DEAR ABBY: I am a married man (15 years) with three children, and I am a recovering alcoholic. My marriage has been a roller coaster filled with lies, infidelity (my wife’s), abuse and drinking. I am in an outpatient alcohol program to save myself, my family and my marriage. My wife is talking to other … Read more
DEAR ABBY: What do I do if my wife of 36 years wants to be laid to rest somewhere other than next to me in Hawaii? — WONDERING IN HAWAII DEAR WONDERING: Hope that you outlive her. DEAR ABBY: I’m an older woman. My husband and I have been married eight years but were together … Read more
If getting down has well and truly fallen to the bottom of your priorities list but your partner is still making a bid for connection, it might be time to meet them halfway. There are many factors that go into creating a strong and happy relationship: communication, trust, kindness and, yes, sex. But it’s not … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I’m a woman in my late 40s, and since coming out of the isolation of the pandemic (the lockdown was strict where we live), I’ve had a hard time rekindling the friendships I valued before — with my two best girlfriends, in particular. We used to have the type of relationship in which … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I am 49 and have been divorced for 20 years. When we first separated, my ex moved in with my parents while I struggled to raise my four kids. He stayed there for seven years. He moved out until a year and a half ago. Again, my parents have allowed him back in! … Read more
A man who claimed he was in a fight with his wife after she locked their 16-year-old son out of the house as punishment for drinking is receiving support on Reddit. User “Dadthrowaway788” asked subscribers of the “Am I the A–hole” (AITA) subreddit to weigh in with his recent post asking if he was wrong … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I have a friend I occasionally meet for breakfast. She always stops someplace en route and brings takeout coffee into the restaurant. I am often kept waiting because she’s in a drive-thru getting that drink. I find it embarrassing that she joins me with drink in hand from elsewhere. How should I handle … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My son is dating a girl I can’t stand. I’m not too crazy about my son right now, either. I no longer want to be out in public with them because their public displays of affection are so over the top it makes me ill. I cannot imagine spending every holiday, birthday or … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My 40-year-old daughter has never grown up. Until recently, she relied on her grandmother to make ends meet. Her grandmother passed away, and now I’m all she has. After she was fired from her civil-service job and evicted from her apartment, she broke her leg in a hiking accident. I got her into … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend, “Pete,” and I have been together four years. During the pandemic, he moved to my hometown, and we live together. Last year, he befriended a man who lives across the street. This neighbor had been a civil-service employee but took early retirement and is undergoing treatment for PTSD. Originally, I was … Read more
DEAR ABBY: There is a man, “Gus,” I am completely, madly in love with. The issue is, he likes to drink — a lot. The only thing he wants to do when he’s not sleeping or working is drink. His health is rapidly deteriorating, and he lost his license for 10 years because of drinking … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My teenage son has a difficult relationship with his dad. They talk roughly once a week, but his dad hasn’t exercised visitation rights in nearly four years. He’s retired, very well off and has the time and resources to utilize spending time with our son; he simply chooses not to. My son has … Read more
Have you ever noticed a boost in your mood during the summer? This is extremely common and there are tons of reasons why. Cold weather has its positive moments, such as the sight of a light dusting of snow over the trees and cozying up by the fireplace at night; but for a lot of … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I play pickleball with a nice group of people. Partners normally split after each game. One day, however, a woman told me I was her favorite partner. From that day on, she played with me as often as possible, even though she could have chosen partners who were better players than me, and … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My daughter and son-in-law are expecting their second child. Everyone is very happy for them. The problem is the difference between her in-laws’ beliefs and mine. I was brought up in a family in which parties and celebrations were held at home. We opened our house to friends and relatives, everyone brought food … Read more
DEAR ABBY: I am a divorced dad with two adult daughters and a 14-year-old daughter. My older daughters are learning to be responsible for themselves, and I’m proud of them. The question I need help with involves my youngest. She doesn’t want to go to school. She stays awake on the phone. I have taken … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My daughter is attending a pricey college. She will be taking out the maximum of student loans, and we will slowly but surely eat through our entire savings to pay for it. Her college hires resident assistants (RAs) to help freshmen adjust to college life. In return, the RAs receive free room and … Read more
DEAR ABBY: A casual friend and neighbor started doing the books at the company where I work. This means she knows my income, which she didn’t before. We live in a small town and are on several committees together outside of work, including a board for a local charity and the PTO for our kids’ … Read more
MILs get a bad rep, but this one takes the cake. Taking to an advice column, one new mom vented about how her MIL managed to talk her husband into changing their newborn’s name while she was asleep, recovering from her C-section. People responded furiously in the comments and the advice columnist even went as far as to tell … Read more
DEAR ABBY: Twelve years ago, my son “Will” married “Mara.” They dated in high school, wound up at the same college and eloped during their freshman year (way too young). In spite of their somewhat rocky relationship over the years, Mara and I always got along well. She became the daughter I never had, and … Read more