Woman loved cousin's bag so much, she stole it

DEAR ABBY: Recently, my cousin-in-law, "Carrie," attended a family party. Carrie has been going through a difficult time because of her mother's death two years ago and her father's remarriage plans.

I know people are prone to do odd things when under stress, but this has me concerned. Carrie mentioned she loved my purse and then announced she was "stealing it." I realized it wasn't a joke when she dumped the contents of my bag on the kitchen counter. She then handed me $10 and put my purse in her car!

I was flabbergasted and didn't know how to react. Although I had mentioned that I bought the bag at a thrift store for less than Carrie gave me, I liked it because it is a vintage item. Am I wrong to feel offended? Do I have any hope of getting my purse back?

- Stupefied in New York

DEAR STUPEFIED: Carrie's behavior was outrageous and may indicate that she has emotional problems that should be addressed. That you would be offended is understandable. The only hope of getting your purse back would be to pay this woman a visit, return her money and tell her it's time to return the purse.

DEAR ABBY: I have been dating "Wayne" for about a year. Everything is wonderful, but my problem is he is stingy when it comes to issuing a compliment. I'll get dressed up and ask him what he thinks, and his response is always, "It's OK. You always look beautiful to me, so you don't have to dress up."

Maybe I shouldn't complain about this. It's not like I want him to say I look awful; I just want more of a response than what I'm getting. Any ideas on how to approach this?

- Always Beautiful? In Minnesota

DEAR ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL: Yes. Tell him there is something you need from him that you're not getting - and that is acknowledgment when you make a special effort. Explain that while you're complimented that he thinks you're always beautiful, you feel let down by his reaction. If he cares about your feelings, he may be a little more generous.