ArcaMax

DEAR ABBY: My husband has been retired from law enforcement for five years. I can't retire, as I am self-employed. I was always the one who had to take time off work to care for him with his back and hip surgeries, his mom, his dad and my mom for the past 15 years. I also took care of his kids during weekend visits.

He has spent his retirement ...Read more

As a single parent (Chairman of the Board) your first loyalty is to your children. Yes, you are an adult with normal needs for affection, but sleepover lovers are an intrusion into the innocence of your on-premises children. Reserve that kind of loving for times when the little ones are not at home.

You probably know by now how strongly I feel ...Read more

Dear Annie: I made the decision to put down my phone for a while, and the results have been wonderful.

Today was my "allowed" day to pick up my phone again. I had given myself a three-day restriction, and today was the fourth day. During those three days, I only answered for my dad calling. He's 86, and I don't want to miss one minute of his ...Read more

Dear Annie: I want to know why people think it's OK to harass and abuse other people. My ex brought his girlfriend home, and they spent the night in the garage. That was when we were still married.

Then he took my 5-year-old daughter out on dates with the girlfriend, and he abused and harassed me for a year to try to get me to abandon the house...Read more

Dear Annie: My heart and prayers go out to the "Grieving Grandmother" who is tired of the apathy shown by her daughters-in-law. Those girls are incredibly rude and selfish when they ignore her at family gatherings, but I am impressed that Grandma gets holiday and family birthday meals at all.

My two daughters-in-law have each said that their ...Read more

My dog, who emitted her typical deep sigh seconds before the medicine stopped her heart, just didn't understand the fuss around her -- and why she couldn't quite get up to romp around with everyone as she had before.

She was a good dog, but she was not a perfect dog. In the haze of grief that settles around the stark finality of death, there ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have a friend who spent many years in an emotionally abusive relationship that seems similar to what "Sad Grandma" described. What I have seen with my friend's children is that they have learned to treat their mom the same way their father did.

They watched for years as she put his needs and demands first in all of their lives. By...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been dating a wonderful woman for almost a year now and have recently noticed some odd behaviors. The one that concerns me the most is the way she's been dressing. Case in point: We were invited to a pool party and barbecue at a friend's house.

When I picked her up, she was dressed as if she were going to a high-powered ...Read more

Dear Annie: My 12-year-old son goes over to his friend's house now and then. His friend lives in a small town that is walking distance to ice cream shops, markets and delis. Whenever my son visits, his friend's mom will ask me to send him with cash for lunch or dinner or Venmo her money.

Whenever we have his friends over, we provide the food ...Read more

Dear Annie: "John," my 40-year-old fiance (only child) has boundary issues with his parents. They come over to his house approximately five days per week. The pretext is that they walk his dog. But here's the thing: John works a cushy job from home. (Walk your own dog!) Here's the other thing: they don't just walk the dog. They load the ...Read more

A book reviewer recently called "Single File" an advanced course in Life Engineering, and the name fits like a glove! Because once you tune in to the opportunity that comes with singleness, you become Chairman of the Board, responsible for every decision big and small. Once you get the hang of life unpartnered -- and, yes, these are times of ...Read more