ArcaMax

DEAR ABBY: I'm fortunate that most of my neighbors are kind and considerate. We've all enjoyed sharing each other's celebrations. However, there's one family among the five households that we've never managed to connect with on a personal level. Despite our efforts, such as giving gifts and food, they have always been unresponsive. While there's...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am a single parent of two girls. My oldest, "Becca," is 17. She has been dating this guy and, as soon as she graduates, plans to move in with him and two of his friends (another couple). What worries me is that their relationship is pretty toxic. They are always fighting. I have begged her not to move in with him, but she won't ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My wife and I have been happily married for 15 years. My mother-in-law, "Pat," a widow since 1997, has lived with us for the last 14 years. She lived alone in her own apartment when my wife and I first were married but was going through bouts of depression. I initially extended the offer to her to live with us until she got through ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am an adult child of an alcoholic. My mother is a mean drunk. While growing up, I had to act as her therapist and deal with her co-dependency. I have been lucky to have processed a lot of the trauma in therapy and to have a loving and healthy family of my own now. We actively avoid Mom after 3 p.m. because I don't want my kids ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My younger brother, "Paul," is 40 and in a rut. He became friends with a friend of mine, "Mitch," whom I met in college. Paul also became good friends with Mitch's wife, "Iris." After a year of close friendship, my brother made a pass at Mitch's wife during a BBQ. He was promptly asked to leave, and they have ceased contact with him. ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I had a close friendship with a co-worker. We used to have lunch together and shared many personal and intimate stories. We were the two work newbies, even though I started six months before he did.

He has adapted well in the work environment, but I'm still struggling with different personalities and communication styles. Because he'...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Twenty years ago, I developed psychosis with a personality change. I did things I'm ashamed of. I had an affair, remarried and moved out of the country, leaving my 13-year-old daughter with my ex-husband. I snapped out of it 15 years ago with the help of a good psychiatrist and excellent medication. I deeply regret my behavior, and I ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I received a Facebook message from my first cousin. In it, she apologized for not communicating for the past 10 months. It ended with, "Send me your address so I can send you a birth announcement." Abby, I wasn't even aware that she had been pregnant.

I contacted her father, who said the child was born two months ago. This cousin is ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: We share a vacation home with another family. My husband and I are neat people. The other family is the opposite. They leave dirty dishes in the sink for days, promising, "I'll get to them." Dirty diapers are left on the living room floor as well as toys, clothes and stale food. It's disgusting.

My husband and I clean up after them, ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I was dating a man for the past two years. Most of the time, we enjoyed being together. However, sometimes our discussions would turn into heated and hurtful arguments. He would disregard my point of view, ultimately shut me down and make me feel like the disagreement was my fault.

After our most recent argument, I finally decided to...Read more

DEAR ABBY: A close friend -- whom I've been urging for years to save for a rainy day -- is now facing a very real storm. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and is undergoing treatment. Knowing her financial situation -- living paycheck to paycheck despite her and her husband's high-paying jobs -- I felt compelled to help by setting up a ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband has a female friend he grew up with. They have exchanged "happy birthday" texts for many years. However, they have recently begun texting more often. An example: One night he was mixing a drink and texted her about whether to use Pepsi or Coke.

On his birthday, I watched for her text and saw it had two heart emojis on ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have an old friend who lives an hour from me. I visit her for the day and come home. I have never invited her to spend the night at my home, nor do I expect her to invite me for a sleepover when I drive down to see her.

The last two times she has visited me, she has arrived at 9 a.m. I assumed she came early because she wanted to ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My brother died of cancer a year ago. During his entire 50-year marriage, I felt bad about the way his wife treated him. She snapped at him and bit his head off from the time they were first married until his death, even while he was dying. Never once did I hear him speak harshly in return.

I kept my mouth shut because I didn't want ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have been thinking a lot lately about my first love. The thoughts come and go, which I know is normal. A week or so ago, I stumbled upon her LinkedIn account, saw her profile picture and couldn't help but reminisce about all the good times we had together 15 years ago. I'm 35 now and have been in a relationship for seven years. She ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been together for 16 years (eight years married). When we were first married, we had fun. He used to take me out on dates. He knows I enjoy dining and dancing, but it has been years since he invited me out. I have talked to him about this on multiple occasions, and he says he hears me, but we never do anything. I...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I recently married an old high school flame after 30 years apart. Since we are both in our 50s, we wanted a low-key ceremony -- no wedding, no fuss, just us, madly in love and doing our thing. My older sister, the only person we told, begged me to be included -- "At least let me sign as witness. At least let me bring a cake. At least ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: A few years ago, we were invited to my cousin's eldest daughter's wedding. Although my cousin and I are close, I barely know the daughter. We were invited only because my cousin wanted me there. The wedding was out of town, which necessitated a motel stay, meals and gas, in addition to a generous cash gift. The cash gift was what the ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I recently realized that my sister-in-law has been kissing my boyfriend on the mouth every time she greets him. We all live in the same town and get together for dinners and events often. I love my SIL and don't believe she would ever do anything to hurt me or my brother. Our families and my mom are all close.

This all came to light ...Read more