There are compelling reasons to keep the peace with a DIL.

QUESTION

Hi Irene,

My son and daughter-in-law bought a sailboat and put it in a lake halfway between their home and ours. Our son was deployed for a year during which time our DIL never spoke to us. We...

QUESTION

Dear Irene,

I've been friends with a woman for about four years now. As time progressed, we became closer, or so I thought. We both moved here from other areas and I introduced her to our neighborhood book club, my hairstylist, etc. The problem now is that she only...

When friends are always busy and never initiate contact, they may be trying to step back from the friendship~

QUESTION

Dear Irene,

For the last couple of years my friend has been slowly but surely phasing me out of her life. I'm no longer invited to events...

Two friends split and the tension spills over to their husbands and children.

QUESTION

Hi Irene,

My ex-BFF and I had a recent falling out a few months back after a close seven-year friendship. Not only did we become good friends, so did our husbands, kids and extended families. We...

Groundswell is Katie Lee's first novel. This romantic story is about a struggling young screenwriter, Emma Guthrie, who is suddenly thrust into a world of wealth and celebrity when she falls in love with...

Sometimes we have to come to terms with imperfect mother and set boundaries to maintain a reasonable relationship.

QUESTION

Hi Irene,

My mom and I have had a very complicated relationship. Even before my parents had an awful divorce 14 years ago (and they still can't attend any events together),...

Dealing with an insecure friend requires a proper mix of sensitivity and boundaries~

QUESTION

Hi Irene,

I have a friend whom I've known for about four years. She was there for me when my husband committed suicide two years ago. Since then, I've met a man whom I've fallen in...

It's so easy to become attached to the idea of "having a best friend" that we ignore the reality of a flawed friendship.


QUESTION

Dear Irene,

There's a girl who I thought was my best friend forever whom I've grown to dislike. I feel guilty...

Being treated for breast cancer can be tough to endure, both physically and emotionally

QUESTION

Dear Irene,

I'm sorry, I hope this whole post makes sense, I'm not able to think properly right now but I needed to get this off my chest. These past six...

Our wet shoes were slowly sinking into the muddy grass as a sea of umbrellas obscured our view of the stage. But no one cared about the pounding rain as thousands waited for the open-air concert on the historic Green in New Haven, Connecticut. The headliner was internationally renowned cellist...

If you're traveling to central Italy this summer, don't miss the chance to participate in the annual celebration of Notte Rosa (Pink Night), which will take place along more than 60 miles of the Adriatic coastline on Friday, July 1, 2011.

The city of Rimini is centrally...

Question:

Hi Irene,

I have a co-worker who is married who came from a central office to a satellite office where I work. His co-workers from the central office made undermining jokes about him. I'm beginning to understand why. He boasts about an association he's in and tells stories...

As I packed my suitcase for our Mediterranean cruise on the new Oceania Marina, the thought of hitting 11 cities in 12 days felt mildly reminiscent of the folly of my youth. My first trip to Europe was a one-week escorted tour of London, Paris, and Rome. Yet, there's a...

Hmmm... it just doesn't feel right.

Friendships change over time. Just like a well-worn bra that has slowly lost its shape and support, once-close friendships also fray without one or both friends fully realizing what is happening. In my survey of more than 1,500 women for my book, "

The movie critics raved about "Bridesmaids," describing it as a watershed moment for the portrayal of female friendships on the big screen. New York Times film critic Manohla Dargis wrote, "[T]he movie is smart about a lot of things, including the vital importance of female friendships."...

Friendships need to be nurtured and travel -- even for a weekend -- allows friends to see new places, strengthen vital ties, and create shared memories. This month Budget Travel magazine released its debut spring/summer 2011 edition of Girlfriend Getaways as a special pullout section of the May...

Question:

Hi Irene,

How do you deal with a friendship that has become toxic, either due to depression, borderline disorder, or both?

I have been close with my friend for seven years and our relationship has slowly eroded over time. Her emotional issues -- lack of accountability, twisting...

Like many close friendships, the one between Julia Child and Avis DeVoto was borne of serendipity. These two women met across the miles (in an era long before Facebook or LinkedIn) yet formed an instant bond -- curiously, over a sharp carbon steel knife.

By 1952, Julia and her husband...

If you're Italian-American, it's quite possible your grandmother was given a copy of La Scienza in Cucina E L'arte Di Mangia Bene (Science in the Kitchen and The Art of Eating Well) as a wedding gift, or your mother has a copy on her bookshelf passed down by...

Question:

Dear Irene,

My best friend of 18 years always called me "the sister she never had". We live in the same city and used to talk on the phone at least 5 to 10 times a day and got together frequently. About two years ago she and her...