Boyfriend's daughter makes nuptials null

DEAR ABBY: I'm 50 and my boyfriend, "Ray," is 55. We have been together for 11 years. We love each other, get along great, have similar values and can't imagine being apart.

My problem is I want to get married. Ray does, too, but his 20-year-old daughter isn't ready for it yet. She and I get along fine, but she gets very stressed and cries when the topic is mentioned. I told Ray I think she has learned from her childhood that crying enables her to get her way. But Ray insists she has anxiety issues, and he's afraid she will hurt herself if we get married.

Counseling is out of the question for her. She won't go. Ray and I did go for advice about this. The counselor agreed that his daughter needs counseling, but we can't "make" her go. My question is, is Ray ever going to marry me?

- Confused in New Jersey

DEAR CONFUSED: If Ray waits for his daughter's blessing, it may take another 11 years for her to give it - if she ever does. You and Ray should get more counseling to help him find the strength to stop allowing his troubled daughter to rule his life.

DEAR ABBY: My hog-mouth husband and I are having an ongoing disagreement about food. When there is special food in the house, something we both like, he feels free to eat as much of it as he wants without leaving any for me. His argument is that if it's around for several days - even if it's frozen - I have had "plenty of time to get my share."

He weighs almost twice as much as I do, and eats accordingly. It's particularly upsetting if I have invested hours in the preparation of a dish, only to find it's gone when I want my second helping. Am I wrong?

- Where's My Beef?!

DEAR "WHERE'S": I don't think so. Your husband is behaving like a selfish child. If you have been cooking large quantities, try preparing enough for two portions for a while - a LONG while.