ArcaMax

Dear Annie: I was a lousy husband. Not because of physical or emotional abuse but because of ignorance. I grew up in a household where I never heard my father tell my mother he loved her. I never heard him give her a compliment or ask her opinion.

He was a hard worker and a good provider. She bought whatever she needed, never wanted for ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am writing in hopes that you can provide a different and fresh perspective. I have two sons: "George," 28, and "Fred," 35. George has lived with us on and off for the past 10 years. I call him my "boomerang kid." He has finally landed a decent job, and we are giving him six more months of living with us to get his finances in ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am the proud owner of a flip cellphone, and I probably wouldn't have it if public telephones still existed. I use about 100 minutes a month and have sent, in my lifetime, no more than 300 text messages, most of them one or two words in response to a text sent to me. I use no data. I still use physical maps to navigate car trips.

...Read more

Dear Annie: I used to date a lady from Australia who was taught to hold her fork in the European/continental style. When she came to visit me in Milwaukee, she noticed my American style. She seemed put-off but didn't say anything. We had a pending dinner date with mutual friends, and she thought I would be set straight by seeing how other ...Read more

Dear Annie: One of my young relatives came to me when she was thrown out of her house at the age of 23 by her parents for "no reason," she claimed. I agreed to cosign her lease so she could get an apartment, and I also agreed to pay her rent until she could find a good job. Two years later, she hadn't found a job, and I was still paying for ...Read more

Dear Annie: A few years ago, I moved into a duplex owned by an old college friend of mine, "Robby," and his wife. During this time, I became very close friends with Robby's wife. Earlier this year I moved out. Around this same time, Robby's wife told him that she was thinking of divorce. The wife pretty much stopped talking to me once I moved ...Read more

Dear Annie: My wife and I are approaching our 70th birthdays this year. As we have aged, hosting company and taking care of visiting children and grandchildren has become more stressful. Both of us have age-related health issues. One of our daughters (my stepdaughter), "Janet," visits with her 8-year-old daughter and 70-pound dog. The dog eats...Read more

Dear Annie: I am a teacher in a small town in New England. When I began my job, I thought it was the best job in the world. I spent a lot of time, money and effort to learn the skills to become an effective teacher, and I couldn't think of a better way to give back to my community.

Fast-forward a few years. Most teachers work very hard to ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I are planning a big party to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. Sadly, two sisters are all but ruining the event. They are both close friends of mine, but they are feuding with each other. I did not send out online invites but rather traditional paper invitations. Through the grapevine, I heard they are both ...Read more

Dear Annie: One of my cousins lives about two hours away. Her parents are deceased, and she is estranged from her siblings. She has been in the hospital several times for mental health care. I believe she is bipolar but don't know that for sure. Because she lives alone now, we invite her to family gatherings for the holidays.

About once a ...Read more

Dear Annie: I smoked cigarettes for 18 years and tried to quit many different times. I tried all the recommended treatments including hypnosis, nicotine gum, patches and a hundred other things. But three years ago, I quit for good, and I feel so much better. That was possible because I started vaping. I have said many times that vaping is ...Read more

Dear Annie: My son "Bo" has been with his wife, "Joyce," for 13 years. Several months ago, my husband and I spent a long weekend at the beach with our children and grandchildren. My husband rises early, and he was in the kitchen at 4 a.m., starting his day, when he ran into Joyce. She was just getting home. Without my asking, Joyce explained ...Read more

Dear Annie: I never thought I'd write to you, but I have no one else to ask. I work part time as a customer service representative. Like me, all of my co-workers are mostly retired women except for one man who is our age, "John." He's been in our department for about two years. A year ago, he began having a friendship, for lack of a better ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been friends with this girl for several years. She's my (adult) daughter's age. We have never had a disagreement before. Long story short, she said something out of the blue that hurt my feelings. She says she was joking but the fact remains that she hurt me. She won't apologize, and now she's stopped speaking to me. When I ...Read more

Dear Readers: In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I would like to thank all of you -- my readers. I particularly want to single out those of you who have reached out by offering your questions and opinions. Without you, the column would not be possible. To celebrate this special day, I'd like to share one of my favorite poems, because it helps ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have a sister who has had six surgeries to beat two types of cancer. She has residual complications but is working forward. I have been with her through all her surgeries and rehab. I live on the West Coast, and she lives on the East Coast.

I have called her every day since her first diagnosis. Now that she has had a relapse, ...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm very upset about my brother and my sister-in-law's friction over finances. My brother and I are very close. I'm single and spend a lot of time with them and their two kids.

They fight about money often. It's mostly centered on their mortgage. My brother thinks they should pay extra every month in an effort to pay off the house...Read more

Dear Annie: Christmas is coming up, and I like to give each of my friends and neighbors a little something. There's a very nice family nearby; I usually give the adults a box of candy and their older child a smaller box of candy. Their younger child has Down syndrome. Last year, I gave him an ornament. This year, I'd like to do something ...Read more

Dear Annie: It seems as if many people are looking for an alternative to buying things for people for Christmas out of habit.

So, here is a creative solution we use to both keep a festive spirit and give to charities. This is a great alternative to buying for adults who honestly don't need one more thing! In my family, we each draw a name for...Read more

Dear Annie: Since 2013, my mother has inherited $475,000, which she has cast into a bonfire of casino losses, church donations, failed business investments and undisclosed other ventures. My late father and I advised her to pay off the home mortgage, and we were strongly rebuffed.

Fast-forward to 2019, at 82 she is penniless; she has a ...Read more