Article posted Wednesday, September 10, 2014 10:41am

Dear Mary Pat,

We share season tickets to the Packer games with our good friends, the Parcheses. One year we take the first, third, fifth games, etc…and they take games two, four, six and eight. Next year, we switch so each of us gets stuck with the final game when the weather isn’t the best. But, now Mr. P wants to change the plan, claiming he had all the lousy weather games last year and, to compensate, wants to take the first four games and make us take the final four late season games. He also says that’s fair because the season is more exciting toward the end so we should be happy. I say the season may be more exciting but my wife isn’t excited because she has some new outfits to wear to the games which would be all covered up with a full length parka that she needs for cold weather bleacher seats. We need arbitration. Can you help?

Stymied in Sturgeon Bay

Dear Stymied in Sturgeon Bay,

It seems to me as though you had the best solution to begin with. Alternating is the most fair in my opinion. You might also remind Mr. P. that it’s Wisconsin and the weather is statistically always bad. Also, the end of the season is only more exciting if the Packers are on a winning streak. If not, I’d argue that it’s actually more depressing to be there at the end.

Your wife’s wardrobe really shouldn’t factor into the decision either. She would be better off wearing her new outfits when they could really be seen, at an event indoors perhaps.

If you and the Parcheses really can’t deal with this as adults and come to a solution that works for both of you, you might want to consider selling the tickets.

Good luck,

Mary Pat