DEAR ABBY: Am I hoping for too much with my husband of 40-plus years? In the evening, we (or I) watch TV, and he's very agreeable to "watch" anything -- mostly because he hardly watches at all. He's playing games on his iPad and glancing at the TV. He'll ask questions occasionally about the characters or the plotlines, but it's obvious he's not following. For some reason, I find it disappointing that he's not really watching, even if it's something he's shown an interest in or selected. Should I just be grateful he's in the same room with me and alive? -- FEELING SOLO IN CALIFORNIA
DEAR FEELING SOLO: Focusing on gratitude that you are together doing things you both enjoy is healthy. If you don't care for the program he isn't watching, feel free to change the channel to something you prefer. However, the two of you should make a point of doing something together in which you are both fully engaged because if you do, it will bring you even closer to each other.