DEAR ABBY: I am involved with a man, "Gerald," who is an only child and has a difficult relationship with his mother. We bought his mother's home two years ago because she couldn't afford it on her own. She had separated from her husband, who is not Gerald's father.

Initially, his mother was going to stay with us, but she reunited with her husband instead. The issue is, she has not removed her personal items from our home. She's a bit of a hoarder. Our garage is full of her stuff, and every room in our home has her furniture and personal items in it.

I have packed many of them and can no longer deal with the anxiety of the unknown waiting and wondering when she plans to move them. Gerald's strained relationship with his mother doesn't help the situation. I made him text his stepfather asking when the items will be picked up.

According to Gerald, his mother has control issues, and this is all part of her game. I need advice because I'm desperate. I feel Gerald is at fault for not setting an expectation when we first purchased the home. -- BOXED UP IN TEXAS

DEAR BOXED UP: Call Gerald's mother. Tell her you want her things out of your home and set a date, after which you will arrange for a moving company to deliver them to her and her husband. Be sure to give her plenty of notice -- a month -- so she can plan to have what items she doesn't need placed in storage (at her expense). Will she like you for it? Heck, no. But you will be free.

DEAR ABBY: My sister was recently in the hospital. Due to swelling in her hands, it became necessary to remove her wedding band. This ring was our late father's wedding band. If we were not successful in removing it, they were going to have to cut it off. I asked if she wanted me to take it home with me, and she nodded yes. I returned it to her when she came home.

I am now being accused by my family of stealing the ring! My sister wears only this ring, no others. But my family insists she was wearing two of our mother's rings. Nope. Mom was buried with her original wedding ring set and her anniversary ring. (Our parents had been married more than 50 years when Dad passed away. Mom followed five years later.)

I love my family, but right now I'd rather not speak to them for a while. Should I forget the accusation made against me, or keep my distance for my own benefit? -- ACCUSED IN MISSOURI

DEAR ACCUSED: You didn't mention who, exactly, is accusing you of stealing the ring. Is it your sister? She knows how many rings she was wearing when she went to the hospital and should be able to straighten these relatives out. If she cannot or will not do that, for the sake of your mental well-being, it might be better to avoid your accusers until this is resolved.

DEAR ABBY: My husband, "Silas," and I have been married for 30 years. He is the deacon and Sunday school teacher at our church. (His brother is the pastor.) Silas had a two-year affair with another woman at work while he continued teaching Sunday school.

I have a hard time with this. I will never trust him again, and I don't trust him in my faith. I resigned my position as church clerk immediately after finding out what he had done. I couldn't continue my position with the mess I was about to go through. I left him.

Six months later, we got back together, mainly for me to take ownership on everything I had worked for in my life. I have never returned to our church because he didn't step down from leadership, and the church didn't force him. Silas also lied and told the entire congregation, from the pulpit, that I had two affairs. How could he do this in front of the congregation of a church I've attended for 30 years? He is still not REAL in his faith or his love for me.

I have no money to start over, as I withdrew all of my 401(k) and paid off everything we owed, including our home. How do I get out now with no funds? During the six months I was gone, he didn't even want to give me $300 a week to live and pay bills. If I leave, I leave with nothing. All I want is to be loved and happy. Please advise. -- FEELING UNWORTHY IN LOUISIANA

DEAR FEELING UNWORTHY: Please accept my sympathy for this sorry situation. Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline and ask for help to escape the financial straitjacket your husband has you in. Its toll-free phone number is 800-799-7233. Many other women have done this and succeeded, and so can you.

DEAR ABBY: I've been in a relationship for 11 years. We're not married, nor do we live together. We are both 57. It has been kind of rocky over the years. He is controlling at times, then does nice things for me. Lately, he has expressed a desire for us to "just have fun." Problem is, he's been having fun with his 27-year-old son and his son's friends, and he has managed to not include me at all. Then he proceeds to ask me what I want to do.

When I mention a few "date" activities, he's not interested. He finds better things to do with his kid and complains to me that I never have any ideas about anything to do. He only wants sex with me. I want to do the fun things I have suggested to him. He claims he loves me and wants me to be part of his life. I feel I'm only a convenience for him. Help, please! -- DISSATISFIED IN PENNSYLVANIA

DEAR DISSATISFIED: If there are things you would like to do, do them with people who are willing. While you're doing that, ask yourself if this is the kind of relationship you want in perpetuity. Whether your boyfriend is bored or having a midlife crisis, I can't opine. But if you feel he values you only for the sex you provide, it may be time to move on.

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.