ArcaMax

Dear Annie: I have a dear friend of 49 years. She has been married for more than 50, while I only married seven years ago. She stood beside me as my matron of honor, and over the years, we have shared so many memories, laughs and life milestones together.

Since my marriage, my husband and I have hosted this couple for dinner more times than I...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My sister is cheap. She's also not good at choosing gifts for people. Often, the things she gives are worse than if she'd done nothing at all. An example: She was just here visiting and brought my 4-year-old a toy car she'd picked up at a garage sale (fine, so far), but one of the wheels was broken off. She had the wheel in her purse ...Read more

Dear Annie: I recently moved into a new townhome, and for the most part, I love it here. It's quiet, cozy and exactly what I wanted for this next chapter of my life. That is, until my new neighbors moved in upstairs.

It's a couple with a dog. The dog is an angel -- never barks, never causes a problem. The issue is the husband. From morning ...Read more

As her three kids steadily picked through the large orange bowl for all the remaining chocolate, she said she remembered when my husband had started his office. The first Halloween was in a pandemic, but there was a driveway. He dressed up in a fake hazmat suit and real mask to give candy to kids in the backseats whose trick-or-treating had been...Read more

Dear Annie: I returned home from a trip recently to find my world turned upside down. While I was away, my daughter, her husband and my two grandchildren, who live in a camper on my property, broke into my home. They forced their way into my bedroom, the basement where I store my late husband's antiques, my sheds, my grain bin and even cut the...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm 73, and my wife is 74. We've been married for 53 years and have never spent a night apart due to marital conflict. Admittedly, each of us may have spent a night or two on the couch, but my point here is that I think we're still happily married.

The problem is that we've not been intimate for nearly 10 years. The closest we get...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband, "Keith," and I have been married for 12 years. We've always been a team when it comes to parenting our two kids, ages 9 and 6, but lately I've noticed a shift. Keith has become increasingly harsh with them, especially our oldest, "Ben." He'll snap over small things -- like a jacket left on the floor or a missed chore --...Read more

Dear Annie: My younger sister "Natalie" got married this spring to a man none of us really know. They met online, and within six months, they were engaged. My parents were uneasy about how fast it all happened, but Natalie was sure. She said she'd never felt so connected to anyone.

Since the wedding, though, she's been pulling away from the ...Read more

Here's the second part of this quiz. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

--Everyone desirable is already taken.

--Marriage and children are the ultimate fulfillment for every woman.

--Being single is not normal.

--Being married is better than being single.

--Being an older single woman means being undesirable and out of ...Read more

Dear Annie: My granddaughter dated a young man for four years before breaking things off about a year ago. During that time, he became part of our family in many ways. Even after the breakup, he continued coming to church with us every Sunday. In fact, we've grown closer in the past year, sharing pews, Sunday lunches and family stories. My ...Read more