DEAR ANNIE: My spouse and I have longtime friends who visit from out of town several times a year. We’ve kept up this tradition for many years, and in return we also visit them. At first, these visits were enjoyable, but lately they’ve become a source of stress.

It began with small comments -- they said the guest bed wasn’t comfortable and our towels smelled odd. Wanting to be gracious, my wife bought brand-new towels before their next visit. But then they complained the new ones were too small. On their following trip, the criticism shifted to our dishes and silverware, which they claimed weren’t clean. Now, whenever they visit, they take utensils from our drawers and re-wash them before using them.

What bothers me most is that they rarely say anything directly to me. Instead, they wait

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