ArcaMax

DEAR ABBY: "Dana" has been my best friend since 1995. We did so many things together, until she had gastric bypass surgery three years ago. Mind you, Dana was never fat. She may have been overweight, but she was never morbidly obese. She never participated in any of the fun sports I did, such as mud/obstacle course runs or fun 5Ks. Her lack of ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm a divorced woman, soon to be 60, who is often haunted by vivid memories of the past. I constantly recall times in my life that I regret or cringe about, and things I wish I would have handled better. They range from being embarrassed at my 7th birthday party to being bullied from the 5th through 8th grades to awkward moments in ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have a gay friend I'll call "Allen." We have been close friends for 13 years. Allen has visited me often with his friends from England, and two years ago, when I could finally afford to visit him, he invited me to stay in the home he shares with his boyfriend, "Rupert." Rupert took an instant dislike to me. He treated me rudely and ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: One of my siblings was abused as a child. In turn, he abused me when he was a pre-teen and into his teens. It stopped when he got a girlfriend at the age of 14. This was news to my parents.

Now that the cat is out of the bag, I have tried to explain to my mom that I don't like being around him. She has heard me, but she pretends like...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm about to get married to a wonderful woman. We have been together for 16 years and have two precious kids. Recently, we were treated to bachelor and bachelorette parties, a week apart. Although we all know that what goes on during them isn't real, it's over once you walk out the door.

Well, my fiancee has pictures and videos of ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband of 20 years has had DUIs in the past. He has always been a binge drinker when socializing. He has been going out once a week after work for three hours, during which he drinks and then drives home. He tells me he has a couple beers, but his tab and his face tell a different story.

We have three teenagers who see his ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have recently discovered that for the last seven years -- or more -- my husband has been lying to avoid conflict. What he has been lying about greatly upsets me, but knowing he has lied about these things makes it worse than finding out the truth at the time things happened.

The lies are about his relationships with his female "...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband's job brings him a great deal of unhappiness, but he doesn't want to quit. He has been a high school Spanish teacher for 13 years. It's the only career he's ever known. There have always been ups and downs, but the problems over the past few years seem to be that the majority of kids at his school, and the school ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am a freshman at a Midwestern university, and I love it. I finished my first semester with straight A's, and my second semester has been strong. I have a great group of friends and have already made plenty of memories. My problem is I have been having a disagreement with my mom. I would like to rush a sorority in the fall, and while...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My father died five years ago at 90. For the last 20 years of his life, both my sisters shunned him because they disliked his second wife (who predeceased him). She had never been anything but kind to us all. They refused to speak to him and, when he was dying, announced that they wouldn't attend his funeral.

When an aunt informed ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband is retired from the military and living with a mental illness caused by a traumatic brain injury. As a result, he's disabled. We have four children. Over the years, he has developed an extreme sense of financial entitlement. Although I'm responsible for our finances, I cannot control his spending.

His compulsions include ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I lost your cookbooklet collection! My family and I have really enjoyed some of those recipes. I have loved all the ones I have tried, but my favorites are the desserts. Particularly noteworthy is your Peanut Butter Pie. It is yummy! Please let me know how I can order the booklets again. I need them because I'm having a family ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: For a few years, I volunteered to tend to an elderly woman through a hospice organization. My role was to visit with her while her son ran errands or enjoyed an evening of entertainment. I grew fond of her and her family.

For my 70th birthday, her daughter, son and daughter-in-law hosted an at-home dinner in my honor. It was good fun...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I had a friend I adored. She was someone I had known for over 20 years, but I had to say goodbye to her. I realized she is a shoplifter and also doesn't tip at restaurants.

When she shoplifted, I was with her. I had no idea she was doing it until we got back to the car and one of the items fell out of her bag. I was appalled. I told ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My parents divorced when I was 4. I've had a problem with insecurity and jealousy for as long as I can remember. I have two older sisters who are twins and a half-brother my stepmom and dad had when I was 18.

My sisters were always the popular and favored kids because they were twins. My grandparents took them to twin contests and ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband gets very upset when our 4-year-old sons don't share his enthusiasm over something that excites him. He wants them (and me) to jump up and down or cheer when he's excited about something. The problem is, he tends to share his news when we're getting ready for bed or just plain tired. I feel guilty for not acquiescing, but ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My sister and I have always been close. She's married to a man I have always thought is domineering and arrogant. I also suspect that he's emotionally abusive from things she has confided over the years. These include days of the silent treatment, refusing to celebrate her birthday because he doesn't believe in it and discouraging her...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My daughter-in-law, "Brooke," lost her grandfather five weeks ago. She has chosen not to tell her 4- and 10-year-old kids about it. She has ordered my husband, me and our son not to mention it. The kids see her grandmother at least once a week, and SHE is not supposed to tell them either.

I didn't know the kids hadn't been told and I...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am widowed after 45 years of marriage. A male work friend of 20 of those years wants to have a relationship with me but he's still married. We have already had incredible phone sex because he said he's in a sexless marriage. I enjoy our long conversations. He lives up north and I reside in Florida, so we won't meet in person. Since ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I met a man, "Gabe," 30 years ago. We had a very good time together. We dated some and even traveled occasionally. I liked him a lot but, when we met, I was divorced and looking for marriage. He was not. I moved for my job, and met and married someone else. Gabe did call to keep in touch for several years, but the calls stopped. I ...Read more