DEAR ABBY: My son has completely given up on dating. Whether it's blind dates, casual meetings with members from our church or dating events I pay for and make him go to, he still hasn't found a wife. At 36, he should already have children and a partner, but despite the best efforts of my wife and me, he remains unmarried.

Our son is 6 feet tall, athletic and godly, and he has his own apartment and clears $100k a year. Despite all this, he still doesn't have a wife. It's even reached the point that he gets angry at my wife and me for pressuring him. During a few of the blind dates we set up for him, I watched from afar, and each time he was stood up! How can I ensure my son gets a wife before I grow too old? -- DAD LOSING HOPE IN NEW YORK

DEAR DAD: If you are sincere about this question, STOP EVERYTHING YOU HAVE BEEN DOING. Your son's chances of finding a wife will increase the further you step back. Has your tall, athletic, successful and godly son told you he even wants to be married? As many of the women whose letters I publish express, not all men do.

DEAR ABBY: I'm hoping you can provide some advice on a sensitive subject. Our family of four adult siblings was once very close but, since our parents passed away, has fractured. A brother has moved to another state, and we rarely see him. A sister has a partner nobody can stand whom she talks about incessantly. She took advantage of our parents by taking money and items from their house before and after they passed that were intended for their long-term care.

My younger brother and I, despite all this, miss our family. My sister has not been invited to the out-of-state brother's daughter's wedding, and, I admit, I feel bad. Am I being silly, or is there something I should say about this action that might further fracture our family? -- DISTANCED IN NORTH CAROLINA

DEAR DISTANCED: You are not being silly. What you are missing is the fantasy of what your family "should" be like. However, the wedding is not something you should chime in on. This is your niece's big day, and if you make waves, you will only further alienate yourself from that branch of the family.

DEAR ABBY: I have a male friend who texts me every morning ("Good morning, beautiful lady") and sends flower emojis ("Beautiful flowers for a beautiful lady"). Do you think he has feelings for me? I'm a widow, and he was a good friend of my husband's. He was the best man at our wedding.

It has been so long since I dated that I am out of touch. He asked me to go to a nude campground overnight. I don't know what to think. Help! -- A LITTLE LOST IN KENTUCKY

DEAR LOST: Oh, he's definitely interested. But if the first time he has invited you out is to a nude event, be sure to ascertain exactly what he's interested in before accepting the invitation.

DEAR ABBY: My parents were married for 50 years. My dad remarried a nice lady a year after Mom died. Within two months of meeting her, they were engaged.

Dad made more than a few missteps, including announcing the engagement on Facebook before informing Mom's sister, inviting the new wife to Mom's delayed out-of-town memorial service, bragging about his "child bride" (she's 72, and he's 82) to the priest at my nephew's hospice death bed, ignoring Mom's wishes to have her ashes placed in a sectarian columbarium rather than scattered in her favorite state park, and other actions that felt like a slap in our faces and disrespect for Mom's memory. I've had therapy over this.

My latest headache is Dad is constantly bragging about his new wife. Every single time I call, he puts her on speakerphone, and he has to call her "child bride," "beloved bride," "blushing bride" or something else equally revolting. He can't just call her by her name, which also happens to be the same name as my mom's.

The straw that broke the camel's back for me was when he referred to her as his "lover." By the way, she once forgot her estrogen cream on a trip, and I had to ship it to them overnight. (I can't believe I had to ship my stepmom's sex cream!)

Do I have the right to ask him to stop calling her weird lovey-dovey names and just use her name? These nicknames are a stab in my heart. I'm OK with him being remarried -- happy for him -- but it feels like he's bragging about his ability to remarry or something. It's gross, and I find myself afraid to even call him anymore. -- YUCK FACTOR IN TEXAS

DEAR YUCK FACTOR: Your father is still in the "honeymoon" phase of his marriage, and love has been known to make people goofy. While it may have been insensitive for you to have been asked to ship estrogen cream to his "lover," there are other things that could have been even more embarrassing. You may have been the only person they could ask. (Imagine how it would have gone over if they had contacted your aunt.)

It may take another round of therapy for you to quit taking your father's comments to heart as you have. I am sure he isn't being intentionally disrespectful of your mother's memory. I sincerely hope you will avail yourself of counseling before you resent your father even more for his happiness.

DEAR ABBY: When we mail a sympathy card to a grieving friend many miles away, we often enclose a check to help finance a memorial to their church or other favored institution. Our problem comes three or more months later, when the check still hasn't cleared. What is the socially appropriate way of reminding them to cash the check short of calling and saying, "Hey, get with the program and cash the check!"? -- UNCLEARED IN THE MIDWEST

DEAR UNCLEARED: Contact the person and say, "I notice that the check I sent for "----'s" memorial still hasn't been cashed. Did you receive it, or could it have been lost in the mail?" Phrasing it this way is not a breach of etiquette.

DEAR ABBY: My sister recently became very ill and had to be hospitalized for four days. When I called and told our daughter, she was concerned and supportive. Then, I called our son, "Isaac," and left a message to please call me because it was important. He did not return my call.

A couple days later, my husband left another message for Isaac to call. He finally sent us a picture of himself and his family at Disneyland in California. He was on vacation with his wife and two kids and didn't want to be bothered. After he got back, he waited a few days to call me.

I am hurt and disappointed in Isaac. We live in Texas, and they go to Disneyland three or four times a year. I think Isaac should have taken five minutes to return my call so I could fill him in about the situation with his aunt. Because of this, I no longer feel as close to my son. In fact, I feel I'm very unimportant to him. Am I wrong to be sad and disappointed? Is it common for close relatives not to respond when they are on vacation? My sister is now recovering, but her illness has taken a huge toll on her. -- DISILLUSIONED IN TEXAS

DEAR DISILLUSIONED: What a rude awakening you had. That you are hurt and disappointed is understandable. Have you been in the habit of calling your son at inconvenient times? I can't think of another reason why he would fail to respond to your urgent request to talk with him.

Your son appears to be self-centered and emotionally distanced from you and the family. If this is the first time you have noticed, pay attention to it. If you need a support system as you and your husband grow older, do not take it for granted that Isaac will be there for you.

DEAR ABBY: I am a 61-year-old woman who still works full time. My husband is 65 and retired. Unfortunately, he has severe back issues that prevent him from doing much. He's unable to walk or ride long distances or even sleep well at night.

When I get home from work, I cook dinner and clean up, but by then he's asleep in the living room, and I am unable to entertain myself. He controls the TV, and I'm stuck watching old shows from the '50s and '60s. I feel so isolated. We can't go anywhere or do anything. I am the loneliest married woman I know.

My husband is currently good and kind, but he is getting more easily frustrated by everything. Should I stay or go? -- WAFFLING IN WEST VIRGINIA

DEAR WAFFLING: Where you should go is straight to a store that sells television sets. Buy one for yourself and place it in a room your husband doesn't sleep in. This should solve part of your problem. As to your husband's increasing level of frustration, this should be discussed with his doctor. Neither of you is in a particularly happy place right now, but this might be a step in the right direction.