Every day I wonder how I’ll survive Vince’s retirement. No . . it isn’t happening any time soon. All these years I’ve thought how nice it was that opposites really do attract and we’re so different and yet we’re so alike and we get along so well . . when he’s at work all day and I’m home to do what I want! 🙂
We had an anniversary this week and Vince wanted to go to Abilene or San Angelo to celebrate shop. I said NO!! There was a bit of a discussion and oh . . he so badly wanted to take me out to dinner for our anniversary. Yep, I know what he wanted . . he wanted to stop at every store and walk through and pick up everything and look at it, buy some stuff we don’t need and come home only when I got real testy.
There’s a restaurant in Comanche that I like and there’s no mall, no Wal-Mart, no Home Depot . . nothing in Comanche. Nothing that I knew about. So, I said . . Hey! We can go to the restaurant in Comanche for our anniversary dinner! I was so smart to think of that. He said that was a good idea and we planned to do it last night. When he was home at lunch, he said “I’m taking off early and we can go to Comanche early and stop at some of the shops on the square!” Shops on the square? I didn’t even know about them but . . that man can find a way to shop no matter where we go.
Antique malls or flea markets . . those kinds of places where people rent booths and put stuff in them . . that’s where we went . . and Vince had so much fun. He owes me!
I found this and I thought it was so interesting but I love shorthand.
I could have sat there for hours and transcribed the pages in this book. Doesn’t take much to entertain me, does it? No, I didn’t buy the book.
Then, Vince decided to take off today to get some things done around the house. I trusted him! I believed he would get so much accomplished. Early this morning, he pulled the peas out of my garden so I can plant tomatoes for fall. He came in and said “Want to go to Brady for lunch?” Brady is 40 or 50 miles from here. The middle of the day was going to be too hot to do things outside so I said fine. We got in the car and he said “Want to go to Mason? It’s only about 30 miles farther than Brady.” Huh? That’s 70 or 80 miles one way . . why would I want to do that? We did it. . we walked around the square, visited a few shops, we ate lunch, we came home.
What am I going to do when he retires and wants to go somewhere every single day?
I developed a plan in Kentucky. Everywhere we went, I would buy something . . sometimes a lot of stuff. If we went in a shoe store, I’d buy 2 or 3 pairs of shoes. If we went to T. J. Max, I’d fill the cart. I thought eventually he would think it was too expensive to take me away from the house but he never got to that point. All I did was fill up the house with more stuff I didn’t need.
What on earth am I going to do with him? 🙂
Karen says
Judy, I feel your pain – although Bob hates to shop – mostly. He does enjoy Home Depot, Walmart & Ace Hardware. My nook is always in my purse when we go – I find a nice comfy spot to sit and I read. A small knitting project is also an option.
CarolE says
His kind of shopping sounds like fun. I’d take him off your hands if I didn’t have to feed him.
Pat K says
I think you should keep him…he is after all a good guy and they are hard to find! Just give him a gas allowance and when its gone….no more shopping trips.
vickie in nh says
you asked ‘what am I going to do’, well, you are going to hug him and squeeze him and love him 🙂
nancy says
Loved the shorthand book. Had to learn that when I was in high school. Was going to be a secretary but became a momma instead. Think it could still come in handy. Don’t fight the shopping sounds like fun times.
Linda in NE says
Every woman I know dreads the day her husband retires and is home all day. Some of them who don’t work full time now even say they guess they’ll have to find a job just to keep their sanity.
JudyL says
Mostly I really look forward to his retirement. No more shirts to iron, no getting up so early because we can share the early morning duties (watering, chickens), we can stay up later since we don’t have to get up so early. I’m going to love everything about having him home but I just don’t want to go somewhere every day!
shirley bruner says
well, if his retirement check is less than his paycheck….perhaps he won’t be able to afford to shop every day. that man surely does love to shop.
Mary C in WA says
OH MY, Can I stop laughing so hard, I’m crying. Your stories about Vince and his shopping are even better than ERMA BOMBECK. I used to wake up early to listen to her on Good Morning America. My DH comes in and finds me laughing reading your Blog and wonders about me, I have no life…
I’ve heard about the definition of retirement ; “Twice as much Husband, Half as much Money”. I would love to go shopping with Vince. He takes you to pretty interesting places. My DH is happy with his TV remote and a Mariner game on TV these days when he comes home from work.
Janna says
Sometimes Michael and I have too much togetherness–and then I will have a quilt retreat or something such as a lunch day–then things are all better. Mason, TX is a cute little town.
Gail F says
I guess that Gregg shorthand is another one of those things you never forget like how to ride a bike and how to swim and a couple other things. I, too, spent my early years with Gregg and still use it occasionally even now some 40 years later.
Alma says
I think you and Vince will be just fine in retirement. (“Retirement” indicates Vince will do less, but your jobs will still all be there.)
My husband retired at an early age and we have never had a problem. Each of us has their own things to do, yet in another sense we are joined at the hip.
There are plenty of things for Vince to do on the ranch. He can spend all day feeding the cows! Or riding your farm vehicle ( cant remember the name). Cleaning the garage?
Set a certain day or 2 in the week for shopping and/or trips.
We designate Wednesday as our day and it works great. Not that you have to stick to just one day, but you can always say – we will do that on Wednesday ( or whatever)
I do my thing and hubby does his –yet our best times are when we are together.
vickie van dyken says
Now that is a problem:) I have two suggestions…first a motorcycle. Fuel is cheaper than a car ….and he can only carry so much on the Bike!! Secondly, get him a boat, he can go fishing and be gone quite a bit :)….That is after chores 🙂 Well that is all I could think of …Good Luck!!!
Vickie also in WA but closer to Vancouver, BC than Seattle
Linda Steller says
I tried to learn shorthand back in the 1980’s but the class was cancelled because I was the only one who signed up! I missed the boat on it, I guess. I really need to be in the mood to shop. It’s not often that I can tolerate going and browsing. I don’t mind going with a list and whipping through the store, picking up exactly what I need and getting out again. Unless, of course, I’m in a shop full of quilt fabric that I’ve not seen before! 😉
Chris Miller at the Resort says
I, too, am not a shopper. Except for the grocery store, I probably don’t shop but maybe once a season and that’s almost too much. My husband, on the other hand, does like to “get out” and goes once a day or so (he’s retired but now has a consulting business). His weakness?? Coats! He has enough coats to last him through a couple more centuries! If I didn’t say no, I’d have just as many! As it is, I have too many and I always wear the same one that I love so much. Guys. Bless their hearts!
carol c says
I experiance your pain everyday, John and I are far opposites of the spectrum. he always wants to go, never wants to keep the place up, and I mean NOTHING, and no money to pay others to do it. I told him earlier in life he must have a parttime job, and yet he doesnt. He stays in his room and sleeps and eats with his dog. I cant sew, I cant do anythign if we watch tv together either. He gets upset. I have not sewn much of nothing all year
Rosalie says
Carol, Has he been to the doctor lately….it is not unusual for a person to become seriously depressed when they retire and have no hobbies or interests to pursue. Make him a doctor’s appt and go with him!
Rosalie says
My comment was in reply to carol c – @ John.
Sharon Spingler says
I took shorthand in school and could read anyone’s but I couldn’t write it to save my soul. I can still write my name tho.
JanetB says
Since I retired, DH loves for me to go shopping with him. I don’t do much buying… nor does he… he just likes me to be his company in the car. Your Vince seems to like to buy stuff as much as I like to buy fabric.
Dora, the quilter says
Is it really the shopping he loves? Could some other social outlet meet his needs? Lots of volunteer opportunities most places. (I doubt if too many places have the courthouse square where the guys can sit and whittle or play horseshoes.)
While a motorcycle might keep him for carrying things home, it could also require two trips (and the mileage isn’t all that good).
Maybe he could go to the local grade school and read with the little kids. I’m sure they would love him!
Verna says
I learned shorthand 30 years ago and use it all the time–comes in handy writing the Christmas lists! The only shopping I really enjoy is at quilt shops which, according to the hubby, I do too much.
Charlene says
My mother’s tipping point was when Daddy put her spices in alphabetical order!! She sent him out the next day to find a men’s club, part-time job or a girlfriend so he could be out of the house more!!! My husband didn’t live long enough to retire but I can imagine now that I am retired how much we would have fought over the remote, what’s for lunch, who takes the dog for a walk and why I spend so much time in the sewing room instead of by his side to listen to his comments. Hang in there; it is what it is!!!
Susan Torrens says
When my DH retired, he treated every day like we were on vacation. After a couple of months, I sat him down and explained that if he wanted to continue this way – he’d have to return to work to pay for it! It does take time to adjust, but now he has his interests and I have mine. I feel fine telling him that I don’t want to eat out or shop – neither are favourite pasttimes.
When he first retired, he’d stand behind me while I was sewing and ask “What’s for lunch?”. I would say “I don’t know….what’s for lunch?” He finally got the hint that if I was busy, he could make lunch and call me when it was ready. Now he enjoys cooking from time to time, and I even returned from my quilting group to find fresh cookies baked and cooling on racks! We also discussed sharing the housework, so he washes floors, vacuums etc., leaving me an equal share of time for my interests!
Just remember that it doesn’t happen overnight!
Norma V says
be glad there aren’t two of you that like to shop or neither would ever retire….or….you could go back to work to support his habits….JOKE….i know you already work…
carolyn says
I loved the blog, and everyone’s comments. DH loves to shop, I love to shop…. w both of us retired now we have got to stop buying. that doesn’t stop us from shopping. we are more selective though.
tammy says
Cherish every minute together, that’s what you should do with him! 🙂
Lee says
My grandmother was stenographer and when I had to take it in high school, she’d still practice in a letter to see if I could read it. Then when I was in the work force, I HAD to take a college level SH class to get promoted from the sales order desk to being a secretary …. and NEVER ONCE used it! The boss always hand-wrote his own letters and gave them to me to type! Still have my college books. I hope for you that it’s a good lonnnnggg while before Vince retires. I’m glad my hubby doesn’t like shopping any more than I do 🙂