ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: I stole my neighborÕs dog. HeÕs asking for the dog back, but I told him no. To add context to the situation, my neighbor has been mistreating this dog since he first got him over a year ago. The dog is too thin, his fur is unkempt and to top it all off, his owner leaves him outside all year round. We live in Michigan, and the ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: During the weekends, my partner and I will be out in the yard, toiling away at various landscaping and home improvement projects, and sometimes our neighbors are out doing the same.

I have no issues with any of our neighbors, but here's where my partner and I disagree: He will go over to the fence and have a lengthy chat with...Read more

Dear Annie: I am the grandmother of two. My almost-3-year-old granddaughter told me she does not love her "Uncle Dave." I asked her why and she said because he tickles her. Her parents, my son and his wife, push their kids to "give hugs" upon visiting and leaving friends and relatives.

I mentioned this to my daughter-in-law, and she seemed to...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm a 60-year-old man. I have a close female friend who is 20 years younger. We see each other just about every day and call each other to talk about our day. We have supper together just about every night. The only thing we don't have is a romance. I have strong feelings for her and want to tell her how I feel, but I'm worried that ...Read more

Read the following sentences closely, and mark whether you agree or disagree with each.

--Being single means being alone and lonely.

--Single women have a tougher time than single men.

--Men don't want the same things from a relationship as women do.

--Every woman should marry and have children.

--A woman is incomplete without a man.

--...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: For the past few months, IÕve been seeing this guy, going on a few dates and hanging out with him in social settings. Lately, there have been a lot of things going on in my personal life with my family, and I donÕt think IÕm in the right headspace to be there for him. We were never technically a couple, but we were working ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: After two hours at a restaurant with a group of friends, everyone had eaten, the check had been settled, yet no one left. We stayed at the table for another 30 minutes, chatting away.

The restaurant was not busy and no one was waiting for a table. But I can't help but think that we lingered far too long.

Sure, a restaurant ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I are raising a surprise baby at a stage in life when we thought our child-rearing years were mostly behind us. Our older children are already teenagers and young adults, and while we adore this little one, I would be lying if I said the large age gap has not brought some unexpected emotions with it.

On one hand, ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm a man younger than my age married to a woman who is older than hers. Ten years ago, we couldn't get along, so we separated. While separated, I met a wonderful woman, "Cynthia." We became friends with benefits and fell in love.

A year later, my wife got cancer. Since her family lived out of state and had lives of their own, I ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My sister just announced she is having twins. Growing up, I was always close to my siblings, although we are all different ages. There have been times when they were there when I needed them and vice versa. As we approach parenthood age, I want to ensure that love is passed down to our younger generations. I plan on being as ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My wife and I are at the age where we are receiving invitations for our friends' children's weddings and graduation parties.

I am looking at a high school graduation party invitation that states: "Formal Sunset White Attire." We received wedding invitations that stated "Semi-Formal Cowboy Chic" and another requesting "all ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have a friend I have known for years, and our sons have grown up playing lacrosse together. On the surface, we are both supportive sports moms who cheer from the sidelines, pack the snacks and talk about practices, tournaments and college hopes. But underneath it all, I have started to feel something painful that I can no longer ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have been married to my husband for 10 years. We live in a house he already owned before I moved in with him. He wants to make renovations to the house to increase its value. He says the house will go to his four children (all adults) when he passes.

My issue is, he's asking me to pay for half of the renovations. To date, I have ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: A former colleague recently asked me to serve as a reference as they apply for new jobs, and IÕm feeling conflicted. We worked together for a couple of years, and while they were friendly, I often found their work to be inconsistent. There were missed deadlines, a lack of follow-through and moments where they didnÕt handle ...Read more