Dear Mary
Q. I hesitate to bring you this problem, but I suspect it is not that uncommon. Early in our very…
Dear Mary
Q. Recently an old acquaintance, notorious for never penning a ‘thank you’ note, emailed me telling me he was being…
Dear Mary
Q. Our friend lives far away, but comes to stay at her country place nearby several times a year. Some…
Dear Mary
Q. My mother, aged 87, has taken to forwarding me by email slightly risqué jokes. Her carer is the recipient…
Dear Mary
Q. My husband has always worked extremely hard and now does so from home — so I go to great…
Dear Mary
Q. I was instrumental in finding some much-needed work for a local retired secretary/PA when I recommended her for the…
Dear Mary
Q. There is a Tube stop next door to my place of work but I now walk in each day.…
Dear Mary
Q. Following the birth of our child we were deluged with cards, gifts and money from kind family and friends.…
Dear Mary
Q. My husband and I have two single friends who we believe should be introduced. In days gone by, we…
Dear Mary
Your problems solved
Dear Mary
From Joanna Lumley Q. We receive a huge number of Christmas cards every year. When I take them all down…
Dear Mary
Q. I am extremely fond of an artist friend, despite the fact that I have never liked her work or…
Dear Mary
Q. Unlike my wife, I am tiring of Netflix. Wanting a project to occupy me during these long dark nights,…
Dear Mary
Q. For many years my boss gave each member of his small team a very generous Christmas gift voucher from…
Dear Mary
Q. My son has moved his girlfriend into our fairly small house for the second lockdown. I am grateful for…
Dear Mary
Q. I have a delightful young goddaughter who, thanks to the virus, I have not seen since last year. Her…
Dear Mary
Q. Is there a tactful way to wind up a Zoom call when one of you has more time on…
Dear Mary
Q. I would welcome your advice on a tricky family matter. For my 70th birthday earlier this year my brother…
Dear Mary
Q. An old friend offered to treat me to a birthday lunch, provided I choose and book the restaurant myself.…
Dear Mary
Q. A year ago we sent out 150 save-the-date notices for our wedding this December. We are still going ahead,…
Dear Mary
Q. I am running out of suitable responses to a friend who now has the slightest possible connection to one…
Dear Mary
Q. Many years ago I was asked to officiate at a funeral for a family I did not know. As…
Dear Mary
Q. My husband and I have spent many happy weekends in the seaside cottage of long-standing friends. Knowing how much…
Dear Mary
Q. Almost a year ago I attended the funeral of my godfather — a bachelor and distant relation whom I…
Dear Mary
Q. I have just been out to my first lunch in months. Ten of us sat around a table in…
