ArcaMax

Dear Cheryl: My mother is 73 and dating again after being widowed five years ago. She's trying internet dating, but it's not working very well. She belongs to several social groups, but they're mostly women. Can you give any advice to the senior set about where to find men? (Statistics say that there are two to three women for every man in ...Read more

Dear Annie: I know that I am very lucky to have a pair of active in-laws who love their children and grandchildren. When they are not traveling, they will bring a meal once a week to help our family and their other children's families with suppertime.

However, they seem to have a lack of interest in the lives of their children and their ...Read more

Dear Amy: Recently, my elderly mother sold her home. She and my disabled younger sister moved in with me and my family to care for them.

My older brother, "Randy," has been calling and asking for "his inheritance," citing mounting bills, and being a possible casualty to the government shutdown.

Randy owns three houses and two cars. He rents ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Nine months ago I met this incredible guy and we fell in love. We got along so well. He's smart, good-looking, has a great career and there didn't seem to be any problems.

Six months later, he casually mentioned that we are political opposites. Now I'm not that big on politics, and we all have reasons for being conservative or ...Read more

Dear Annie: The past four years of my marriage have been difficult. My husband and I have made many poor financial decisions, and we also have intimacy issues.

I'm an artist. When our kids were young, I chose to do freelance work so I could stay at home. My husband has a steady job with a 9-to-5 workday. On the side, he is a talented musician ...Read more

When Kevin was a boy, just six or seven years old, he knew in his bones that something terrible was happening in his family.

"There was something about my father. What? I hadn't a clue, but for some reason, I once took a large knife and asked my mother to kill me. Of course, I couldn't explain myself."

Kevin says he grew up with "a pervasive...Read more

Dear Annie: With Valentine's Day and Mother's Day coming soon, I would like to make a suggestion to children who send gift cards to their mothers or fathers.

For Christmas, I received almost $400 in gift cards to clothing stores. I am very thankful and appreciative of these gifts, but I do not need clothes, and had these cards been Visas or ...Read more

Dear Amy: My in-laws have recently relocated to a town approximately seven hours away. They are very excited about retirement and about their new home, and they are hoping that we (along with other family members) will visit often, including over holidays.

They used to live closer to us and when we visited, we would stay just for the day.

...Read more

DEAR ABBY: When I was 18, I married someone who, at the time, I loved very much. It happened sort of spur of the moment. Not even six months into the marriage, he cheated on me.

I am now 20, divorced and finally feel ready to move on. But how do I go about dating at my age being a divorcee? I don't know how to talk about it. I have friends who ...Read more

Dear Annie: My grandsons are 5 and 9 and old enough to sleep alone. However, they sleep together in a queen-sized bed, and their mother regularly crawls in with them. She has been doing that since they were toddlers.

The boys have told their mother that they do not want her in the bed any longer, but she continues to do so, saying they need her...Read more

Adapted from a recent online discussion.

Dear Carolyn:

I've recently started chatting online with a considerably older man -- closer to my parents' age than mine. I swiped right because I thought he was attractive, but I didn't really expect to ever meet up with him. A few weeks and many deep conversations later and I realized I feel...Read more

Dear Annie: Can hoarding be cured? If not, I've reached the end of my rope.

My dear wife of more than 30 years, who does not work outside the home, has filled up our attic, two rented storage spaces and one bedroom with so much useless stuff that you cannot walk into any of them. Our own bedroom has stacks of papers, books and clothes all ...Read more

Dear Amy: During a recent dinner at a neighborhood restaurant/pub, four people at one table near us were having a very lively conversation. They were loud enough that nearby diners heard their conversation, whether we cared to or not.

One person did much of the talking, with his companions chiming in from time to time. The primary speaker was ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm writing regarding Open-Minded in the South (Nov. 24), the Christian woman who's a supporter of the LGBTQ community. She's concerned about her boyfriend's mother's inability to see her viewpoint and the effect it would have on future kids. I experienced something nearly identical. My boyfriend's grandfather is an ordained pastor, ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have been with my fiance for 14 years, and we have had our fair share of problems. Three months ago, I left, taking our kids with me. But I came back when he asked me to. I figured I owed it to the children to try to work things out. But nothing has changed.

I don't have a job outside the home. However, I do have credit card debt....Read more

Dear Annie: Each Valentine's Day, I am filled with incredible sadness. Two years ago, my husband and I were expecting our first baby girl. Her due date was Valentine's Day, and we were so thrilled with love and excitement at the arrival of our baby girl. Her name was going to be Valentine.

Sad to say, Valentine was born Feb. 14 as a ...Read more

Dear Amy: I just received a GoFundMe request from the mother of a young man who wants to travel with his football team to play an out-of-state game.

His coach helped him put together the request. There was no mention of what this young man is doing to earn money for the trip -- just the begging. ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Valentine's Day is here and, to be honest, I don't know much about St. Valentine. So I wonder if he meant the day to only be about lovers.

Is there any reason I shouldn't send valentines to my friends? Why should anyone feel bad because they're not with someone? If you love and/or care about a person, can't you send them a box of ...Read more