Yahoo! News: Dear Abby Sat, 06 Sep 2008 23:58:28 GMT

NEITHER FUNNY BIKER NOR HARD WORKER IS WOMAN'S RIGHT MATCH (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: I am a woman living with a man, but "in love" with another man whom I formerly dated but broke up with because he's an alcoholic. "Spike" is a true biker -- exciting, funny and fun. Our lifestyles didn't mesh, so I made the decision we shouldn't be together. I miss him very much, and it keeps me from being totally committed in my head to the man I live with. FAMILY BATTLING ILLNESS MUST LEARN TO WASH THEIR HANDS (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: My sister-in-law, "Carol," doesn't wash her hands after changing diapers. I find it repulsive, and I can't help but cringe. I have also noticed that her kids don't wash their hands after using the bathroom -- or any other time, for that matter -- unless instructed to do so and closely watched. Even then, they don't use soap. SON'S AT A LOSS TO HANDLE DAD'S THREATS OF SUICIDE (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: My father and I usually get along well, but whenever we get into an argument, he'll say something like, "Well, maybe I should just kill myself. Then you won't have to deal with me!" This has been going on for as long as I can remember. I'm 21 now. BRIDE'S MOTHER IS APPALLED BY TACKY WEDDING TRADITION (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: My daughter, who is being married in three months, mentioned to me that her fiance's friends have a tradition of covering the newlyweds' car with condoms. Whatever happened to tin cans and a "Just Married" sign? LOVING NEIGHBORS STAND IN FOR GRANDPARENTS FAR AWAY (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: "Nobody's Grandma" (June 12) is sad about her children's desire to remain childless. I would encourage her to seek out a family in her neighborhood, church or other shared connections who live far from family or have no grandparents. HUSBAND SCRATCHES HIS HEAD AT WIFE'S LOVE FOR LINGERIE (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: When my wife sees lingerie she likes in a store, she asks me to buy it for her birthday or our anniversary. The problem is, she'll wear the item only once and never wear it again. She has a fortune in lingerie in her dresser drawer just taking up space. STUDENT'S TRANSFER WOULD MEAN LOSS OF SCHOLARSHIP (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: My son is the recipient of a four-year college scholarship with full tuition. He selected and applied to this school. The problem is, he now wants to transfer to another college. This means he would finish his sophomore year and give up two years of the scholarship. STEPMOM GIVES LOTS OF LOVE BUT DOESN'T GET MUCH IN RETURN (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: I was raised by a horrible stepmom who made it her purpose in life to make my brother and me miserable. When I became a stepmom, I made it my goal to be the best one I could be, and for the next 15 years was a giving, loving stepmother to both my husband's children. CLOTHES-SWAPPING PARTY MIGHT NOT FIT BIG GAL (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: I'm hosting what's called a Naked Ladies Party. It's where all the women come over with all the clothing, accessories, jewelry, etc. they no longer want. We strip down to our skivvies, try on each other's stuff, then vote on who should get to keep it. (Basically, we just swap items to get new ones.) ACTS OF KINDNESS CAN MAKE OUR WORLD SEEM LESS SCARY (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: "Missing the Old Days in Arizona City" (May 8), the mother of a small child, wondered how parents can feel safe raising kids in a world that is "crazy and scary." I, too, worry about the state of the world today, but find comfort in my children and in the fact that I am trying to raise them to be among the "good guys." HUSBAND'S HAIRDRESSER IS GETTING UNDER WIFE'S SKIN (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: For the past 25 years, my husband, "Don," has had his hair cut by a woman I'll call "Barber-Ella." She's slim, attractive and full of energy. Don has mentioned that she often pats him on the leg and kind of flirts with him. SILENCE DURING PLEDGE IS NOT A SIGN OF DISRESPECT (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: Would you please tell your readers that not reciting or participating in the Pledge of Allegiance does NOT mean that someone is a "bad American"? COUPLE HOPES FIRST MEETING OF FRIEND'S DATE IS THE LAST (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: My husband's best friend of 40 years, "Nick," started dating a woman about a month ago. Nick has been down on his luck personally and financially for several years. He called and asked if he could bring "Hattie" to our home for dinner. We agreed, hoping it would be a good relationship for him. TROUBLED SON GETS WRONG KIND OF HELP FROM HIS GUILTY MOTHER (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: My 31-year-old son calls me only when he's in need of something -- like bailing him out of jail. He never calls just to say hello or ask how I am. RETURN OF OLD FRIEND IS NOT RETURN TO OLD TIMES (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: I have been friends with "Ruth" for more than 40 years. She married, moved away, divorced and raised her family on her own. After 20 years, she moved back to town, and I was thrilled. LIFE HAS GONE TO THE DOGS FOR WIFE IN SUPPORTING ROLE (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: "Ben" and I have been married for two years. His dog, "Lucky," adores him. The problem is, Lucky bites me every time I get near Ben, especially when we are trying to get intimate. If we lock Lucky out of the room, he barks frantically the whole time. So much for romance. KNOW-IT-ALL HUSBAND NEEDS A WORD TO THE WISE FROM WIFE (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: My sister, "Frannie," and I are both professionals, married to men who are complete opposites. My husband, "Grady," is a blue-collar guy who never attended college. He has many wonderful qualities, but lacks self-esteem. He has a good, stable job and is more "street smart" than "book smart." HYPOCHONDRIAC'S SAD SONG BECOMES AN IRRITATING REFRAIN (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: How do you deal with a hypochondriac? My brothers and I lost our dear mother to cancer when we were in our teens. Daddy has recently been diagnosed with a pernicious form of melanoma, which has a low survival rate. FIRM MESSAGE, KIND MANNER DETERS PERSISTENT SOLICITORS (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: "Hounded in British Columbia" (May 22) asked you how to discourage religious solicitors. MAN WHO HATES ENGAGEMENT RINGS PROPOSES ANNUITY INSTEAD (Dear Abby)   - Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: I despise wearing rings, which is a problem because I plan to become engaged. I'm OK with a plain wedding band, but baubles on appendages interfere with useful work and creativity, and they turn me off.