ArcaMax

DEAR ABBY: My mother passed away last year, and my father is 90. I am trying to get their primary and vacation homes staged for sale. It is a HUGE job as they were hoarders. They were popular, and when I go to their cabin, all their neighbors want to come and chat with me and Dad.

Because the property is unique and valuable, several of them ...Read more

Feeling a bit jumpy from the day's news -- and grind? Well, you're invited to kick off your shoes, pour yourself a cold drink and have fun. This is going to be a fall of brain ticklers, where you can kick back and relax and then fast-forward your answer. Oh -- one more thing: There just may be some current events tossed into the columns, so be ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My friends are always pulling out their phones to take photos whenever we hang out, whether it's at dinner, a casual walk or even just hanging out at someone's apartment. I know it's normal these days, but I hate being in photos because I feel awkward and self-conscious in front of the camera. I never like how I look in photos, ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: After a meal at a restaurant, my mother is in the habit of vigorously rubbing both of her hands with one or two lemon slices, squeezing the juice into her palms, pouring water onto a napkin, then wiping her hands. She will even go so far as to shake excess water from her hands onto her plate.

Mother thinks this is perfectly ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have been married for more than 35 years, but for most of that time, I have felt unloved and trapped. I came into this marriage desperately wanting children, and when my husband was widowed young with two little ones, I stepped in and raised them as my own. I was the one who got out of bed in the night, went to every school event...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My 30th birthday just passed, and it was awful. I hate to sound ungrateful, but what should feel like a major milestone felt completely overlooked. Honestly, I've had a rough year, so I was OK with having a quiet birthday this year -- just some reminiscing, goal setting and maybe some quality time with friends. Someone asked me ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I was at dinner with two friends, and one shared the terrible news that her beloved dog had been diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. The only treatment is to make the dog comfortable for as long as possible, probably not more than a few months.

In tears, she said, "This is our kid," and the other friend stiffened.

The other...Read more

Dear Annie: There is a sad and bitter battle playing out between my two daughters, and as their mother, I feel helpless to stop it. My oldest has always been the more fragile of the two. She struggles with accountability and has often relied on family to untangle the knots of her life. Years ago, she was widowed, and though her husband left ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My close friend "Annie" came to my father's funeral. She had met him only a couple of times. While I realized she was doing it to be there for me, I felt responsible for her since she knew no one there. I had her sit with me, but I was trying to deal with friends and family I hadn't seen in a long time. I ended up unable to talk with ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I feel like a hopeless romantic. I am what some people would describe as a "lover girl." I am sweet and sensitive, and I enjoy nurturing, helping and catering to my loved ones. What I thought was a beautiful trait in me seems to be my weakness. I often get taken advantage of by my romantic partners. I can't tell if I am too soft ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have now been to three (!) weddings where I found out that the couple was already married, and just going through the motions.

The first was a couple who had gotten legally married weeks prior to the wedding so he could go on her health insurance.

The second was an older couple who said they'd never had a "real wedding." ...Read more

Dear Annie: Thank you for the work you do on behalf of the good. I often read your columns on boundaries, and I deeply appreciate your encouragement to not only set boundaries for ourselves but also respect those of others. Boundaries feel like such an important concept, yet sometimes they are hard to define in everyday life.

I often find ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: This letter is embarrassing to write. When calling in a fast-food order, my husband wants me to ask the price of each item and becomes upset if they vary from the online menu price. I understand that in this economy, there are bound to be increases.

One day, the difference was about $5. Because I didn't question it, a heated argument...Read more

I'm catching sight of, over the hill of another year, the third year of my 40s. I suppose that could be a surprise for those of you who haven't been reading this column long enough and were lured in by its title. That's right, us millennials? Solidly middle-aged.

At a civic engagement group a few weeks back, a speaker in their 20s lambasted the...Read more

Dear Annie: Families Anonymous could be a great help to many of the people who write in to you. The program is most often associated with families dealing with loved ones who struggle with addiction, but I discovered it has value in many other situations as well.

I first attended Families Anonymous because I was overwhelmed with anxiety about...Read more