DEAR ABBY: I met “Bobbie” when we were in college in the early 1970s. We fell in love, got married and stayed together for seven years. Things changed; our divorce was amicable. We went on to successful professional lives and happy second marriages. We stayed in touch over the years, mostly through holiday cards. A … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I lost my beloved mother-in-law five years ago. Since then, my father-in-law has become engaged to a woman who, frankly, is not liked by anyone in our family. She’s unkind and dismissive, and her presence creates tension at family gatherings. They have now announced their wedding date, which happens to fall on my … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been married for 40 years and share the same friendships — joint, his and mine. We have camped, hosted parties, and traveled with the same friends. My problem is that my husband says I’m not allowed to speak privately with the males in our group unless I first … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My young daughter and I had the pleasure of spending three months with my parents while my husband was deployed. We had a lovely visit, but over the course of our stay, I noticed my parents were spending more time on their phones than previously. Both are retired and in their mid-60s. I’m … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I have three daughters with children of their own. Every year, we have a family vacation. My daughter “Monica’s” children, ages 8 and 9, whom I love and see regularly, behave badly. They cuss, yell at adults and show no respect whatsoever. We have brought this to Monica’s attention multiple times. She always … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I am neat and organized, but my wife is the opposite. She’s messy and disorganized. I knew it before we married, but we made a handshake deal that she’d make an effort to pick up after herself once we moved in together. Unfortunately, it hasn’t happened. Every time she comes home, whatever she’s … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I am a 66-year-old woman who has worked full-time for 47 years, in addition to raising two children and maintaining a home. I will be retiring in three months because, honestly, I’m tired of the rat race. I’m single and don’t have a boyfriend. I have plenty of friends and family, but I’m … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I am a senior woman in great shape. I am active, and I have never had a problem attracting men. Five years ago, I married a man I had known for many years. We used to have a pretty active sex life, but it has been four years since he has touched me … Read more
DEAR ABBY: Please help me move forward. My brother-in-law is dating a woman my husband was intimate with once before we were married. It makes family functions very awkward for me, but most of the family sees it as the past. It was the past, but it is now in our faces. My husband feels … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My older brother, age 70, is making his estate plans with his partner. We have no other siblings or children. I told him I’m financially secure and don’t need him to leave me anything, but he insisted on having my Social Security number, saying it’s needed for beneficiary bequests. I called him back … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My grandson “Ethan” and his fiancee lived with his mother until four years ago. When they moved out, they decided not to give his parents their new address. It has been several years since my daughter has seen her son. Apparently, they occasionally text. Ethan was married seven months ago. He didn’t invite … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My son married a lovely woman, “Noelle,” two years ago. They live a couple of hours away and have a 1-year-old son, my third grandchild. Noelle’s parents live 10 miles from my home. She and the baby go there nearly every weekend but NEVER come by mine. I haven’t seen them since the … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I am a 31-year-old woman who is not yet established in life. I have no husband or boyfriend, no kids and no clear direction for a career. I start new, low-level jobs often. My problem is that I look deceptively young for my age. At most, I look 18 or 19. These employers, … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My mother passed away six years ago. She was a manipulative woman who had alienated all family members except my adult son. She promised him a sizable amount of money when she passed, but didn’t follow through. As the fiduciary of my parents’ estate, I followed their trust directives as written, with no … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I’ve been with my boyfriend for 12 years. We have two children and a third on the way. Three years ago, we got our family a dog, “Astro,” the love of our lives. She passed away three months ago from heat exhaustion. She was only two years old. I was driving while my … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My husband is battling cancer. He has good days and bad days. He is not at the end, but he can no longer do a lot of things for himself. At this point, we are very busy with doctors and treatments. We have 14 medical treatments this month alone. His children want to … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend and I have been together for 18 years. Everyone we know thinks we are married, but we never got it on paper. He has always been less empathetic than I would like, and there’s a lot of stuff I either had to accept or move on. He never buys me gifts … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My wife’s nephew is getting divorced. The process seems to be amicable; there was no cheating or abuse. They have two children. Even though the soon-to-be-ex, “Michelle,” has always been welcoming and nice, my wife’s family has circled the wagons. They no longer talk to her and have made clear I can’t either. … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My husband and I (we’re both male) have been together since 2007. We moved to Arizona in 2010. Most of our family lives in the Midwest. We have been visiting our families as often as possible, at least every other year. Our son-in-law refuses to let us stay the night in his home … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I lost my beloved puppy, “Truffle,” nine months ago. She was almost 15. I had to euthanize her because she was ill and suffering. I cannot begin to describe the depth of grief I’m experiencing. Her loss has been harder for me than any human loss. We had a connection that words cannot … Read more