DEAR ABBY: When my then-boyfriend asked me to marry him, he didn’t have a ring ready, but I happily accepted his proposal. We were in our late 20s and had been dating for almost 10 years. He then took me to the jewelry store so I could select one to my taste and liking (within […]

DEAR ABBY: I have a good friend I’ll call Josie. She’s kind, generous and always willing to help. There is only one problem — she lies. The lies she tells are ridiculous. I find myself getting more and more angry as she stumbles through her stories. If someone makes a comment, she takes over the […]

DEAR ABBY: Since I moved eight years ago, my son, “Jim,” has visited me only once, and that’s because I gave his son my car. I rarely hear from him, and when I have visited, we barely talk. We have totally different ideas on life, and it has caused a rift in our relationship. When […]

DEAR ABBY: Two years ago, my husband of 50 years confessed that 46 years ago, shortly after our son was born, he had a one-night stand with a total stranger he gave a ride to. She offered sex to him, and they went to a hotel for the brief encounter. He said he had totally […]

DEAR ABBY: With the holidays fast approaching, I’m starting to think about shopping. Honestly, I’m tired of shopping for adults who don’t need anything. Finding gifts for them becomes more daunting each year. I think gift cards and direct money are tacky Christmas presents. Do you think it would be odd to ask my adult […]

DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend of five years calls me his “partner.” I care about his family, and they are happy we are together. His daughter had a small wedding with just a few family members and the wedding party. I sat alone in our room for hours while they took pre-wedding photos. Not a problem. […]

DEAR ABBY: Last weekend, my companion and I went to one of our favorite restaurants for an intimate dinner. Per social distancing regulations, a mid-70s couple was seated approximately 15 to 18 feet away. Halfway through our meal, they began FaceTiming with their great-grandchildren and family. Their conversation continued for more than 10 minutes, with […]

DEAR ABBY: Ten months ago, my aunt’s 66-year-old live-in boyfriend died unexpectedly. She has no children and is left with a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house to take care of by herself. She has always been in debt (I think), and his final expenses only made it worse. Since his death, she has expected my family (mostly […]

DEAR ABBY: As we return to work, businesses and expanded health care are opening up after the pandemic shutdown. We all are pretty much required to wear masks anywhere we go these days. I am a deaf person and rely on lip-reading for communication. Wearing a mask has shut out my contact with the hearing […]

DEAR ABBY: I have been in a wonderful relationship and blissfully happy for two years. We live together. When “Scott” and I first got together, he told me he had a felony conviction and that a woman had falsely accused him of rape. I laughed it off because I didn’t want to see the truth, […]