I am 30. For the past one year, I am living with my wife in the city. It was a love marriage with no objections from our families

One night changed my loving wife to an angry one

Dear Diana,

I am 30. For the past one year, I am living with my wife in the city. It was a love marriage with no objections from our families. We both work, but I am on the night shift and she's on the morning one, so we hardly get to spend two hours with each other every day.

Things were fine till two months ago, when she attended an office party. The office provided transport, but there was some trouble and she returned late. When she came home, she started yelling at me. She claimed I don't love her, don't care for her and she had wanted me to pick her up from the party.

I told her that if she had contacted me, I would have picked her up, but she is in no mood to listen. She stored up all the complaints she had against me over the year and now picks fights over them to prove I don't love her. She is just not ready to listen to anything I have to say. She doesn't tell me what she wants and why she is behaving like this.

Her family has tried to sort the problem too, but she fights with them too. I too have complaints over certain things she did over the last year which I did not agree with (nobody's perfect after all), but I never told her because I feel they are harmful for a good relationship. I love her very much and don't want to lose her. Please help.

Name withheld

Dear Friend,
Perhaps something happened when she was returning home that triggered it off. Talk to her and ask her if something happened that night. Next apologise for not having been there for her when she needed you. Perhaps she just needs to hear you say that.

I think she is over reacting because she is feeling neglected. She might have seen couples leaving together and felt lonely. She might not have been comfortable travelling back alone in the night in a new city. Just spend some time with her.

Take a few days off, or maybe just the weekend and reconnect. Sometimes we get caught in a routine and life becomes a drag. Don't let that happen to you. Always make time for each other. Once a week, watch a film, and have a date night one day of the week. Surprise her some times with a nice gesture.

Bring her something she likes to eat, or get her flowers, or a little present. You have to nurture a relationship, if not it will wilt. City life is tough and there's barely any time for anything, that's why you have to make that extra effort. A woman needs to feel loved.

And you have to show her that you love her with sweet gestures every now and then. Now fix this. Tell her that you are aware that she is feeling like you have no time for her, and you are going to change that. And she won't have any more complaints on that account. Good luck.u00a0

Love him, hate his hygiene habits

Dear Diana,
I am 23 and in love with this great guy for the past year. He is attentive, caring, erudite and most importantly, he loves me. Our parents are planning to fix a wedding date soon. However, I am not sure I can marry him. I am a big advocate of personal hygiene, but my guy is not. Simple thingsu00a0-- like covering your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough, washing hands before eatingu00a0-- escape him.

I have tried to explain the importance to him a few times, but he doesn't think all that's necessary. I don't want to lose him, but I can't live with his bad habits either. What do I do?

Anita

Dear Anita,
Darling, you seemed to have found the guy who is perfect for you, but you have a problem with his hygiene. I know that's huge and cannot be ignored but would you rather spend your life with a guy who is Mr. Clean when it comes to hygiene but does not care for you, does not love you and pays no attention to you? No guy is perfect.

Most guys will burp in public and not wash hands all the time. You've got to ignore the small stuff. Whenever you are around him, keep tissues handy. Hand them to him whenever he sneezes or coughs. Keep a hand sanitizer in your bag or next to your dining section and pour a drop on his palm before you sit to eat. Don't change your man, just because you can't change his habits.u00a0u00a0