DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: My mother-in-law had a wild-and-crazy youth and actually spent some time in jail. At the lake this fall she told me about some of her experiences, and what hard lessons she learned when she “went away” to do time in a correctional facility.

I have such admiration for her and what she went through, and also for how successful she is now. I’m a teacher, and I told her recently I’d love for her to share some of her experiences with my all-girls classroom.

To my dismay, she flatly refused! She isn’t talking to me much anymore. How can I fix this uncomfortable mistake?

— Crossed Line? Southern Manitoba

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: When my Winnipeg girlfriend got tired of me in the spring I got a summer job out of the province and recovered in the arms of another woman. She and I were great pals and sex buddies, but not a forever love match.

My old girlfriend lost her summer love in September, so she took lonely old me back. It’s just all right this time, but really not what the relationship was before at its best. I still love her, but I don’t like her or trust her so much now. Deep down, I’m still angry.

And now, my sweet summer sex buddy has taken a job in Toronto and contacted me to see if I would be interested in joining her there for a week holiday from Christmas to New Year’s Day.

I’m really tempted. I love the huge fireworks shows on New Year’s Eve in major cities. Should I jump back in with her? We’re probably not permanent, but she gets a big kick out of me and it’s good for my ego.

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I’m in a long-term lesbian relationship, or so I thought. My wife came home from a business trip in Asia and was acting strange — kind of skittish if I tried to touch her.

I asked her what was wrong and she said she didn’t feel well from travelling and was going to sleep in the guest bedroom from now on. What?

She turned in early, but I could hear her voice immediately talking on her phone again for almost an hour.

I finally knocked on the door and she hung up the phone. I asked who she was talking to, and she said, “Oh all right, you might as well know sooner than later. I have another woman in my life who I met through work.” I was totally devastated.

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I’ve been engaged since Christmas, but now my fiancé does not want to go through with the wedding.

His old girlfriend was so shocked by our engagement, she has come back and wants another chance with him. He said he hoped I would understand because he had loved her since Grade 10. Now he says he realizes she truly is his forever love. I’ve been nauseated since then.

And get this: he says I can keep the diamond from the engagement ring and have it put into something else because he knew I loved it so much.

What an idiot. It wasn’t just a sparkly rock to me — it was a symbol of our forever love. When he tried to hand it back to me, I threw it in his face.

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: Last week I ran into the woman who disgusted me most at my last job. I quit because there were too many people in the workplace like her.

She immediately started filling me in on all the gossip and things people have said about me since I quit. I couldn’t take it, and put my hand up like a traffic cop, raised my voice and said, “Stop!” She was so shocked she halted mid-sentence, and then stalked off in a huff.

I still can’t stop hearing her gossipy voice in my brain. How do you erase annoying people and the things they’ve said from your mind?

— Had It, West End

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I’m in love with this girl but haven’t told her yet because she’s shy, and besides, she hasn’t told me she loves me yet. We’ve been dating nine weeks — long enough to know.

I thought I would spring it on her on Valentine’s Day, as I’m planning to buy her a necklace with “I love you” engraved inside a pendant.

But I’m a little worried. When I give it to her, what if there’s just a big silence, and I want to die? How can I get some kind of guarantee before I say it?

— Love Problem, East Kildonan

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I’m upset because I see thousands of people at university — students my own age, and likely to be as smart as I am — but I still don’t know many people as friends, except a few classmates. I don’t want to spend time coming up feeling this lonely again.

I don’t need a boyfriend so much as I need friends of both sexes. I used to be popular in high school, but I had years of going to the same schools with the same kids.

What can I do now so I don’t get so lonely I quit?

— Lonely Student, Fort Garry