DEAR ANNIE: My family and I have been fortunate ...

... enough to have had many wonderful vacations over the years. My wife and I have recently become empty nesters, and I'm thinking I may never get another trip.I've realized the only things that bring me joy are my kids and my occasional vacations. I do not have fun; in fact, I'm terribly stressed when I'm out with only my wife. Now that my son and daughter have lives of their own and are less available for family trips, it is proving to be difficult to impossible to schedule any time that is convenient for all.I am thinking I will likely never see the places I've been dreaming of. Should I just accept that I will be staying home now and be grateful for the adventures I have had? I have no friends, so traveling with buddies is not an option. Solo travel won't work either, as it would be unfair for me to see the world if she doesn't. Any suggestions? Traveling Days Over Dear Traveling Days: Yes, I have a suggestion - go travel with your wife. You sound like you are going through a bit of a depression in the ending of the chapter with your kids as youngsters, and traveling can now open a whole new chapter for you and your wife. Your traveling time together can be filled with fun and adventure, and if traveling gives you that, then don't wait for your kids to be available. Just go with your wife. If you have trouble having fun and enjoying daily life with anyone — your wife, friends or kids — then it might be time to reach out to a professional therapist for help getting out of this "blah" feeling. Dear Annie: I'm sure many of your readers have experienced what I am dealing with now, and that is an aging husband who is hard of hearing. He has hearing aids but says they don't help much. It's hard to carry on a conversation with him because, as a soft speaker, I really have to exert myself to get him to hear what is being said.In fact, I have had to undergo speech therapy because of hoarseness and a very strained voice. He has the TV on constantly, and in order to converse with him, we have to turn the volume off. If there is a program he is really interested in, he'll wear the aids, so you can imagine how I feel that he won't wear them all the time. I am at my wits' end. Tired of Not Being Heard Dear Tired of Not Being Heard: I'm sure that your husband is tired of not being able to hear. You are both faced with the challenge of living with his hearing loss. Have compassion for him and for yourself as you adjust to this new reality. Tell him exactly what you told me in this letter - that your feelings are hurt when he puts on his hearing aids for a TV show but not for his wife. Understandably, that is sending you the message that what the television is saying is more important than what you are saying, and that simply is not true. He might not even be aware how hurt or fed up you are until you tell him. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com