DEAR ABBY: I just turned 29. My partner, "Jeremy," and I have been together for six years and have talked about getting engaged. He set the timeline for an expectation of when he'd propose early on in our relationship -- by "five or 30" (meaning either we've been together for five years or he hits 30). Both of those marks hit last year, and I expected him to propose, but it didn't happen. I am mortified because I keep getting asked by people, "Why not?" I don't have an answer, except that Jeremy is just not ready.

He told me he wants to pay off some debts before buying a ring, but we are both saving and living well below our means, and I don't want anything expensive. Jeremy is focused on his physical training and his hobbies. I'm ready to buy a home, get married, maybe even start a family, but I feel like we're stuck in the post-college lifestyle.

I have told Jeremy all of the above several times now, but it seems to fall on deaf ears. Otherwise, he tells me the commitment is already there and that he will get to a place where he feels he's ready. He also told me the only reason he'd ever propose is because I want it -- because it has no meaning or joy for him!

I'm confused and worried that something is wrong with me for feeling this way. All my friends are married. They have bought homes and are starting families. I'm tired of waiting for this train to come in, and I'm resentful that he hasn't kept to his timeline. Now I'm not sure I should say yes, even if he does ask. Do I run for the hills or trust him to keep his word? He's always been honest with me. -- WAITING AND WAITING

DEAR WAITING: When a man tells you that marriage has no meaning or joy for him and that he will propose when he feels ready but still isn't ready after five years, you have some important decisions to make about your future. Trying to wrestle a marriage proposal out of him because your friends have all married and started families does not guarantee that your union would be a happy one.

Tell Jeremy that you appear to be operating in different time zones, that marriage is very important to you, and he hasn't kept his word about the five years. Then move on, so you won't be writing in another five years about this same problem.

DEAR ABBY: Please, please help me save a very old friendship. I have a friend who will not let me finish a story, a comment or a response. When I tried to be polite and said, "Please, let me finish," she got miffed. We went out to lunch with another friend recently, and she did it again! How do I politely ask her to wait her turn? -- WORD IN EDGEWISE

DEAR WORD: Stating it in plain English wouldn't hurt. Do it right after you ask this woman why she feels it is necessary to interrupt you. (If the answer is that you held the floor too long, you will need to edit either your friend list -- or your storytelling.)

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been married a long time. Our relationship is stable but rocky. I have suffered from depression since childhood, and I am now trying to manage it. My husband has his own issues. One of them is that he often brings up something he finds "amusing" about my parents. For example, he mocks my dad and the home I grew up in because it wasn't fancy. This is hurtful.

I don't appreciate my husband bringing up Dad's quirks to belittle him. When I say I don't appreciate it, he starts yelling and telling me that he's not trying to hurt me and that I shouldn't take it that way. Then he goes off and sulks and won't speak to me for the rest of the day.

His behavior is getting old. It ruins things between us. If you tell someone that what they say is hurtful, but they discount it, what then? Things he may think are funny are not always funny to me. Any advice? -- NO JOKE IN OHIO

DEAR NO JOKE: Your husband certainly has a cruel streak. He says things he knows will hurt you, blames you for feeling hurt and then uses it as an excuse to punish you. The term for this is passive-aggressive behavior.

If you plan to stay married to this miserable person, you will have to learn to ignore his comments. When you do that, he will likely increase the frequency of his "funny" remarks. When that happens, continue to ignore him, invite a friend or two to have lunch away from the house or run an errand. If it reaches the point that it's intolerable, consult a licensed marriage and family therapist or talk to an attorney about how to set yourself free.

DEAR ABBY: My wife was recently diagnosed with a partial arterial blockage. It isn't blocked enough to warrant an angioplasty or a stent, so her doctors will manage it with medication and diet.

Because my wife now has a special diet she must follow, she has told me I can no longer eat anything in front of her that she can't eat. I must eat only the food she eats. My health is good, and I have no dietary restrictions. Is this demand she is making of me fair? How do I deal with it? -- PUNISHED IN ILLINOIS

DEAR PUNISHED: I suspect the diet you obliquely mentioned may be a "heart healthy" one. If that's the case, during the last 20 years (or so) the American Heart Association has published many cookbooks offering a variety of delicious recipes. (I know this to be true because I have dipped my beak into some of them.)

A heart healthy diet needn't be onerous, and it could benefit you, too. If you crave something your wife can't eat, have it elsewhere so she won't be tempted. It's not a huge sacrifice to make, and her life could depend on it. Dig deep, give it a try and remind yourself that this is what a supportive spouse does for the person they love.

DEAR ABBY: I need advice about a new relationship. I am a 60-year-old man. I divorced last year and met a nice woman named "Eileen" shortly afterward, and things seemed to be going well. When my ex found out I was seeing Eileen (they didn't know each other) she decided to call Eileen and try to cause issues by saying many things that are not true. She succeeded.

I tried to save my marriage but was unsuccessful and was trying to move on and be happy again. There was no abuse or anything like that, but my ex said I didn't fulfill her needs well enough, so she moved on. I now feel Eileen doesn't fully trust me even though she still sees me.

I want to have an open and honest relationship because I care for Eileen enough that someday in the future, I may want to make her my wife. How can I earn back the trust that was lost and get our relationship back on track? Things have definitely taken a big step backward, and I'm disappointed and saddened. -- NERVOUS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

DEAR NERVOUS: You have done nothing wrong and shouldn't need to "earn back" Eileen's trust. Have a face-to-face talk with Eileen. Tell her you care very much about her, but since your bitter ex-wife felt the need to have a woman-to-woman chat with her, you sense things may have changed between you. Ask if that's true, and if it is, ask why. She needs to hear your side of the story to counteract what your ex said. However, if, indeed, she no longer trusts you, you may need to find another lady friend.

DEAR ABBY: I have been dating the most wonderful man I have ever met for more than a year, and we are planning to get married. One of the things we have bonded over is that we both want a multigenerational household. My boyfriend's parents (who are in their 70s) have been living with him for the past two years, and this will continue for the foreseeable future.

As our wedding grows closer, I'm feeling increasingly anxious about the logistics of living with his parents. I like having minimal possessions, while they are borderline hoarders. My boyfriend knows I'm anxious about it and is willing to talk about the situation, but he also takes the position that he and his family are a package deal. I love him, but I don't think I can sign up for 20 years of a cluttered house. What should I do? -- CONCERNED ABOUT CLUTTER

DEAR CONCERNED: I'm glad your boyfriend is willing to talk about it, but what is he willing to DO about it? Your (and his parents') lifestyles are very different. They feel most secure having all of their possessions around. At their ages, they are not likely to change.

The place to have a truth session would be in the office of a licensed family counselor to see if this can be mediated. But frankly, because they are a package deal, as all multigenerational households are, you might be better off finding someone to marry other than the three of them.