DEAR ABBY: My best friend of 40 years and her boyfriend live several states away from my husband and me. Every winter she and her friend expect to come to our home for a week. We simply can no longer do this.
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Her friend is a nice guy, but after a few days we can hardly stand it. He talks constantly and knows everything about everything. How can I politely tell my friend that we can't accommodate them anymore without hurting her feelings and maybe ending our friendship? -- WEARY OUT WEST
DEAR WEARY: Try this. When your old friend mentions coming to visit, tell her you aren't up to having houseguests. If she asks why, and she probably will, say you're not as young as you used to be -- it's true. Neither am I. Tell her you can accommodate them for a weekend. If that doesn't work, say your husband isn't up for company. (Also true.) However, if neither excuse suffices, you may have to choose between telling your friend the truth and fibbing by saying you plan to be out of town.