ArcaMax

DEAR ABBY: My older daughter, "Brianna," age 42, does not want anything to do with me or her brother and sister-in-law. She keeps me from my granddaughter, who is 17. I have been divorced since the '90s and remarried for 25 years. My first husband was a cheater. I tried very hard to save my first marriage. We got back together six months later, ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a bartender, and I have a colleague I work with about four times a week. He is a nice guy, and we generally get along well, but there are some aspects of his behavior and work ethic that are becoming increasingly difficult for me to handle. While he is friendly and personable with customers, he often lacks the ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Can you please advise me on the proper way for individuals to serve themselves when passing dishes at a family-style dinner?

My mother emphasized that when one says, "Please pass the rolls," and the breadbasket is passed around the table, the requester should accept the breadbasket in their hands with polite thanks and then ...Read more

Dear Annie: My ex-husband is in bad health, and I expect he might pass away soon. We divorced over 20 years ago and ended on bad terms, so we haven't communicated since. But we share two adult children who have maintained a relationship with him.

I'm struggling with whether or not I should attend his funeral when the time comes. Part of me ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend and I rented an apartment six weeks ago. A friend of his needed a place to stay due to some marital problems, so we decided she could stay with us. At the beginning, she offered us $500, and we agreed to that. Abby, she hasn't paid us a dime. She has chipped in maybe $30 for food.

She sleeps all day and sits in her room ...Read more

Yes, I realize there are plenty of ways to judge your lover -- the amount of hair on his head, the sexy pout of her lips, the way just being with the person puts you on top of the world. But right here, I'm suggesting a different criterion. It's one that may not be as thrilling, but it comes with a lifetime of durable joy. For a moment, then, ...Read more

Dear Annie: I used to complain about not receiving thank-you notes, but how many times have you been to a shower where, at the end, the gift receiver graciously gives a heartfelt "thank you"?

In this day and age, it really doesn't mean that a person isn't grateful. It has been drilled into their heads to text and to send an answer right away....Read more

Dear Readers: One of the more interesting letters we received recently concerned dust mites, which are always a problem but especially during summer months when temperatures and humidity rise. I thought you would find these tips, offered by David Chapman of Ultimate Mats, helpful for keeping your home free of dust mites this summer.

"Increase...Read more

Dear Annie: We would like to respond to your answer to "Retired and Busy," the grandparent who complained about overscheduled grandkids. To us, your answer was spot-on. We never felt "gaslit." At 80 and 76, we are still traveling to see our young adult grandchildren doing what they love, from five-hour trips to see a play to driving to another...Read more

There is now a regular in the parking lot of my local grocery store who asks to clean my windshield. Unfortunately, I rarely carry cash, so I request that he ask me again another time. I try to look him in the eye, but sometimes he won't meet mine.

There's been a shift locally, with more people eager to do small jobs to earn a dollar or two. ...Read more

Dear Annie: Very late in my life, I realized I was raised and influenced in a narcissistic family. My late father was a (mostly angry) narcissist, and my late mother was a patient, long-suffering enabler. My father had a governmental position where he was "in charge." At home, he was also large and in charge, which suited his narcissism.

...Read more

Dear Annie: I have a friend whose father recently died. They were incredibly close, and my heart hurts for her. She and I had met at her father's house 20-plus years ago and became super close for many years.

Life happened, and we're not as close as we once were even though I still consider her to be one of my best friends. I lost my own ...Read more