ArcaMax

My daughter and her best friend started their own business. They made business cards and put the QR code to their Red Cross babysitting certification on the back. Their first client was a neighbor with a toddler who came to our house, where I could watch all three of them, and be a business respite program. I overheard one of them lament after ...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm writing this concerning my family. I have five sons and one daughter who are all grown and have children.

My third son, "Jake," has two adult daughters and an adult son. When Jake's two daughters were kids, I went head over heels in buying things for them. The son wasn't born yet. I bought nothing but the best for the girls, and...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I are in our 50s. For several months, I have been struggling with an issue I have with my mom. She constantly asks me how much my annual income is and how much my husband makes. In the 20-plus years we have been married, we have never asked to borrow money from my parents (or anyone, for that matter). We have always ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My boyfriend and I have been dating for almost a year now, and for the most part, things have been going really well. He's kind and supportive, and he makes me feel valued. There's one thing that's been bothering me more and more lately: how often he talks about his ex. He brings her up in casual conversation, shares stories from...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am expecting my second daughter in March. Our families are both looking forward to having a baby shower for two main reasons: This will be the first shower we've had, because we lived too far away last time, and also because I've had two miscarriages prior to this pregnancy.

Obviously both sides of the family are very ...Read more

Dear Annie: My daughter will be 26 this year. Her father and I divorced when she was 14. I feel like she had more sense as a 12-year-old than she does now. She had her fair share of issues growing up, and I took her to therapists until she turned 18. Needless to say, we've had a rough relationship the last few years. It's hard to talk to her ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Recently, my neighbor, who has always been eccentric, has embarked on an unusual gardening project. Instead of traditional plants, he's turned his backyard into a sprawling sanctuary for rescued wild animals. At first, it seemed harmless, but the situation has escalated. His yard now attracts wildlife, including raccoons, skunks and ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My younger brother got married last year. This is his first marriage, and he's in his 50s. In some ways, I think getting married later can be a bit easier: You know what you want, you know your boundaries and you are likely more established (professionally and financially). I think in some ways that rang true for my brother, but ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have a longtime friend who has a habit of waiting until the last minute to confirm plans or even make them.

One Sunday morning, she asked me if I would like to come over and go for a walk sometime that week and then stay for dinner. I said, "Does Wednesday work for you? It looks like the weather will be OK that day."

On ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been helping my neighbor with errands and yard work ever since his wife passed last fall. He's 82, lives alone and doesn't have any close family nearby. At first, it felt good to help -- and I still care about him -- but lately, it's gotten overwhelming.

He's started calling me daily, asking me to pick up groceries, sit with ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have a female friend, "Kylene," who needs yard work done weekly. My fiance, "Josh," goes over there to do the work for her. He charges $60. During the last two weeks, she has been popping up at our home uninvited. Kylene knows Josh's work schedule and makes sure she sees him daily at the neighborhood bar around 4 in the afternoon. ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently received a job offer from another company that comes with a significantly higher salary than what I'm currently making. The role is in a field I've been wanting to move into for years, and while it's a little intimidating, it genuinely excites me. When I told my current employer about the offer, they surprised me by ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I was leaving an underground transit station and making my way to the escalator to go up to the street when I noticed a tall young man gaining rapidly on me from behind.

We have an unwritten rule that you stand on the right side of the escalator if you just want to ride, and move to the left if you want to walk up the moving ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband, "Mark," and I have been married for six years. For the most part, things are good between us, but there's one recurring issue I can't get past. Mark's ex-wife, "Tina," is still very involved in his life -- not in a co-parenting way, since they don't even have kids, but socially. She calls him every few weeks or so, ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My daughter, "Violet," lives about two hours away. She and her mother (my wife) do not get along. Violet was always a rebellious, independent wild child, as well as the source of a lot of family problems. Violet and I also were estranged until we recently reconciled.

Yesterday, she sent me an email inviting me to lunch to celebrate ...Read more

Her phone call startled me. The distraught woman on the other end spoke in rapid-fire sentences, most of them half-finished. Every word was confused, jumbled. But after some time, it became clear that her husband of 30 years was leaving the marriage. He wanted to live alone. In a way, he had already gone; they hadn't had sex in a year, and the ...Read more