DEAR ABBY: My husband is an outdoor enthusiast and has a group of guys he goes hunting with every year. One of them has started coming out west to vacation at our house twice a year and now has followed us to our warm-weather winter home. When he stays at our place, we fix all the meals and he uses our washer, dryer and detergent for several loads of laundry each time. He’s … [Read more...]
Dear Abby: Niece’s wedding planning charts disturbing course
DEAR ABBY: My niece, who is engaged, is blossoming into a full-fledged bridezilla. She has upset her mother so deeply that she may not attend the wedding. The bride is dictating what her guests are to wear, in addition to telling her mother what she is to wear that day. She has also ordered my sister to get hair extensions and have her makeup professionally done. The list … [Read more...]
Dear Abby: Mother can’t understand why son has walked away
DEAR ABBY: I’ve always been close to my children, but now that they are adults, it seems I’m losing my connection with one of them. He married a girl of a different race, and while that doesn’t bother me, I have a strong hunch she’s the reason he has distanced himself from not only me, but also the rest of the family. When I recently shared with him that I felt his wife is a … [Read more...]
Dear Abby: Child-rearing philosophies clash in new relationship
DEAR ABBY: I have been in a relationship for more than a year. We met at the gym. We have similar interests and are both normally caring and loving to each other. We also have similar senses of humor. We moved in together too quickly, after only six months. Our attempt at blending our kids and families has hit a lot of hard bumps. He is a very assertive and aggressive … [Read more...]
Dear Abby: Wife finds it difficult to accept husband’s past
DEAR ABBY: After 17 years of marriage, I learned, to my dismay, that when he was 22, my husband had a long-term relationship with a 16-year-old. He insisted that she had lied about her age and told him she was 20. But even after finding out her true age, he went back to her. Her mother was OK with it, as well as other family members who all knew she was underage. It makes me … [Read more...]
Dear Abby: Gay man wishes he had straight male friends
DEAR ABBY: I am a 47-year-old gay man. I’m well-educated, but there’s something I can’t figure out. Why do straight guys NOT want to be friends? I never hit on them, I enjoy a lot of the same pastimes like games, working on cars, etc. I want to be transparent, but when I tell them upfront, they disappear. Sometimes it gets back to me that they thought I was asking them on a … [Read more...]
Dear Abby: Stepmom learns of teen’s shocking online activity
DEAR ABBY: I have been married to my husband for a little over three years. I have two teen girls, and he has one. They get along for the most part, but lately my 18-year-old, “Lindsay,” and his 17-year-old, “Taylor,” have been clashing. They were brought up very differently, and sometimes it causes waves because I expect more from my girls than he does his daughter. To be … [Read more...]
Dear Abby: Aunt fears her nieces are in danger at home
DEAR ABBY: I’m concerned for my sister and her three young daughters. She has been married to “Rick” for 10 years. After she recently discovered he has inappropriate feelings toward children, she kicked him out of their home. Rick has gotten counseling and therapy and tells her it’s no longer an issue. CPS got involved, so he isn’t allowed to be alone with his daughters. My … [Read more...]