ArcaMax

DEAR ABBY: Every summer, my husband and I, our two boys and my parents would take several vacations at Mom and Dad's lake home. This is where Dad grew up and where we spent countless vacations as children. It holds much sentimental value to us all. We were lucky enough to have our own space upstairs and were free to enjoy the home as if it was ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My niece, Amelia, was a straight-A student in high school. She took advanced placement courses from 10th grade through 12th and was in all honors classes. She talked about going into the medical field after she got her college degree. Before starting college she wanted to take a year off and just live life because she'd had so many ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My ex-husband and I have been divorced for five years. I have sole custody of our 6-year-old son, Charlie. My ex lives five hours away with his current wife and her four children. He makes time to see our son only a few times a year.

Anytime he drives down to see Charlie, he always brings someone with him, whether it's his wife or ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Last week I was out with my family of 13 for dinner. My sister-in-law was sitting relaxed in her chair, stretching her back and extending her stomach. The waiter came over and, trying to make small talk, asked her, What's the occasion? Are you pregnant? My sister-in-law isn't pregnant, but her posture may have suggested it.

Well, my ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My mother has always had a horrible habit of making plans and canceling at the last minute. When I make plans with her, she invariably cancels the day of. Lately she has started making me feel guilty for not coming around more.

I lost my license two years ago, so I can't drive, and I work full time. She has no job and several ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm the mom of a 31-year-old daughter who recently broke up with her longtime boyfriend so she can be with a 17-year-old kid. I probably wouldn't be upset if she didn't have sons who are 15, 14, 12 and a daughter, 10, who considered the man she broke up with their dad. Her new love is only two years older than her oldest. I am having ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm a 26-year-old single man. Most of my good friends are getting married, and when they do, they stop speaking to me. I have a hard time not resenting them for it. It makes me feel my company was a placeholder until they got married, and I'm not worth keeping around now that they have what they really want. It makes me feel like a ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend and I are both 34 and have been dating for eight years. I love him, but I'm tired of him being so selfish and self-centered. His free time revolves around hockey games on the ice and on TV, baseball on the field and on TV and football season TV. Basically, his butt is glued to the couch.

Every day when I get home from a ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have had a wonderful and fulfilling career, and a life with a few hard bumps along the road. My wife and I enjoy spending time together as empty nesters.

For the last 16 years, I have built and led several not-for-profit organizations. After the last experience ended, we relocated, and I now have a less-demanding job I hope will ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have a guy friend who goes from girl to girl constantly. People talk about what a player he is and say he doesn't really like the women he's dating. He has been called desperate -- among other things. None of this ever gets to him. Even though we are just close friends, he has even asked ME out.

I think he's doing things all wrong,...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am a platonic friend and part-time caregiver of a wealthy gentleman. I now reside in his residence out of necessity. We respect each other, and neither of us intends to be anything more than friends.

My problem is his family. They know I exist, but refuse to get to know me. They do not allow me to accompany him to holiday events at...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am a gay male. My sister, Cate, is in what appears outwardly to be a committed relationship, but I know for a fact it isn't.

Her boyfriend, Darren, invited me out for coffee a few days ago, and while he was discussing some of their relationship troubles, he told me he isn't sure that he's straight. He then proceeded to say he could...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My wife, Libby's, dearest friend of 20 years, Melanie, has changed her lifestyle. Melanie and her husband have become swingers. Now when Libby meets her socially, all Melanie can talk about is her new lifestyle -- complete with photos. Plus Melanie is very interested in meeting men when they are out together.

I don't like what she ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Just months before our 30th wedding anniversary, my husband told me he doesn't love me and never wanted to marry me. I am beyond devastated. I feel I have wasted the best years of my life. We have two beautiful daughters who are my everything.

When he revealed this news to me, it turned my life upside down. I don't know how to ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My wife died recently. We were very happy. We had six beautiful children and were married for 58 wonderful years.

It has been a month since her funeral, and I have been able to cope somewhat with her loss. But suddenly, a couple of days ago, I experienced a tremendous wave of grief and thought I would go crazy with not being able to ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Do you have any advice on how I can make friends with people my own age in my hometown? It's a small college town. I recently graduated from the local university and still live at home with my parents. Most of the people I socialized with in school have moved back home after graduating, found work, and seem uninterested in contacting ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am a 57-year-old man who has been divorced for eight years. (My ex-wife was the one who filed.) I recently reconnected with my ex-wife's sister, Edith, whom I hadn't seen in years. We began a friendship, which has evolved into a serious relationship.

My ex is having issues with our romance and has been trying to turn friends, our ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My aunt had a stillborn baby 20 years ago. At the time, I was a teenager. Ever since then she has lived a morbid lifestyle -- like you'd see in a scary movie. After the first year, she threw a party with a cake for all of us, and wanted us to sing Happy Birthday to a baby that never lived.

When my grandfather died recently, she made ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I dated a man several years ago, and we just hooked up again. In the interim he had all of his teeth pulled. His dentures are ill-fitting, and he refuses to get them adjusted. As a result, he goes without any teeth, which I find a whole lot less than sexy. Our love life is suffering as a result.

He has tried to persuade me to kiss ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am an attractive woman who has been married for 30 years. I think my husband has been cheating on me for most of them. Through the years I have seen the telltale signs and confronted him many times. But he continually tells me no, he would never do anything.

I have tried hard to stay with him, although I feel stupid for doing it. ...Read more