ArcaMax

Dear Annie: I've been reading your column for a long time, and I admire how reasonable and nonjudgmental your advice seems to be.

My husband and I were childhood sweethearts. We are currently separated, and I am concerned that this might lead to divorce.

This is my second marriage. We have two children. Our first child was born in February ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am a divorced man in my 60s. Twelve years ago, a neighbor woman who I'm attracted to popped into my house to have a smoke break out on my back deck. When she arrived, I was in the shower. She came in like she always did (she had permission) and walked over to the fireplace. As she turned, she took two steps and froze because at that...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: A few weeks ago, my cat went missing. I put up flyers around the neighborhood, posted on local social media pages and walked around calling her name. Then, a few days ago, I spotted her sitting in my neighbor's window just two houses down. I'm absolutely certain it's her: same markings, same collar, and when she saw me, she ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have visited a dear friend a few times over the years, and each time, I am greeted with a lovely guest room: comfortable bedding, fresh flowers and fluffy towels, all of which made my stay extra special.

When she visited me for the first time, I was excited to put together a similar experience for her. But I was rather ...Read more

Dear Annie: My son's wife was pregnant with their third child in November 2021. At that time, even though my wife is severely handicapped, I offered to come over and spend time with the "grandkids" while she gave birth. She called in December and said, "Pop, I'm in labor." I said, "Don't worry, I'll look in on the kids while you all are in the ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: After six years of working closely together, I have developed a raging crush on my co-worker and project partner, "Brett." It's a full-on, face-flushing, daydreaming kind of situation, and it's super annoying. I know this crush is inappropriate and unreciprocated, and I have no intention of acting on it. We are both married, and I ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I ran into a woman I went to school with many years ago. When we saw each other, she reached out to hug me immediately and express her joy at reconnecting. I had no idea who she was! It turns out that more than 40 years ago we were at the same school and participated in a performance together. She remembers it vividly; I do not. ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Too often for my comfort, I find myself at the bottom of a staircase, escorting a woman upstairs. My instinct is to let the woman go first, but the unfortunate result is that when I follow her up the stairs, my eyes are at the level of her bottom.

The situation is even more complicated if short skirts are part of the equation...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm a 45-year-old woman, and my boyfriend is 36. His family loves me, except for his dad. I don't know what I have done for him to dislike me. I should say that at one point, in the past, he used to like me.

When my boyfriend's mom was diagnosed with cancer, I was there each time she was in the hospital. My boyfriend and I would ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I became ill a few months ago and spent 10 days in the hospital before moving to a rehab center to recover. My husband worked at the facility where I became a patient. Two weeks into my rehab, he announced that when I went home, he would not be there, and that he was filing for divorce. He refused to give me a solid reason why. Our 30...Read more

I told him that heaven was this: the midmorning light, a beverage in hand, and us heading to the porch. The kids are at school. The chores can wait. Some mornings aren't about doing. They're about being. If you're lucky, you can be with someone who makes even your weirdness feel like it belongs.

This morning, I was on the porch with my husband....Read more

Dear Annie: I love your column and am writing to offer a different point of view for the woman whose family does not celebrate her birthday or Mother's Day or Christmas the way she wants. She says she gives them presents, but they don't reciprocate.

Well, I have a friend who goes overboard in celebrating these holidays. She will spend an entire...Read more

DEAR ABBY: When my daughter, "Trish," and her husband separated, I reached out to each of them for occasional check-ins. Trish left him after confessing to infidelity via email. He messaged me with a copy of what she'd written, which included some damning things about me -- that she was "like" me and that I am "not a good person." She never ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My sister and I have always been close, but lately, things have become tense between us, and it's all because of our kids. Her son and my daughter go to the same school and are in the same grade. Recently, they've been having a lot of problems getting along. There's been name-calling, rumors and a couple of arguments that even ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My husband and I are good friends with a couple who were kind enough to cook us some delicious food. They brought back ingredients from their country of origin the last time they visited family there, and made us a dish using a recipe from their grandma. They even went to the trouble of freezing the dish so they could give us ...Read more