Dear Amy: My mother-in-law is causing a rift in the family that’s hurting my husband.

We haven’t been married long, and his divorce was a contentious one. His ex managed to delay every step of the divorce, and went after everything she could, including the house, which he ended up leaving to her just to bring the proceedings to an end.

My husband cried when he told his parents years ago how unhappy he was in the marriage, and his mother’s response was only, “How will this affect the grandchildren?”

While they were divorcing, she took the grand “children” (they’re twins in their early 20s) and their mother to Disney World!

Most recently, she took her grandchildren out to dinner on their birthday with — you guessed it — the ex, and not her son/us.

He and I have asked her and the rest of his family to wean off from socializing with the ex.

My MIL claims she’s afraid the ex will cut her and her husband off from their grandchildren because the ex is very manipulative and the twins are very immature (they don’t drive, live with their mom, and have no life).

The rest of the extended family has respected our wishes to cut ties with the ex, but not my

Q: I’m trying to figure out what kind of insurance to get when I turn 65 next year. Is there any way to sort out the various offers? — Diana R., Laguna Beach, Calif.

A: Original Medicare offers coverage for 80% of the costs at a doctor’s office or the hospital for a fee of around $150 a month. It does come with a deductible, and you need to sign up for Part A — hospital insurance — and Part B — medical insurance. You can also buy part D drug coverage. Then you need to buy Medicare Supplement coverage, which pays for what Medicare doesn’t.

The other alternative is to go for Medicare Advantage. The medicare.gov site says that Medicare Advantage bundles Part A, Part B and usually Part D into one plan and may offer extra benefits like vision, hearing and dental services. From plan to plan, rules differ about how you get services and the costs. Also, you need to use doctors who are in the plan’s network; you may (or may not) pay a premium in addition to the monthly Part B premium, and you cannot buy or use separate supplemental

Dear Heloise: I just finished reading your column and would like to add a few pointers that I have picked up over the years from my very handy husband regarding car problems and the check engine light.

There are quite a few things that can cause that pesky light to go on, from the ERG value that the gentleman suggested to O2 sensors. It could also be a problem with the catalytic converter, fuel line leaks, a loose gas cap and others that I don’t even mention.

However, I bet many of your readers don’t know that some of the major auto chain stores, such as Auto Zone, Advance Auto Parts, etc., will read the error code that the check engine light generated and then tell you the possible cause of the light coming on. Most will do this for free.

If a person is the least bit handy, there are simple tools out there for maybe $50 or so that you can purchase to read the code yourself. And since many of us do have laptops, there is another tool out there that cost about $175 that not only will tell you what the error code means, but will also tell you about possible issues with the car.

But you need a laptop to get the information

MIL, and this has been very hurtful to my husband.

He feels like he doesn’t have his own parents’ support. (His father is passive and let’s his wife do whatever she wants.) Please advise us on what we can do. We do not want this dynamic to continue. — Disturbed

Dear Disturbed: The way you describe this situation, your husband’s ex is the gatekeeper, controlling access to his grown children — or at least, your mother-inlaw perceives it that way.

Ongoing contact with your husband’s ex makes you uncomfortable, but you can’t insist that it stop. Unless your mother-in-law is inviting the ex to family events, forcing her into proximity with you and your husband, you really have no say in how she chooses to conduct this relationship.

Your husband should work on maintaining a relationship with his sons. If he has a good relationship with them, his mother might not have to go through his ex to spend time with her grandsons. coverage.

But — why is there always a but? — a new report from the Majority Staff of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance highlights marketing scams and deception in Medicare Advantage plans that often result in beneficiaries getting switched — without consent — to plans that don’t cover their providers or their needs. The committee looked at complaints from 14 states, Medicare advocacy organizations and federally funded State Health Insurance Assistance Programs, and found “a consistent national picture” of deceptive practices. You can read the report by Googling “Deceptive Marketing Practices Flourish in Medicare Advantage.”

It shouldn’t be this hard to sort out your coverage after age 65! Unfortunately, you need to do careful research and ask your doctors and hospitals if they take Advantage plans. (Mayo Clinic announced that they won’t.) Get the best plans you can afford. displayed.

This is probably the tool that a reputable repair shop or garage would use to diagnose the problem. If the auto repair store does not sell these items, a simple computer search will generate online sources where the items can be purchased.

I hate to say it, but with cars becoming more and more computerized, these tools are becoming more and more necessary. — Cathy Z., Connecticut

Dear Heloise: Applesauce is good for swallowing pills, but mashed potatoes are better. — Margaret, La Mirada, Calif.

Dear Heloise: I like to buy backup cleaning products. Sometimes, the cleaner is in a spray can or in a bottle that I can’t see through to see how much liquid is contained inside. So, when putting the backup into the cupboard, I use a chisel-tip Sharpie to make a couple of X’s on the can or bottle that I’m currently using. — Jan Firl, Rochester, Minn.