ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: I feel like I'm drowning in my empty home. My kids have all grown up and moved out, leaving a quiet house behind. My husband seems to be married to his work and spends more time at the office than at home. With everyone gone, all I have left is our puppy. I adore our furry friend, but obviously, he doesn't speak the same language...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have a co-worker who consistently spreads misinformation in order to get out of doing her job. She often makes up policies that don't exist to try to trick other departments into doing her work (even when that means the work gets done incorrectly by people not trained for it).

In the past, I've tried printing out policies ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been happily married for over 12 years, but lately, I've noticed a growing distance between my husband "Bryan" and me. He's always been a bit of a workaholic, but it's gotten to the point where even on weekends, he's either at the office or on his phone dealing with work-related issues. We used to enjoy things like hiking and ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I recently married "John," the love of my life. I have a great relationship with my mother-in-law, "Sarah." She and my father-in-law are retired and well-off financially. For each special occasion, John and I thoughtfully select gifts for his parents, and we have spent extra to ensure that our gifts convey our love and appreciation ...Read more

DEAR SUSAN: This is one woman's comments on the 31-year-old man (who has never been married and is successful professionally) with a puzzling situation. He wrote for your opinion because the woman he's dating has a young child and complains that he puts his friends and freedom first.

I feel I must weigh in on this matter. I think he should put ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: The tipping culture in the United States is puzzling to me as someone from Japan, where tipping is not customary. In Japan, tips can imply that the employer does not provide adequate wages.

After moving to New Orleans, I discovered that tipping was expected for various services, including food, transportation and even coffee. ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I enjoy cooking and setting a nice table, and my spouse and I often invite several couples over for dinner. After the meal, I have come upon a problem: I don't feel right clearing the table for able-bodied adults of equal status to me.

In the past, I joined in clearing family members' dishes as a sign of respect for my in-...Read more

Dear Annie: I have my 20-year high school reunion coming up, and I'm planning to go, as it's a major milestone reunion and we've lost some people over the years. However, I will be running into some issues with it.

The biggest issue is that I am in ongoing therapy for sexual assaults that happened in high school back in the early 2000s, and ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have read that you have a sweet tooth. I do, too. That's why I'm interested in your recipe booklets, particularly if you have included dessert recipes. Which ones do you particularly love? -- LOVES IT SWEET IN ANNAPOLIS, MD

DEAR LOVES: That's a tough question. It's hard to choose just one recipe because I do have a sweet tooth as ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: Is it crossing the line if I attend my ex-boyfriend's wedding? We have known each other for 16 years as neighbors. Despite breaking up three years ago, I recently received an invitation to his upcoming wedding. I am still single since our split, and his impending marriage came as a shock. (Our breakup was fine; we broke up due to...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: A family member has self-published a memoir of their life as an e-book. Although we are not close and live in different cities, we do enjoy chatting and catching up by phone from time to time.

I decided to purchase a copy, as I was curious about their perspective on various family events over the years, but found the book to ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have a younger co-worker who I met at a work social event, and we started talking a bit about novels we are writing as a hobby. A few weeks later, he came by my cubicle to ask me more about writing, so I gave him a few resources to a local writers group. Ever since then, he keeps stopping by, often interrupting my lunchtime.

It'...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Our daughter-in-law is morally corrupt, egotistical and narcissistic. For almost a year she has been blatant about having an affair and has abused and disrespected our son and two of her three daughters. She has taken innumerable vacations over the years without our son. When they are together at home, she constantly puts him down and...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm at odds with my teenage son, and it's beginning to strain our relationship. I've firmly stood by the belief that my son should earn and purchase his own vehicle rather than having it handed to him on a silver platter, as seems to be the norm among many of his peers. I view this as a crucial lesson in responsibility and ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am privileged to receive free air travel benefits from my husband's job as an airline pilot. My family flies on standby status, so we are usually among the last passengers to board the plane. Because of this, I am often separated from my 10-year-old. This is fine with us, as my son is an experienced traveler and is a quiet, ...Read more