Dear Doctors: I have read that for an accurate blood pressure reading, you should first sit in a comfortable chair with no talking or distractions for at least five minutes. But my doctors all slap on a cuff, ask questions the whole time, then exclaim that I have high blood pressure. I have to ask for at least five minutes of quiet before a reading. How do we convince doctors to change?

DEAR HARRIETTE: My neighbor’s young son has developed a habit of coming into my yard and picking flowers for his mom from my garden, which is right on the border of our two lawns. She always laughs and says how sweet it is when he hands them to her, but I can’t help feeling frustrated. I’ve spent countless hours planting, watering and tending to those flowers, not to mention the money I’ve invested in making my garden something I’m proud of. At first, I tried to brush it off as an innocent gesture, but it’s been happening regularly, and now entire sections of my garden are looking sparse. I don’t think the boy realizes he’s doing anything wrong, but his mom certainly should. I want to say something before the season is ruined, but I also don’t want to come across as the cranky neighbor who scolds kids. How can I ask her to stop letting him pick my flowers while still being kind and neighborly? – Don’t Pick the Flowers DEAR DON’T PICK THE FLOWERS: The mistake you made was not saying something the first time. This child has no way of knowing what he did was wrong, and because you didn’t say anything, his mother may think that you don’t have a problem with him picking your flowers.

As the ancient saying goes, “You can’t fool Mother Nature.” As Donald Trump is finding out, you can’t fool Mother Market, either.

Dear Doctors: I’m having radial nerve problems whenever I use my triceps, like pushing the lawn mower, opening doors or pushing up from the recliner. It’s making my thumb and pointer finger very weak.