Dear Queenie,

  I do not like my husband’s brother and he does not like me either. Now he is going to get married to a woman who also doesn’t like me and I don’t like, and we have been invited to the wedding. 

  Queenie, my husband wants me to go to the wedding with him. Do I really have to?—Reluctant wedding guest

Dear Guest,

  If it means that much to your husband, go with him and be polite to the happy couple for his sake. You probably will not see much of them at the wedding, and I doubt you will have to see much of them after that either, except at family get-togethers.

Dear Queenie,

  My divorced daughter and her children live with me so that I can take care of the children while she is at work.

  Her new boyfriend visits us a lot and eats a lot of meals with us. He even takes home some of the leftovers. He has a low-paying job and says he has trouble paying his bills, but he always seems to have money to go out drinking and to the movies and sports games.

  Queenie, do you think this is right?—Not rich grandmother

Dear Grandmother,

  If you cannot afford to feed this boyfriend so often, ask your daughter to stop inviting him to eat with you so often.

  I am assuming she invites him and he does not just drop in and expect to be fed – if it is the latter, do not invite him to eat with you, but excuse yourselves when it is time to eat and ask him to come back later. Or, ask your daughter to give you money to pay for the food her boyfriend eats.

Dear Queenie,

  My husband has a friend who always lets my husband pick up the bill when we go somewhere. I didn’t care about this when the friend was out of a job and short of money, but now he is working and making enough pay to buy himself a few luxuries like some rather expensive clothes and he still lets my husband pick up the bills.

  Queenie, is this right?—Fed-up wife

Dear Wife,

  No, it is not right, but it is up to your husband to correct matters, and for friendship’s sake he may have chosen not to do so. If you have not already explained to your husband how you feel about this, tell him now, but be prepared to put up in good spirit with whatever he decides to do (or not do).

Dear Queenie,

  My husband doesn’t think about anything else than his business and I do everything to take care of the house and our children. When he does have a few minutes to spare all he wants is to have sex with me no matter what I am in the middle of doing.

  I would appreciate it if he could think about my feelings sometimes – ask me to go out somewhere or even just give me a hug or a backrub without expecting it to lead directly into the bed.

  Queenie, am I asking for too much?—Not just a sexpot

Dear Not just a sexpot,

  Of course you are not asking for too much, but the person you should be asking it for is your husband.

  If you cannot make him understand, perhaps a professional marriage counsellor could do so. If you cannot persuade your husband to go with you, go by yourself to get help in figuring out how to explain all this to him, and in deciding just what you want to do if your situation does not improve.