ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: My daughter and her boyfriend want to move back home with my husband and me. They are both in their 30s and have made irresponsible financial decisions that have gotten them to this point. They rented an apartment for $4,000 per month, bought brand-new cars and constantly ate out. There is so much more, but I won't even get into ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I occasionally receive little packets of homemade cards that have been created by artistic, talented friends and neighbors. These may have photos or artwork covers, are blank on the inside for writing personal notes, and often have a small graphic or notation on the back, such as, "Created by ..."

I am pleased to receive ...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm overwhelmed with anger and resentment. My 86-year-old mom, who has lived in the same town as me for 30-plus years, blindsided me by announcing she was moving an hour and a half north to live with my brother. My husband and I have taken care of her -- and my father when he was alive -- for the past 20 years.

I feel extremely ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have been with my significant other for five years and have helped raise his daughter, "Maeve," since she was a toddler. She is now 8, and her behavior -- and his enabling -- are pushing me to my breaking point. Maeve demands her father do everything for her, including bathing and dressing her, and he complies. She runs around the ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have an amazing husband who genuinely makes our marriage feel like a partnership. Not only does he pay all the bills -- even though I have a job and make a pretty good living -- he also helps cook, clean and take care of the kids. He does all of this and never complains about any of the support he gives his family. My husband ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Do you think it is rude to question one's motives? If so, what's behind that thinking?

In court, this is the jury's business, and considering one's motives has to do with our boundaries -- whether or not we should trust someone, become friends with someone, or go into partnership with them with something very important.

In ...Read more

Dear Annie: I was married for 30 years, and some of them were very happy. The man I fell in love with was joyful and excited about life. Over time he grew bitter and withdrawn and critical about nearly everything I did. We tried counseling twice. In the end, we were two people who were no longer compatible, and we divorced.

I'm now 60 and ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been happily married for 30 years. We both were previously widowed and have grown children and a large number of grandchildren. From the beginning of our marriage, we funded many things for our children -- cars, college, weddings, eating out, shopping trips, vacations, etc. Because we're now retired, we can no ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: It's been almost two months since my boyfriend and I moved in together. He's lived with romantic partners in the past, but this is my first rodeo, and I'm struggling to adjust. It's not anything that he does -- except for the fact that he looks forward to being with me every day, every night, every morning, every meal ...

I feel...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: When meeting people -- job interviews, the doctor's office, the bank, or just meeting new people socially -- I have encountered an idiosyncrasy that bothers me. When coming face-to-face with someone for the first time, I have often been asked, "What was your name?"

This strikes me as odd. Since I am currently still using my ...Read more

Dear Annie: What do you think about friends who give gifts such as thrift store items or items that they no longer want in their homes? I have one friend who gives thrift store items to me as gifts. They are almost always cracked or chipped with the thrift store tag still on them and wrapped in used tissue paper.

Then I have another friend ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: There is an 8-foot privacy fence all around my backyard, except for a small path that goes from the corner of the driveway around the side of the house. You can't see the path or the backyard from the street.

The other evening, I was grilling dinner when a pair of young women walked right up inside the fence. One of them introduced ...Read more

"She makes me laugh. We have fun together." "Just being with him is fun." It's more than possible that the same person who brings a smile to your lips has soul mate potential. Let that thought percolate awhile and my hunch is that pretty soon you'll be nodding in agreement. Thing is, finding humor in the same things could be an important common ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: If I want to start a conversation with a stranger -- say we're next to each other on an airplane -- I might comment on the book they're reading. Similarly, is it OK if I comment on their tattoo?

Especially if it's a tattoo of a name or other words, it seems like it was put there so people could read it.

GENTLE READER: You ...Read more