DEAR ABBY: I'm an outgoing person with a lot of friends, but I have begun being "ghosted" after setting up or facilitating an introduction between male and female friends. This has happened more than once when I'm pretty good friends with the guy. I introduce him to a female friend or colleague and encourage their relationship, only to have him tell me she isn't comfortable with his being my friend, gets jealous, etc.

Abby, I am happily married. I'm not interested in these men, and I'm really annoyed at losing a friend (or worse, he wants to meet only in secret). In most of these cases, I was friendly with the man's ex, and we all did things together without issue. It's making me not want to have male friends and to be wary of female friends. Advice? -- MATCHMAKER IN INDIANA

DEAR MATCHMAKER: Talk about ingratitude. It appears no good deed goes unpunished. It also appears you are swimming in a pond filled with insecure female friends and colleagues. The lesson here is: Stop fixing these women up. Stay out of the line of fire and let them find their own dates from now on.

DEAR ABBY: How do I get over my ex-husband? He wanted the divorce. I was told, not asked! It has been 10 years, yet I still dream about him. I haven't been with him or any other man since then. My disordered sleep is making me crazy. I have tried therapy, sleeping aides (OTC medication, sleep apps), but I still dream of him -- good dreams and bad ones. I'm not sure how much more I can take. How do I keep my ex from my dreams? -- HAUNTED IN ALASKA

DEAR HAUNTED: I have found that the more we try to censor our dreams, the more frequent they become, particularly if the last thing you think about before going to sleep is, "DON'T think about the rat who left me so unceremoniously!" What may help your sleep quality would be to find another therapist and talk, talk, talk until you finally accept that your ex is history. Then you can finally start dreaming about your future instead of the past.

DEAR ABBY: I'm a married disabled woman. I dress myself, wash my clothes, clean up after myself, make my own breakfast and lunch, and cook dinner for my family. I do at-home rehab. My husband is supposed to stretch my legs twice daily to keep them limber, but he refuses to do it twice a day. He will do it only once if I remind him. He won't make our bed or help to clean up the kitchen after I cook. Am I wrong to feel that something is wrong with this picture? -- DOING MY PART IN TEXAS

DEAR DOING: You are entitled to your feelings. It is sad that your husband isn't more willing to help, and you have the right to ask him why he's not. Because he refuses to assist with your rehab more than once a day, if possible, make other arrangements for it. Perhaps another relative or a friend could assist. Your doctor may also be able to help you find someone.

DEAR ABBY: I have been divorced for many years and have a partner. "Andy" is a widower whose wife died 20 years ago. We have been a couple for 13 years, although we don't live together.

My son is 30, and his partner is 40. Both have their own families and busy lives. I met Andy while my son still lived at home, so he has never spent the night here. My elderly mother lives with me, so it's easier that I stay over at Andy's place. We talk most nights for an hour or so on the phone.

My issue is: Although Andy knows my extended family, and while I know his son's story, I have never met his son. When I asked about it once, he said it was for "privacy" reasons and that his previous girlfriend never met his son either. I find this really odd. My son doesn't like Andy because of this. I don't understand it, but I can live with it. What is your take on it, please? -- MYSTIFIED IN AUSTRALIA

DEAR MYSTIFIED: My take is that, after 13 years, in the normal course of things, you should have met Andy's son. There must be a reason why your partner is keeping you and his son apart. People who are this concerned with privacy usually have secrets they are guarding. Finding out the reason for this is more important than your meeting his son.

DEAR ABBY: I will no longer spend time with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law. This is because of their decades of lying, manipulation and lack of interest in anything that doesn't suit them. (I will tolerate them at weddings, funerals, etc.)

My husband understands my decision and that I would never prevent him from spending time with them, but I won't accompany him. I understand this may put him in a difficult position, but while I feel bad for him, I won't change my position.

Abby, we need a good explanation about why I am absent. I don't want him to lie by saying I had other plans or I'm not feeling well, but I also don't want him to say that I despise them and refuse to be in the same room with them. I'm taking the stand that everyone else in the family would like to take but won't, since they all have enabled this bad behavior all these years. I'm the first to declare that I've had enough.

I want my husband to say something to them one time so they get the point and won't expect to see me in the future. Any words of wisdom? -- ON THE OUTS IN FLORIDA

DEAR ON THE OUTS: I do not think you should burden your husband by expecting him to be the bearer of that message. If his brother or sister-in-law asks where you are, he should tell them you won't be coming. And if they ask why, he should say, "Ask her." That would be the time to convey your message "one time only."

DEAR ABBY: I am a retiree with diabetes and heart trouble. My husband is disabled. I'm his sole caregiver when I have the energy to do it. Our adult daughter lives with us and works full time in the medical field on weekends. She does practically nothing around the house.

The real problem is, we have four dogs. Two of them are large. All four spend a lot of time in the house. The youngest is a puppy that already weighs 50 pounds. She's uncontrollable -- jumping, biting, scratching my arms with her claws and barking. I've been a dog owner my entire life, and I have never seen another one behave like this.

I was against getting the puppy but was outvoted by my husband and daughter. Of course, as soon as the novelty wore off, it became my responsibility to feed her, clean up her house-training messes and take care of her. I have begged my daughter to get her trained as she promised, but she always has an excuse.

Abby, I am exhausted! I'm ready to say, "It's the dog or me," but I have nowhere else to go. My husband is barely mobile and is often confined to his bed. We had home health care last year, but that ended when Medicare would no longer pay. I can barely take care of him and do everything that must be done. The dog is just too much. Help! -- OVERWHELMED IN TEXAS

DEAR OVERWHELMED: I know you are exhausted, but enough is enough. For the sake of your own health, summon the strength to assert yourself. Is your daughter paying for her food and rent? If not, give her a list of chores you expect her to do -- including starting dog-training classes with the animal she insisted become a member of the household. If she refuses, contact an animal rescue group to find it a new home. Then follow through.

P.S. A large, undisciplined dog could cause you or your husband to trip and fall, and the result could be catastrophic. If your daughter decides to leave, she can take her canine wrecking ball with her. Problem solved.

DEAR ABBY: I have a question about invitation etiquette. I want to invite family members and friends I haven't seen or spoken with in a long time to my children's birthday parties and special events like baptisms. However, I do not want to seem like I am soliciting gifts or money.

I have heard that it is improper to request "no gifts" on the invitation because that assumes gifts would be given. What is proper etiquette for this? I want to see my family members, but I don't want to offend them. -- COME CELEBRATE IN NEW YORK

DEAR CELEBRATE: I can't see how family members who are invited to a child's birthday party would be offended. If they want to attend, fine. If they can't, so be it. However, children's birthday parties do require some sort of gift, and it shouldn't be a hardship to provide something. Relatives and friends whose children are invited to the party will automatically bring a gift.