ArcaMax

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have a longtime friend who has a habit of waiting until the last minute to confirm plans or even make them.

One Sunday morning, she asked me if I would like to come over and go for a walk sometime that week and then stay for dinner. I said, "Does Wednesday work for you? It looks like the weather will be OK that day."

On ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been helping my neighbor with errands and yard work ever since his wife passed last fall. He's 82, lives alone and doesn't have any close family nearby. At first, it felt good to help -- and I still care about him -- but lately, it's gotten overwhelming.

He's started calling me daily, asking me to pick up groceries, sit with ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have a female friend, "Kylene," who needs yard work done weekly. My fiance, "Josh," goes over there to do the work for her. He charges $60. During the last two weeks, she has been popping up at our home uninvited. Kylene knows Josh's work schedule and makes sure she sees him daily at the neighborhood bar around 4 in the afternoon. ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently received a job offer from another company that comes with a significantly higher salary than what I'm currently making. The role is in a field I've been wanting to move into for years, and while it's a little intimidating, it genuinely excites me. When I told my current employer about the offer, they surprised me by ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I was leaving an underground transit station and making my way to the escalator to go up to the street when I noticed a tall young man gaining rapidly on me from behind.

We have an unwritten rule that you stand on the right side of the escalator if you just want to ride, and move to the left if you want to walk up the moving ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband, "Mark," and I have been married for six years. For the most part, things are good between us, but there's one recurring issue I can't get past. Mark's ex-wife, "Tina," is still very involved in his life -- not in a co-parenting way, since they don't even have kids, but socially. She calls him every few weeks or so, ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My daughter, "Violet," lives about two hours away. She and her mother (my wife) do not get along. Violet was always a rebellious, independent wild child, as well as the source of a lot of family problems. Violet and I also were estranged until we recently reconciled.

Yesterday, she sent me an email inviting me to lunch to celebrate ...Read more

Her phone call startled me. The distraught woman on the other end spoke in rapid-fire sentences, most of them half-finished. Every word was confused, jumbled. But after some time, it became clear that her husband of 30 years was leaving the marriage. He wanted to live alone. In a way, he had already gone; they hadn't had sex in a year, and the ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I grew up in New York and have been here my entire life. I decided about a year ago that I wanted to move to a new city. I only flirted with the idea at first, but recently, my boss told me that if I'm serious, they could transfer me to the Chicago office. I've taken them up on their offer and will be moving within a few months. ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My wife and I joined a travel timeshare that we both love. The only thing we hate is how they try to upsell you.

After check-in, you are required to go to the concierge desk to get your arm band or parking pass. Once there, the hard sell starts; they try to bribe, encourage or beg you to attend a sales meeting. (They call ...Read more

Dear Annie: Your column is a regular part of our home, and I truly appreciate the compassion and insight you bring to readers' questions. I would like to gently offer another perspective, one that may sometimes be overlooked when people write in about the emotional withdrawal of a spouse, parent or longtime friend.

In some cases, what appears...Read more

DEAR ABBY: About eight months ago, I stumbled on my husband watching online porn. He admitted to habitual use but said it was just a stress reliever and he would stop viewing it. Meanwhile, I am plagued by feelings of not being enough for him, mainly before or during sex but also at random times of the day and night.

I am a small-breasted woman...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My neighbor's young son has developed a habit of coming into my yard and picking flowers for his mom from my garden, which is right on the border of our two lawns. She always laughs and says how sweet it is when he hands them to her, but I can't help feeling frustrated. I've spent countless hours planting, watering and tending to...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I've seen young men with their mothers picking out a ring that the young woman of his choice is supposed to love and wear forever.

What if they picked something she really didn't like?

I would like to propose a new tradition: The proposal is made and accepted, but instead of a ring, the proposer offers a jewel box that ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I are the proud grandparents of two beautiful granddaughters. "Lila" is 20 months old and the daughter of our son "Michael" and his wife, "Emily." "Sophie" is 10 months old and the daughter of our other son "Daniel" and his wife, "Grace."

We love both girls dearly and feel so fortunate to have them in our lives. But...Read more