ArcaMax

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have been going to a nail salon twice a month for two years. The owner and staff are all Vietnamese. My manicurist gives wonderful mani-pedis, and I have no complaints about the service.

At some point during each appointment, and sometimes several times while I am there, the owner and some employees will have a conversation...Read more

Dear Annie: This might seem a little weird for a 78-year-old man, but this really bothers me. When I was in elementary and high school, I wasn't liked by many of my fellow students. I was shy, a bit awkward and the target of bullying. I never fit in, and I thought high school would never end.

Things were better in college. I graduated and ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am a man in his 60s who lost his wife two years ago to a heart attack. I have fallen in love with my cousin, who is also in her 60s, divorced and a lawyer. Is it reasonable for me to ask her to go with me on dates? Can a man marry his first cousin? -- CONFUSED IN NEW JERSEY

DEAR CONFUSED: According to the free legal reference ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My neighbor ran over my cat and is lying about it, even though we captured it on our Ring Doorbell camera. Our cat is an indoor and outdoor cat, and during the day he likes to wander around the neighborhood. He is well-known by all our neighbors, and everyone loves to give him treats and pet him. One day, the teenage son of our ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have just returned from a weekend at a so-called friend's home, and talk about feeling unwelcome. She was on my heels "cleaning up" after me all weekend, and I didn't make a mess!

I was given a towel and washcloth. After using them, I neatly hung them on her towel bar, only to be later told that they had been moved to the ...Read more

Dear Annie: My siblings and I usually go in on gifts for my parents for birthdays and holidays. Since there are five of us, we can pool enough for something really nice, such as new golf clubs or a weekend away, rather than five smaller separate gifts.

My dad's birthday is coming up, and my sister sent around her usual text to coordinate. The...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am a man in my late 60s who hasn't had a family birthday party since I was a child. My mother's birthday is seven days from mine, so celebrations were always for her, and mine were sort of lost in the shuffle. This was never a problem for me when I was younger, but as I get older, I think it would be nice to have a party.

When I ...Read more

Dear Annie: I recently returned from a lovely two-week vacation to Europe with my husband. It's rare that we get a trip like this, so we were looking forward to it, and it did not disappoint!

I set clear expectations with my team at work beforehand that I'd be fully off work. Everyone respected that -- except my boss, who texted me not once ...Read more

If you've been musing on the power of bitterness and the awfulness it can play in a life, that's a step in the right direction. It tells me your complacency has been a bit rattled by my words and you may just be considering (for the first time?) your role in shaping the unpleasant endings in your life. Knowing this is just between you and me, ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have lived in the same house for nearly 15 years and have always had a friendly relationship with my neighbors. About a year ago, a new family moved in next door with two large dogs. They seem like perfectly nice dogs, but my neighbors let them outside constantly -- early in the morning, throughout the day and sometimes well into ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have been married to a dear man for more than 40 years, but for much of that time, I have felt as though we are not really a team.

My husband can be very kind in practical ways. He will happily run errands, fix things around the house and do small tasks for me. But when I truly need his support, especially during stressful or ...Read more

Dear Readers: After my column in response to "Worried Daughter," who was concerned that her widowed mother was becoming increasingly isolated and dependent two years after her husband's death, readers wrote with thoughtful suggestions. Thank you to all, but especially to two readers for sharing your personal and professional experiences with ...Read more

They were behind at the orthodontist's office and the waiting room was full. My daughter went to sit down as I checked in, and I sucked it in to slide into the one seat open next to her. The two boys, both under 10, in our row were each on their phones. Their mom, sitting in front of them was on her phone. In fact, everyone in the waiting room...Read more