ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: My best friend and I have been practically brothers for the past 15 years. Being that close, I have spent a lot of time with his family (and vice versa), and in that time, his sister and I have grown fond of each other. We text sometimes and talk about activities and places we should explore together, but out of respect for my ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: The 4th of July is quickly approaching. Every year, due to my home being in close proximity to the city's fireworks display, I am bombarded with uninvited visitors. I do invite some friends over, but I spend the evening chasing trespassers off my property.

How do I politely tell people in advance that I do not want smoking or...Read more

Dear Annie: I moved to northern Florida over a year ago to help care for my parents. My sister has lived in southern Florida for many years, and for as long as I can remember, nearly every conversation with her includes the same question: "When are you coming down?"

Before I moved here, she asked it constantly. Once, she and her husband ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I've been employed at the same company for 17 years. I'm the youngest person in the department, and I love my job and the people I work with. One co-worker I used to be close to has a son the same age as mine, and they did sports together and went to each other's birthday parties. I would invite her over to relax by the pool while our...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I told my friend that I got into law school, and immediately I could see a shift in energy -- she was jealous of me. We have both been applying to law schools, and she didn't get into any of her top choices. I was already hesitant to tell her, but I felt weird trying to keep it a secret from her. When I shared the news, I ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: We had arranged with our son and daughter-in-law to babysit their 1- and 4-year-olds so they could go to an out-of-town concert, being gone for two nights. Three days before we were to arrive, the 4-year-old got sick and they took him to urgent care.

He continued to get worse, and the doctor sent them to the children's ...Read more

Dear Annie: My 15-year-old daughter was given a piece of sentimental jewelry on the day of her grandmother's funeral. It had belonged to her grandmother, and the gesture was meant to be a beautiful way for my daughter to carry a piece of her with her.

At the time, my daughter seemed touched. She wore it a few times, and I remember feeling ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have experienced something that other women I know have said they have also experienced. I dated a man for a year. We became very close and fell in love. He was sweet, loving and kind in every way. Before I would commit to marriage, I made sure we had discussions about respect and what I expected from a life partner.

The change in ...Read more

I had forgotten about the time change and the hour that I thought we'd have before the game vaporized. We checked in and raced to the Mexican restaurant, where the likelihood of the game playing would be high.

My husband dropped me off to verify if TVs were playing the game. There were and there were others with green jerseys like what all of ...Read more

Dear Annie: My wife and I are members of a local church, though I will admit we are not exactly front-pew regulars. We go about once a month, sometimes more during holidays or when life is calmer. Our faith matters to us, but we practice it quietly and privately.

One of our neighbors and her husband also belong to the same church. They are ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have been dating a wonderful man for 10 months. He was married for 45 years until his wife died after a five-year illness. He is kind, thoughtful, smart, generous and romantic. Our relationship is exclusive, and things could hardly be better.

Recently, he and one of his grown daughters and her family gathered for dinner to ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently went to goat yoga, and it was a horrible experience. The goats were going wild and defecating everywhere. I had seen so many cute videos online of people doing yoga with baby goats climbing on their backs, and I thought it would be a fun and relaxing way to spend a Saturday with some friends. Instead, it felt chaotic ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: When my husband died, his old girlfriend crawled out of the woodwork and wrote a tribute on his memory page about their "relationship from years in the past."

This was extremely hurtful to me. I feel like writing a response to her in the comment section of what she wrote.

GENTLE READER: Please don't. Let your friends be ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have been with "Garrett" for over four years now. I have a son who is 9, and we share a daughter, 3. I was a single mom for four years before I met Garrett, so I did everything on my own.

Garrett is always willing to make my lunch for work, clean after I get home from work, do laundry, etc. so I can relax. My problem is I tend to ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm a gay man who has been married to a wonderful man for seven years (together for 12). Throughout our relationship, my husband has struggled with religious trauma that affects his desire (and ability) to be intimate. We've seen counselors, talked through it and addressed the value we place on physical intimacy. Nothing has changed. ...Read more