La vida

I can honestly say Im incredibly fortunate to have my husband. Hes almost the perfect man for me!

I Met My “Friend” During a Course I Took to Apply for a Highly Prestigious Job; She Helped Me With Difficult Material, But After We Finished, Our Relationship Changed—While She Relied on Her Parents and I Was Married Without Their Support, I Struggled With Job Searches and Failures, Faced Her Cancelled Plans and Lack of Support, Dealt With Upsetting Comments About My Family, Gradually Ended Our Contact Despite Her Claims of Wanting to Help, and Now I Can’t Trust People Easily and Wish Making Real Friends Wasn’t So Hard

I met my friend during a course I was taking to apply for a position at an extremely prestigious establishment.

La vida

07

My Son’s Girlfriend Can’t Do Basic Things… What Should I Do? A British Mother’s Tale of Promises, Family Lessons, and the Great Missing Button Dilemma

The dog doesnt know the simplest things What should I do? A few years ago, my mother-in-law slipped away

La vida

06

I’m 60 Years Old and No Longer Expect Friends or Family in My Home – Why I’ve Stopped Entertaining Guests, Embraced My Own Company, and Prefer Meeting Loved Ones Out in Cafés Instead of Hosting at Home

Im sixty years old. I no longer expect friends or relatives to come calling at my home. Quite a few people

La vida

07

I Never Imagined That the Person Who Would Hurt Me the Most Would Be My Best Friend: After Over Ten Years Together, She Stayed at My House, Shared My Secrets, and Knew My Biggest Fears—But When I Met a New Man, Subtle Warnings Became Jealous Sabotage, Leading to Rumours, Betrayal, and the Painful Realisation That Not Everyone Who Stands by You Wants the Best for You

I never imagined that the person who would hurt me the most would be my best friend. Emily and I had

La vida

05

During Their Divorce, a Wealthy Husband Left His Wife an Abandoned Farm in the Middle of Nowhere—But One Year Later, Something Happened That Left Him Completely Astonished

So, you know how divorces can sometimes get really messy, right? Well, this wealthy bloke lets call him

La vida

012

Without a Bit of Luck, There Can Be No Happiness: Marigold’s Summer Struggle, a Cruel Aunt’s Ultimatum, and the Unexpected Kindness That Changed Three Lives Forever

Without a Bit of Luck, Thered Be No Joy How could he have left you, you daft thing! Whos going to take

La vida

06

My Partner Is Still Married to His Wife and Has a Daughter with Her

My dear is still married to his wife and has a daughter. I love my husband very much. We’

La vida

07

Mum, Your Son Is a Grown Man! How I Finally Stood Up to My Mother-in-Law’s Overbearing Control—From Choosing His Underwear at 30 to Decorating Our Home Without Asking, and Why I Packed My Bags and Left with My Mum When She Tried to Keep Us Apart

Mum, your son is a grown man! Thats exactly what I said to my mother-in-law while she, for the umpteenth

La vida

09

The Girl Doesn’t Know Basic Things… What Should I Do? My Mother-in-Law Passed Away a Few Years Ago, and After the Funeral, I Swore I’d Stick to the Rule: Speak Fondly of the Dead or Not at All. I Also Made Another Promise—No Matter Who Married My Son, I Would Never Become the Kind of Mother-in-Law She Was. But Good Intentions Are One Thing, Life Is Another. My Only Son, Alex, Turned 25 and Brought His Girlfriend Home at the Start of Summer. True to My Promise Not to Interfere, I Welcomed the Girl Warmly but Kept My Guard Up. I Told Myself I Wouldn’t Look Down on Her, Wouldn’t Nitpick, and Wouldn’t Give Unsolicited Advice—All Things My Late Mother-in-Law Did until We Ended Up Loathing Each Other. I Don’t Want to Push Away Either Alex or His Girlfriend. Truthfully, I Enjoy Making Them Both Coffee, I Know Their Breakfast Preferences, and I Like Spoiling Them on Weekends—During the Week, I’m Too Busy for Such Little Extras. So, I Try to Give Them Space—Heading Off with My Husband to the Lake, Visiting a Friend, Popping Round to Mum’s to Make Chutney and Pickles—Leaving Them Alone in the House. Still, Something Surprising Happened That I Felt Compelled to Share. One Evening, My Son’s Girlfriend Showed Off a New Top She’d Bought on the Way Home from Work. It Wasn’t Expensive, Made Cheaper Still by a Missing Button. She Tried It On—It Looked Lovely and Suited Her. The Next Day, Friday, I Suggested She Wear Her New Top on Our Outing… But She Didn’t—She Couldn’t Sew the Button Back On. “Oh, Really?” I Blurted Out, Surprised That a 22-Year-Old Didn’t Have a Needle, Thread, or Knack for Basic Simple Fixes. How, I Wondered, Will She Manage Tomorrow? How Will She Look After a Home and Family or Make Important Choices? Family Dynamics and Dilemmas. Now, I’m Not Sure What to Do—Should I Just Sew the Button On, Show Her How, or Leave It—Her Choice: Wear the Top or Let It Languish in the Wardrobe? One Thing’s Certain—I Don’t Want to Be a Difficult Mother-in-Law. I’ve Seen That Role and I Don’t Care for It.

My mother-in-law passed away a few years back, and after we laid her to rest, I made myself a promise