Dear Annie: My wife wakes up every weekday at 5 a.m. and goes to work at 6 a.m. I don’t know what time she gets out of work, but she goes to her house (she owns a separate house) and, according to her, takes a nap. She usually comes home around 8 p.m. That is 14 hours a day that she is not here!

The other day when she called, I heard another voice in the background. I should mention she has several suitors that live by her house. She spends most of the weekends at her house, saying she is doing yardwork.

I should also mention I have four beers every night. This is nothing new; I have always had several beers or cocktails, and she knew this when we started dating.

She is 67 years old, and I am 73. We have been married for seven years. Now my drinking has suddenly become an issue with her, and she says we will not be having sex till I stop drinking! I get the feeling she has disdain for me. I get a quick kiss every morning before she leaves for work, but that’s it. I don’t know what to do. Any suggestions? — Basically Alone

Dear Basically Alone: There are a couple of issues to address here, and it seems likely that they all relate back to your drinking. Four beers every night classifies you as a heavy drinker, and the fact that you are unwilling — or unable — to stop this habit is certainly a red flag. I would seek out a local Alcoholics Anonymous chapter and start attending meetings.

Additionally, the trust and communication between you and your wife is lacking, to say the least. Acknowledging your dependency on alcohol is a necessary first step, but couples therapy is also essential. These issues are compounding — your drinking is driving your wife away, and the stress of not knowing your wife’s whereabouts is causing you to keep drinking. If things don’t change, this vicious cycle will only get worse.

Dear Readers: Below are two lovely letters for “Grieving in Portland,” the man who is grieving his late wife and wondering how best to move on — for his own sake and for his dog, Max. The first letter offers a practical suggestion, while the second has some words of encouragement that were too beautiful not to print. I hope you enjoy.

Dear Annie: “Grieving in Portland” seems like a really wonderful gentleman who would make a great partner for a lucky lady out there! He mentions his Cavachon, and seems very devoted to his dog. I have Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and run a Facebook group with over 1,500 members, the vast majority of whom are female, and plenty of them are single (some even widows).

The dogs immediately give us all a common interest, and we regularly schedule in-person meetups for our dogs to play. I have met some of my best friends in the group! I think “Grieving” could meet some wonderful people if he looked into joining dog groups on social media, where he can find meetups and start making social connections. Dogs are an excellent social lubricant, and he will know immediately that he has at least that much in common with the people he is spending time with. — Dog Mom in Michigan

Dear Annie: Your advice, Annie, to “Grieving in Portland,” was sound.

The key is to push yourself to build a life that is good, with or without a partner. Get involved; volunteer at a food bank, build a habitat home, paint a playground, join a hiking club with Max, take classes on something you’ve always wanted to learn, join a cornhole team — whatever.

My amazing new husband and I lost our loves to cancer, both devastated after happy marriages. We met down the road in a meeting about fundraising for our local schools, a shared passion.

Use that overflowing love from your late wife to find your way. She will help you. Meet people to have more friends, because the world is wide. The rest will fall into place. — Twice Blessed