suggest games to guests, but also to provide feedback on the gaming experience.”
Activate Gaming is open to everyone ages 6 and up, and yes, Exum said, adults are encouraged to join the fun. Adults must be present at the gaming facility for the entire gaming session for children ages 6 to 13.
Pricing starts at $24.99 per person for a 60-minute session and $29.99 for 90-minute sessions on weekdays, or $34.99 per person for 60 minutes and $39.99 for 90 minutes on weekends, which should be booked online in advance. Walk-ins are welcome but are subject to availability as time slots get reserved.
For birthday parties and group visits, the price drops to $19.99 per person with a minimum of 10 guests.
The display screen where players choose the various game modes within the laser gauntlet at Activate Gaming in Cherry Hill, N.J., on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.
There are no limits to how many games you can play in your allotted sessions, so make sure to arrive early so you don’t eat up any valuable gaming time.
No food or drink is served on the premises, and usually only drinks can be brought inside the lobby or private rooms. But during birthday parties, bringing in party food and birthday cakes can be arranged.
Cherry Hill’s Activate Gaming is opening on Friday, Nov. 21, with an all-day free gaming event. They are running a limited-time offer of 50% off opening tickets when customers sign up for their newsletter.
DEAR ABBY: My 19-year-old niece didn’t finish high school and has been in and out of rehab for years. She’s about to leave a residential program and is looking for a place to live. Her parents have implemented “house rules” she doesn’t like, notably staying drug-free and away from her boyfriend.
I have three kids at home, and I’m not able to take her in. My elderly father just offered to let her live with him. This is going to be a disaster. Financially and physically, he is barely able to keep an apartment on his own. We perform a lot of his daily tasks and have been looking for home health options for when he’s ready to accept more help.
Dad is in no position to take in a troubled teenager. However, he thinks he is, and since he’s still independent, it’s his choice. If she could help take care of him, that would be great, but there’s no way it is going to happen. I’m not even sure it would be safe for him to have her and her friends in his place.
My father won’t listen to reason. My niece’s social worker won’t talk to me, citing privacy issues. Her parents have warned Dad with the same result I’ve had. I want to protect my father. How do I get in front of this craziness before it gets ugly?
— DREADING IT IN MISSOURI
DEAR DREADING IT: I don’t think there is any way for you to prevent your father from taking the girl in. Stay in close touch so you can monitor what’s happening. Let this play out and step in if you see the situation becoming dangerous to his health and welfare, which, at that point, may require involving the authorities.
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DEAR ABBY: I have a nephew and niece who are in their 20s. As teens and adults, they chose not to acknowledge gifts. I stopped sending them anything as a result.
I have recently learned my nephew is engaged. He will be eloping and then having a family reception in a few months. Nobody in my family has met his fiancée. I do not live in the same town they do. Would it be wrong to not attend the reception? I have never said anything to their father (my brother) about his kids’ lack of acknowledgment. I know my mother will give me grief, because she did a few months ago when I didn’t attend my niece’s graduation party.
— STAYING AWAY IN NORTH CAROLINA
DEAR STAYING AWAY: I understand you are miffed because you weren’t thanked for gifts you gave your niece and nephew when they were younger. However, I am sorry you didn’t attend your niece’s graduation and even sorrier that you are planning not to attend your nephew’s wedding reception.
Are you estranged from your brother? Aren’t you the least bit curious about the young woman who will be joining your extended family? By pouting and not having a conversation with your brother about your feelings, you are effectively estranging yourself from that branch of the family, which I feel is a mistake.
For the last two years, Rose Luardo has been exceedingly generous with her art, installing it for all to see in a vacant triangular lot in South Philly that was once home to Capt. Jesse G’s Crab Shack.
In 2023, she gifted the people of Philadelphia with the Boob Garden, a furniture set covered in handmade breast plushies, and the following year she gave us the Rave Coffin, a casket covered in tie-dyed felt that passersby could lie down inside of.
Rose Luardo strikes a pose at her “Boob Garden” art installation in 2023.
Luardo struck again Sunday night at the cement triangle at the intersection of Washington Avenue, Passyunk Avenue, and Eighth Street, but this time around, her guerrilla art installation was totally shellfish.
Crab Couch — which is exactly what it sounds like unless you’re thinking of the other kind of crabs, which it is not — is the latest work Luardo set up at what she calls Capt. Jesse G’s Crab Shack Gallery. That’s because the shuttered business’ sign inexplicably remains lording over the lot on a freestanding pole, even though the building was long-ago demolished.
Once just a regular white sofa that was looking for a new home on Facebook Marketplace, Luardo — a provocateur of the peculiar — rescued the couch and Frankenstein-ed that piece of furniture into a comfy crustacean.
With some papier-mâché, red house paint, and the help of her niece, Ingrid Rose Koppisch, and their friend, Simply Val, Luardo gave the couch six legs, a pair of judgey eyes, and two hulking claws, with one clamping down on a giant cigarette.
She first put the crabby patio furniture in a gallery show she had in September.
“I just had a feeling that this was not going to sell, but it would be a fun thing to make and eventually put out in my own personal art gallery at Capt. Jesse G’s,” Luardo said.
On Sunday night, she and her husband put Crab Couch on one of his skateboards and wheeled it up the street to the vacant lot.
Luardo noticed, as did I, that since the time of her installation last year, a taco truck has stationed itself at the edge of the lot and someone has bashed a small hole into the cement and created a modest fire pit, which Luardo placed the Crab Couch in front of. When I stopped by on Tuesday, the pit held an empty can of Modelo and an empty pack of Marlboro Lights.
Artist Rose Lurado placed her latest work, “Crab Couch,” in front of a fire pit someone smashed into the cement at the vacant South Philly triangle she calls “Capt. Jesse G’s Crab Shack Gallery.”
“I was so psyched that was there!” Luardo said of the pit. “This is the dream coming true, which is that the space is becoming activated, people are hopefully hanging out, eating a taco, drinking a Modelo, and sitting on the couch.”
In the days since it was installed, the wind has done some damage to Crab Couch’s claws, which Luardo said neighbors came out to valiantly fix with drills. But its giant cigarette is nowhere to be found. It has become the ultimate Philly loosie.
Otherwise, all is good with Crab Couch.
“Crab Couch” is an old bae but a good one.
I asked Luardo why she continues to put her art in such a hardscrabble lot, where it’s subject not only to weather but to something even more unpredictable — the whims of Philadelphians.
“It was built for this kind of experience and nobody has claimed it,” she said. “It’s just this … s— lot and I know there’s people walking by and it’s so much fun to see something crazy and delightfully weird. It puts a hitch in your giddy-up.”
According to city records, the lot is owned by 1100 Passyunk Partners LLC, which purchased the property for $2.85 million in 2020. A number for the group was not able to be located.
South Philly artist Rose Luardo sits in her “Rave Coffin” at the triangular cement lot between Washington Avenue, Passyunk Avenue, and Eighth Street in 2024.
To whomever owns this eyesore — which has been a vacant lot since at least 2016 — I beseech you to gift it to Luardo, who’s shown more interest in it and has done more to improve it than you ever have.
The world is coming to Philadelphia next year and instead of having an empty, crumbling lot on one of the city’s busiest corridors, why not let Luardo show the world just how weird Philly can be?
I hear she’s been eyeing an inflatable nightclub on Temu.
“Crab Couch” looks out over the vacant triangle lot where it’s currently clawing out its existence next to busy Washington Avenue.
DEAR ABBY: I recently bought a first-floor condo because I am an older woman with a knee disability. Otherwise, I would have purchased a unit on the second floor of this two-story condo complex. I am only here part time because my husband is not ready for retirement.
The owner above me has two children who jump off the kitchen counter onto the floor multiple times a night as late as 10 p.m. It causes everything in my kitchen cabinets to rattle. I have spoken with the property manager. He’s willing to send them violation notices which would eventually include fines. I haven’t taken him up on it because, since I am a part-time resident, I’m concerned about retaliation such as broken windows or vandalism to my car in the parking lot. Of course, that neighbor would be the prime suspect, but I would have no proof.
I can’t afford a more expensive community. My husband and I did knock on her door in a congenial manner one day to introduce ourselves as new neighbors. She did not give us the time of day. What would you do if you were me?
— FEELS THE NOISE DOWN SOUTH
DEAR FEELS THE NOISE: I would knock on the woman’s door, explain the problem and politely ask her to instruct her children not to jump off the kitchen counter after 6 p.m. because the crashing noise prevents me from enjoying my apartment. If she didn’t cooperate, I’d have another talk with the manager. If the warnings and fines didn’t work, I’d contact Child Protective Services, because what those kids are doing is dangerous and their parent is unwilling to supervise them.
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DEAR ABBY: I have been happily married to my husband for 35 years. My mother-in-law just drafted her will and is passing her entire estate to him, with it being split equally among our three adult kids if he were to pass away before her. She was asked to name a beneficiary if all four of them predecease her. (I know it would be extremely unlikely.) My MIL has no other living relatives — no parents, siblings, husband, cousins, etc.
She named a friend and neighbor rather than me as the beneficiary of her estate in this event. This neighbor lives next door to her and drives her to the grocery store, bank and doctor appointments, since my MIL does not drive and we live 3 1/2 hours away.
I thought she and I have always had a good relationship. My husband and I send flowers and cards on her birthday and Mother’s Day. I select thoughtful gifts for her at Christmas. I have always treated her with kindness, respect and gentleness. I am helpful when she has health issues. I assist her in the kitchen with dishes, etc. I have always treated her son well. Am I petty, unreasonable or immature for having negative feelings about not being mentioned in her will?
— HURT IN COLORADO
DEAR HURT: Not at all. You’re human. It does appear to be a glaring omission, and under these circumstances, your reaction is understandable. What does your husband feel about what his mother did? Perhaps he should speak to her and ask if she forgot she has a daughter-in-law when she made her will.
SNAP benefits are restored, and the program is funded through next year. But the Trump administration is now looking to “completely deconstruct the program,” its top USDA official said.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said that millions of low-income Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients will have to reapply for their benefits as part of an effort to crack down on “fraud.”
“It’s going to give us a platform and a trajectory to fundamentally rebuild this program, have everyone reapply for their benefit, make sure that everyone that’s taking a taxpayer-funded benefit through SNAP or food stamps, that they literally are vulnerable, and they can’t survive without it,” she told Newsmax last week.
On Tuesday, Rollins told Fox Business that her plan is for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to “completely deconstruct” SNAP.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins speaks to the media in the Oval Office of the White House in June. Rollins had various roles in the first Trump administration.
However, there is no official guidance from USDA on the plans Rollins spoke of and the rules have not changed, said Community Legal Services staff attorney Mackenzie Libbey.
“Most SNAP recipients in Pennsylvania are already required to reverify household and income information every six months. SNAP recipients should continue submitting their semiannual reports and annual renewals as the current rules require,” Libbey said.
In a statement, the USDA did not confirm the existence of new changes to SNAP. Instead, a spokesperson for the agency said the “standard recertification processes for households is a part of that work.”
Jeff Garis, Outreach and Patnership Director, Penn Policy chants during rally along side SNAP recipients, clergy members, and other advocates at a rally and news conference outside of Reading Terminal Market, to urge the Trump administration to restore full SNAP funding, Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
Are SNAP benefits changing?
There are a few changes to SNAP work requirements that were implemented on Sept. 1 and Nov. 1.
On Nov. 1, some older low-income Americans were forced back to work when Congress and Trump passed additional work requirements, raising the maximum working age cap from 54 to 64 years old.
Parents with dependents age 14 and over also must go back to work or lose benefits. Previously, SNAP recipients with dependents under 18 did not have to meet work requirements. Veterans and former foster youth ages 18 through 24 are no longer exempt from work requirements either, under new federal law.
Do you have to reapply for SNAP benefits?
SNAP recipients do not currently need to reapply to the program. SNAP recipients should continue filing their semiannual reports every six months to recertify their income and household.
Lisa Mellon, 59, of Bridesburg, Pa., is walking her groceries to her friends car, who was kind enough to driver her around 40 minutes to the Feast of Justice at St. John’s Lutheran Church and back home on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Will snap benefits be issued in December?
Yes. The SNAP program is funded through Sept. 30, 2026, after Congress reached an agreement on a spending deal last week. Most other federal government agencies and programs are funded only through Jan. 30.
Congress will need to strike another spending deal before the January deadline; otherwise the federal government could be shut down again.
However, SNAP benefits have been guaranteed through next September regardless of another shutdown.
How do you qualify for SNAP benefits?
SNAP requirements are based on your work hours and income. Other factors, like whether a member of your household is disabled, elderly, or a veteran, can provide households with additional benefits.
SNAP recipients must be working, volunteering, or participating in an education or training program for at least 20 hours a week (or 80 hours a month). They also must report those work hours.
These rules apply to you if you:
Are ages 18 through 64.
Do not have a dependent child under 14 years old.
Are considered physically and mentally able to work.
Income requirements
Households cannot exceed these monthly income limits to be eligible for SNAP benefits.
This weekend – on Sunday, Nov. 23 – 15,000 runners will participate in the sold-out 2025 Philadelphia Marathon. Thousands of spectators are expected to join them.
Whether you’re going to support someone or just want to understand why thousands of people would voluntarily run 26.2 miles, here’s what you need to know if you’re watching this year’s marathon.
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Regional rail
Subway
Indego
Road closures
Marathoners will start from 6:55 a.m, in waves, beginning at 22nd Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, near the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
The course, the same as previous years, loops through Center City before crossing the Schuylkill River to Fairmount Park. Runners will then go over the Girard Avenue Bridge and head up to Manayunk. From there, they’ll turn around for the final stretch down Kelly Drive towards the finish back at the museum.
If you want to cheer with a crowd, head to Chestnut Street at Mile 1. And if you’re trying to support a specific runner, you can see them again at Mile 5. “[You’d] probably have to hustle a little bit, but you could potentially see somebody four times,” said Kathleen Titus, race director for the Philadelphia Marathon.
Another popular place to watch the marathon is on Manayunk’s Main Street between Mile 19 and Mile 21. “Manayunk is a party and a half. The cheering [there] is top notch,” said Gary Brown Jr., founder and co-leader of Chasing Trail Philadelphia, a running group that meets on Sunday mornings at the Valley Green Inn.
Mile 20 is also when the runners turn around to head to the finish line. “[It’s] when you're questioning your life choices and deciding whether or not you can and want to finish this race,” said Craig Polak, leader of Manayunk Running Club. “Having all of that excitement and energy greeting you is just a really powerful statement for the runner.”
If you’d rather go somewhere a little more quiet or support runners through a lonelier stretch of the course, Mile 22 to Mile 24 on Kelly Drive might be for you.
“It’s always desolate,” said Brown of Chasing Trail Philadelphia. “We need people on Kelly Drive.”
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Getting around on race day can be tricky but is doable if you’re willing to walk. You can take SEPTA or the Regional Rail to the start line. Manayunk also has a Regional Rail station near its Main Street.
You can also get around using either your own bike or Indego, the city’s bikeshare program. There are 90 Indego stations within walking distance.
If you plan to use Indego – especially along Kelly Drive – Titus recommends looking up a few stations to pick up or return a bike. “You want to just be mindful of how far apart [the stations] are in case a dock is full or empty.”
Road closures often result in more traffic on race day, so walking or using public transit might be easier. But if you’re going to drive on race day, Kasey Manwaring – owner of GoalsFit, a fitness studio in Manayunk – suggests parking near Fairmount.
All streets, except for Eakins Oval and the Parkway, are scheduled to reopen by 3 p.m. Sunday.
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Use the toggles in the top-left corner to explore the course.
Runners rely on the spectator energy to finish the race, so it’s important that you have what you need to keep your own spirits high. “Invite your friends. Involve people,” said Brown Jr., leader of Chasing Trail Philadelphia. “I like to say, ‘Bring the party.’”
What to bring (besides the party)
Layers. The weather forecast for Sunday is a high of 55 but with strong winds making it feel colder.. “Dress warmer than you think you're going to need,” said Polak. He suggests packing at least one pair of gloves, some hand warmers, and a scarf.
Snacks and something to drink. Staying hydrated is critical for both runners and spectators, especially if you plan to cheer for a long time. “Bring water,” said Manwaring of GoalsFit. And don’t forget to pack snacks for yourself. Alternatively, you can check out these family-friendly restaurants that will be open on race day.
A cowbell. Yelling encouraging things at strangers can be fun, but it does take a toll on your voice. When you want to take a break from cheering, consider using a different instrument. “Anything, any type of noise maker, you know – cow bells, the inflatable tubes that you can bang together – those types of things,” said Polak.
Your phone with the Philadelphia Marathon app downloaded. Race weekend director Titus recommends downloading the app – which is available to download on iOS and Android – beforehand. If you’re supporting a runner, the app can show you the weekend’s schedule, explore the course map, and help you keep up with their location in real -time “It's a great way to track runners, especially if you're trying to see them at multiple points.”
A fun sign. “[For runners], there are so many places through the marathon where you kind of want to just forget about your goal,” said Manwaring. Signs can help inspire and motivate runners – or at least make them crack a smile. If you need ideas for what to write, check out our sign suggestion generator.
What to not to bring
Large umbrellas or coolers are not allowed by the event organizers.
Animals are also not allowed, except ADA service dogs.
Large blankets, backpacks, or cameras are discouraged by the marathon.
Runners appreciate cheers of all kinds but are especially grateful when spectators call them out by name – or even by outfit. “When you call out someone's name [on their bib], you really see them perk up,” said Polak. “Anytime you can root for somebody specifically, you know, call out what they're wearing. Or see somebody wearing an Eagles shirt, you know, you go crazy.”
No matter how or where you cheer this weekend, know that it matters. “You can actually see that it does help [runners], whether you get a nod or a quick little smile or picking up the pace or a message afterwards,” said Manwaring. And who knows? Spectating this year’s marathon just might inspire you to run it next year.
I was lured to the Boscov’s at Granite Run the other weekend by a mailer I’d received advertising a one-day shoe sale — buy any pair, get the second for $1.99.
I went early to beat the crowds only to find the bounds of polite society had dissipated at the shoe department and it’d become The Hunger Games, but with footwear and senior citizen tributes (who are far more ruthless than their younger counterparts).
Flustered, I set off to browse the rest of the store. The first thing you might find yourself wondering as you wander around a Boscov’s is: “How does this place even exist?” It’s a full-scale department store that sells everything from perfume to sofas. I even discovered an entire candy counter on the second floor that during a previous visit I’d never noticed before. As it turns out, this Reading-based chain is in the fudge-making business too.
Legions of other department stores have fallen in the last few decades — Kaufmann’s, Bradlees, Hills, Hess’s — yet Boscov’s abides. The Granite Run Boscov’s is particularly a beast unburdened by the sands of time. It was previously an anchor store for the Granite Run Mall, which was torn down around it in 2016 to make way for the Promenade at Granite Run. Only Boscov’s remains of the once-storied mall. It is a rock that shall not be moved, a pillar to in-person purchasing.
The outfit
As I was browsing the brightly-lit aisles that fateful Saturday this month, wondering if the lights might give me a sunburn, my eyes fell upon something I can never unsee: matching camouflage sweat suits.
Here were outfits that managed to do what no state legislature or psychological expert ever has: They married rural and urban Pennsylvania.
Boscov’s bills these matching sweat suits as “Rustic Romance.”
As someone who spent her formative years growing up in Lycoming County — where we had the first day of hunting season off from school — I can attest that camouflage is not just for stalking prey and sitting in tree stands. It’s an entire sartorial color category all its own in rural Pennsylvania.
Camo is mixed and matched with everything and considered appropriate for all events, from weddings to funerals (think of it like Birds gear during a playoff run). I’ll never forget looking at photos from my wedding and realizing a guest from Central Pennsylvania wore a camo baseball hat to our reception.
Now, a matching tracksuit is something you rarely see in rural Pennsylvania, but it’s practically a closet-staple around Philly. You’ll see at least one person wearing one at every Wawa, Acme, or outdoor event you visit in the region.
Typically paired with sunglasses, these outfits are not only comfortable but incredibly stress-free. No need to worry about what to pair your sweatshirt with because there’s only one answer, the matching sweatpants you bought with it.
Standing stunned before these camouflage sweatsuits, which came in both his and hers, I wondered if Boscov’s had thrown back a few beverages before deciding to sell these things.
As a Pennsylvanian, I was highly offended. We the people of this fine commonwealth are more than camo and sweat suits! We are camo OR sweat suits.
But maybe, just maybe, by blending these two wildly different fashions together as the holidays approach, Boscov’s will also blend us. No more Philly, Pittsburgh, and the T in between. No more red counties and blue counties. This could be the one outfit to unite us all, while also helping us blend into woodland scenes.
When I posted a picture of the camo sweatsuits on Threads, several users pointed out that Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts recently wore a matching camouflage suit when the Birds traveled to Green Bay. I was surprised, as Hurts is typically a very stylish dude who wears Kangol hats and carries a man bag, but people suggested his outfit could have been a fashion statement indicating he was on the hunt.
Who better though to serve as the ambassador of the camouflage sweat suit and unite our state than Hurts? He’s cool under pressure, so he could take the heat of promoting an undeniably terrible outfit for the greater good, and he grew up in Texas, so it’s safe to assume he’s familiar with camo (and we already know he’s not afraid to wear it).
It wasn’t until I got home and looked at my photo of the sweat suits that I noticed there was a sign at the top of the store display billing these outfits as “Rustic Romance.”
Listen, I know that Pennsylvanians’ reputation for romance does not precede us, but that’s just insulting. There’s nothing romantic about letting your partner know you want them to look more like fall foliage.
I guarantee if you get your lady a matching camo sweat suit for Christmas, she’s not going to fawn all over you — she will hunt you down.
DEAR ABBY: My husband of 4 1/2 years had an old girlfriend he was on and off with for 15 years. She passed away while he was in prison. We got married three months after he was released. The thing is, when he sleeps, almost every night, he says her name and how much he loves her. He says because he’s doing it in his sleep, he doesn’t know he’s doing it. It seems to upset him that I’m upset. He doesn’t want to hurt me. What can I do to deal with it or get him to stop doing it?
— DREADS THE BED IN COLORADO
DEAR DREADS: Your husband was on and off with his late girlfriend much longer than he has been married to you. Old habits die hard. If he wakes you when this happens, don’t hesitate to gently wake him. If he asks why you did it, explain that he was talking in his sleep. (Do not be specific about what.) Then try to remember that she is history, and you are right next to him.
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DEAR ABBY: I’m a senior widow who has been dating an older man for a year now. He’s caring and thoughtful and has many good qualities, but one thing he does is creating difficulty for me. He constantly stares at other women. I’ve talked with him about a “five-second rule,” but he doesn’t hear me. He told me he was raised by his mother and grandmother and that’s why he’s attracted to women in general. He says it doesn’t mean anything.
I have never been with a man who constantly looks at other women. He also prefers to have women friends rather than men friends. I don’t want to be jealous, but sometimes it’s hard keeping those feelings down. I’m trying to decide whether I should end this relationship or stay in it and try to overcome my feelings of jealousy.
— RED FLAG IN CALIFORNIA
DEAR RED FLAG: If this person makes you feel less good about yourself, recognize it IS a red flag. His behavior is insensitive and rude. Because you have asked him to stop staring at women when he is with you and he makes excuses to continue, my advice is to find a companion who is more considerate of your feelings.
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DEAR ABBY: My wife of 31 years and I have been fighting over politics and cultural changes in our country. The arguments have cooled down by mutual agreement, but so has our sexual desire for each other. Our marriage consultant has always taken my wife’s position; I am left on my own. I have no support from the rest of my family (three lovely daughters), but I still love and respect my wife. She told me that I must switch my politics to hers or she will leave me. What do I do?
— THREATENED IN WISCONSIN
DEAR THREATENED: Tell your wife and her marriage consultant that as your political arguments have dwindled, so has your sex life. It may be time to seek professional counseling with someone else on your own. Your wife’s ultimatum is unrealistic. Unless the two of you can agree to disagree, take her up on her offer.
Marathon weekend is finally here and while the races are unquestionably the main event, runners and spectators alike look forward to seeing fun signs along the route.
However, there are some exceptions. “There are two signs people hate,” said Gary Brown Jr., founder and co-leader of the local running group Chasing Trail Philadelphia, “‘You're almost there’, especially when you're at, like, you know, Mile 13, and then ‘Worst parade ever’.”
As a city, let’s not add to Gary’s list. Use our sign generator to get some ideas.
What kind of sign are you going for?
What type of sign do you want to make?
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If you have other ideas or see a particularly creative sign, drop us a line at interactives@inquirer.com.
