DEAR ABBY: My niece, “Elle,” and her husband, “Liam,” have been self-employed for 20 years, but because of the economy, Liam decided to enter the workforce. He’s now employed at a state job with great pay and advantages for them and their 4 children.
Our family is elated for him and his family, except Elle. It’s unbelievable how determined she is to get her husband fired. She will be able to’t stand for Liam to be away from her. She fights every day with him, telling him he has “chosen a job over his family.” They were at all times a pleasant family unit, but now Elle is destroying it due to insecure, overbearing control she must have. It’s heartbreaking to see, especially since their teenage kids are searching for other places to sleep because of the constant arguments.
I wish I could make Elle understand that this job means they are going to now not be struggling financially, but she doesn’t care. She desires to be near Liam in any respect times. The situation is awful. I can’t consider they might find yourself in divorce court because her husband got an awesome state job. Your thoughts on this, please? — HELPLESS IN PENNSYLVANIA
DEAR HELPLESS: I believe your niece’s insecurity and insistence on having her husband on a brief leash in any respect times is unhealthy, to say the least. She needs skilled help, and Liam should insist upon it. If she refuses, he’ll then have to make a decision whether the present status of their marriage is something he desires to tolerate for the foreseeable future and plan his next steps accordingly.
DEAR ABBY: My husband and I retired six years ago and moved from California to Texas. I actually have two grown sons, and my husband has two grown daughters still living in Cali. My husband’s oldest daughter (50) just came around along together with her 10-year-old daughter.
On the Sunday they were to depart, my husband was to take them to the airport within the morning and leave me home to read my Sunday paper. Before they left, his daughter wanted an image of all of us together. I told her I didn’t desire a picture taken in my nightgown, but she said it might be only from the neck up. I acquiesced, and he or she took the shot.
Two days later, former clients of mine from California posted on Facebook how glad they were to see me look so glad in retirement. My husband showed me the Facebook posting of me from the waist up in my nightgown on his daughter’s page!
I don’t go on Facebook, I don’t want my likeness on Facebook, and I’m not glad that after expressing my feelings about having my picture taken in my nightgown, his daughter put me on Facebook.
Isn’t it common decency to ask someone before arbitrarily posting their picture on Facebook? — NOT HAPPY IN TEXAS
DEAR NOT HAPPY: I’m going to assume that your husband’s daughter didn’t post the family picture on her page to inflame you. She could have forgotten her promise to you. Because this isn’t the impression of your glad retirement you desire to convey, ask her to take it down and hope she complies. If she doesn’t, don’t pose for any more family pictures when she’s behind the camera.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also referred to as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at http://www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.