DEAR ABBY: My company has a four-days-a-week return-to-office mandate this year. While it’s nice to have the in-person camaraderie, co-workers who are conspicuously ill are now coming in and spreading their contagion. My company provides a generous two weeks of “occasional absence,” which may be used for sick days, doctors’ appointments and such. I am … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I’m a member of Alcoholics Anonymous. A fellow AA member suffered critical injuries in a motorcycle accident recently and had been in the ICU for several weeks. I visited the hospital regularly, bringing cookies and offering support to his girlfriend, who is also in the program. During my last visit, I unknowingly arrived … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I’ve been married for 19 years to my second husband, “Jack.” Our children are grown. When we met, I was a business owner, and he was retired. He has had numerous medical issues and procedures, and I have always insured him on my health plans and been his advocate. We have always had … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I have read letters in your column from women whose boyfriends or husbands flirt with other women in their presence complaining about feeling hurt and embarrassment. I was married for 25 years to a man who flirted with other women while we were dating and also after we were married. I told him … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I have a casual acquaintance, “Stacy,” who long ago moved to a different part of the country and sends me a message every couple of months. She’s not a friend I would ever think to visit or even call on the phone, and she apparently feels the same. Stacy writes that she “wants … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My husband and I walk around a local lake three times a week. We met another couple there who seemed pleasant until the husband tried to give me his doctor’s name so I could “Get that ‘thing’ removed.” (“That thing” being the beauty mark next to my smile.) I told him I wasn’t … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I am a man whose long-distance boyfriend of one year has a married female best friend. (She’s his boss.) She is also a tobacco-addicted narcissist who drinks a lot. They chat on the phone and text for hours every day because, as he puts it, “she can’t be alone.” I think she uses … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My son and his fiancee are getting married in a few months. They are planning a small reception with only their closest friends and family. Unfortunately, this excludes my late father’s second wife, “Bonnie,” who has been in our lives for nearly 40 years. My son has no particular problem with Bonnie, but … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My father and stepmother have a vacation home in another state, and they invite us to visit every year. The problem is, the sofa bed in the guest room is so uncomfortable that it’s impossible to sleep. However, they think that the bed is great because other guests have told them that. I … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I am a single, 52-year-old woman, never married with no kids. I suffer from depression as well as a number of severe health issues and live alone with three cats. Lately, I’ve been feeling lost and confused about my life. I don’t know how to live my life since I got sick. I … Read more
DEAR ABBY: Why do I feel the need to be in a relationship, but when I’m in one, I feel trapped, bored, disappointed and lonely? I’m a divorced single mom, co-parenting a child with my ex. We have been divorced for 15 years. My child is graduating from college this year. I have often been … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I am an 80-year-old man who is recently retired and in relatively good health. My wife is about the same. We recently received a request from our son, who is 50, for his share of the inheritance now rather than later. It came as a shock. He is selling his company, which is … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My wife is the love of my life. She is, and always has been, my dream girl. We used to have sex three or four times a week, but since her hysterectomy, she no longer desires sex. She’s OK with scheduling sex on a certain date, but most of the time she doesn’t … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I am freshman in high school, and I live with my stepmother and father. They are great parents to me and my little brother but very homophobic. I love going to church with them, but I have a partner of the same gender. My parents recently found out and have decided as punishment … Read more
Baby makes three? Conjoined twins Abby and Brittany Hensel shared a TikTok on Saturday about the recent viral photos of them with a newborn baby. The video featured the pictures of the 35-year-olds carrying the child in a stroller set to the 1993 Dr Dre. song “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang.” Abby and Brittany Hensel … Read more
DEAR ABBY: Nine months ago, my friend “Anne” moved in with me after losing her home following her boyfriend’s death. Since then, she’s had trouble finding employment, but when she does work, she spends money on stuff she really doesn’t need. She’s always talking about how she hates to be a burden on me and … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My husband and I just found out we are to become grandparents in seven months. We are very excited, and I can’t wait to spend time with my new grandchild. The plan is for me to spend two to three weeks with my daughter after the baby comes, to help them rest and … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My husband and I are in our 50s. For several months, I have been struggling with an issue I have with my mom. She constantly asks me how much my annual income is and how much my husband makes. In the 20-plus years we have been married, we have never asked to borrow … Read more
DEAR ABBY: Recently, my neighbor, who has always been eccentric, has embarked on an unusual gardening project. Instead of traditional plants, he’s turned his backyard into a sprawling sanctuary for rescued wild animals. At first, it seemed harmless, but the situation has escalated. His yard now attracts wildlife, including raccoons, skunks and even the occasional … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I have a female friend, “Kylene,” who needs yard work done weekly. My fiancé, “Josh,” goes over there to do the work for her. He charges $60. During the last two weeks, she has been popping up at our home uninvited. Kylene knows Josh’s work schedule and makes sure she sees him daily … Read more