Mitch's mom

That is the truest statement I have read today.

My husband is a good guy. He supports all my whims and encourages me to go as far as I want with any of my hobbies - as long as finances allow. I support him in his hobbies and interests as long as I don't have to join him. I don't want to Golf, Fish, Hunt, or watch TV.
He is my second husband, I am his first wife. I got him new and unused - well, he was probably tried on, but got put back on the shelf :) I learned with the practice husband what I didn't want in a husband.
People ask us why/how we get along so well. We both tell them that we trust each other and we leave each other the heck alone.

msariano

My husband is a gardener so he's pretty busy spring and summer. He's out the door as soon as he's up. While he's supportive of my sewing, in the winter he too watches TV and complains that he's all alone and lonely. My sewing room is upstairs. What I do is prepare a bunch of applique and when there's something on TV that I might like, I'll go down and keep him company with my hand sewing. I can no longer sit and just watch TV like I used to do years ago.!!

MillieH

When my husband gets too demanding of my time, I jokingly remind him that "Just because your mother called you son [sun], the world does not revolve around you."

conniebrooks

Good for you stand up to getting your room for your sewing. It is important to keep busy after you retire. My husb has been retired for about 2 1/2 yrs now and he was goin bonkers for the first yr or so because he missed the getting up and going to work. But now he is much better he joined the Honor Guard at the American Legion and has funerals all the time which gives him something to do and people to communicate with. This past summer I got a book showing me how to weave placemats,table runners and rugs.
Well he has take that over and has made 10 placemats and is as I type working on this 11th one. Plus he is reading alot and when it is warm he does woodworking. Goodluck with retirement. Than again I get nothing done it seems I babysit with my 4 yr old grandson 3 days a week taking him to preschool.

Flo Pierce

Shari 1967 You have my cat> only my lucky is 3 legged, You
all need my DH as he is very supportive. I can't drive now due
to a ailment so he is my chauffer. He is driving me to a quilt
show on Sunday. and drove me to a fabric store on an outing
yesterday. Even goes into the shops with me. It is fun to be
retired. I share his love for computers and he shares my love
for sewing. He even gets rewarded by me making him things
that he wants.

He is a keeper and I've done that for over 50 years now.
Flo in NNY

Bev

You're right Flo, he IS a keeper. Why doesn't he give lessons to other husbands?

:-P

Sierra

Wow! What's wrong with so many of those guys? I know my husband's a saint (even my sister said to him, "I understand why she married you, but exactly why did you marry her?") DH just belly laughed.

I began to cross stitch baby blankets as grandchildren began to come. Then DH had a series of 7!!! surgeries and I cross stitched (a St. Francis and the wolf of Gubbio; Francis is a favorite of his) during all those "waits". After a few years I morphed into quilting. At first he was supportive and I began asking him his opinion of color blends, etc. Our home was all open except for the (tiny) bed and bath rooms so there was no was place to quilt except in the "great" room. He ate off the counter when a quilt was on the table (a table enhanced by a 4x8 ply toping he screwed down onto the runners) and was great.

We moved into an apartment a few years ago. Across the hall is a "craft room" where all my stuff is and where I work. When I'm quilting he cooks and vacuums! And his "eye" for color and tone has improved so much that I really depend on his opinion. Not only that but when my arthritis prevents me from changing a blade, or even tying off a quilt that could not be sewn... he does these things for me.

I tease him with an article I read in an old quilt magazine: A woman said she used to quilt in the "guest" room and her husband totally redid the room so it was her sewing room. After a few years he got busy in the garage and rebuilt it for her to use as a better sewing room. After a few years he came in, put a paper down on the table and said, "You know the place next door for sale? We just bought it. Let's figure out how you're going to want it. .... sooo there are a lot of "saints" out there.

By the way, my first husband was so abusive I would have never had the nerve to have had a hobby. I admire those of you who can figure out ways to deal with your TV watchers so well. Good luck! And yes, I thank God every day for this man beside me. We do watch netflix together and talk a lot. We are truly "best friends".

Bev

[quote/]We moved into an apartment a few years ago. Across the hall is a "craft room" where all my stuff is and where I work. When I'm quilting he cooks and vacuums! And his "eye" for color and tone has improved so much that I really depend on his opinion. Not only that but when my arthritis prevents me from changing a blade, or even tying off a quilt that could not be sewn... he does these things for me.[quote]

You're right, you've got a great guy there. I think we learn to appreciate a second husband so much more after having had a lousy first one. I hope you have many, many more years ahead of you with this man!

8-)

JulieR

I'll admit I haven't read the whole thread, but I've found that arguments and issues arise when someone's needs aren't being met.

Darling Husband loves his TV, and wants to watch it all the time. That makes him happy. Loving Wife does NOT want to watch TV all the time; if she did, she would be unhappy.

Loving Wife loves her quilting, and wants to quilt all the time. That makes her happy. Darling Husband does NOT want to quilt all the time; if he did, he would be unhappy.

So what's missing? Darling Husband doesn't really want his wife to sit around and watch TV, but he DOES want to spend time with her doing something he enjoys. There's no reason this can't be something that she enjoys as well. So what is it they can do together that would make them both happy? When they find it and give that time back to each other, then when they aren't doing that he can watch TV and she can quilt without resentment.

As for the husbands who don't like it when their wives fold laundry in common areas, hello, the 50s called and they want Archie Bunker back. Also, the 2010s said to fold your own *&%# towels.

Betty Ruth

Make sure to get your husband interested in a hobby before he retires, or you'll have worse troubles. May I suggest golf?