Dear Heloise: I just bought my first house, and I need to learn how to take care of it now. Do I still need to drain my water heater? The former owners said that the heater was 4 years old, and they never drained the sediment in all this time. — Ashly W., in New Castle, Pennsylvania Ashly, ...

Dear Annie: I work in a small office where our boss is almost never there. She comes in late, leaves early, works from home whenever she feels like it and is often "unavailable" when problems come up. Meanwhile, the rest of us are expected to answer clients, meet deadlines, handle emergencies ...

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a woman of 54 with somewhat limited mobility due to back pain. Perhaps for this reason, my primary care physician ordered a DEXA scan in 2023 and again in 2026. I was alarmed when the recent scan showed osteopenia in five of the six areas that were tested. I thought the 2023 ...

Dear Annie: I'm writing for advice about a dear friend, "Meg," who we've known for more than 40 years. She has a son, "Rodney," who went to high school with our son and who has always been on the edge of being an outlaw. Over the years, we've seen Rodney continuously depend on his parents ...

Dear Heloise: This is a warning/tip for adults with a nut allergy. My 40-year-old daughter was at a craft brewery with friends enjoying a beer when she began having a mild reaction, as she has with her allergy to several nuts. She took the appropriate steps immediately and is fine. She called ...

Dear Annie: I'm 29, living in New York City, with a job I love and a great group of friends -- none of whom are single. Half are married or engaged, the other half coupled up in serious relationships. I'm generally OK being single, but going out as the perpetual third wheel is wearing on me. ...