Bill :
My suggestion : Try staying out late (at least 1-2 hours beyond your wife's
usual bedtime) without a good reason. Do that on the same night every week
or two for a month or two. Start with no reason at all ("Nowhere", "Oh, I
just felt like driving around"), then progress to lame excuses ("Bad
accident had the road blocked") and maybe a little righteous indignation ("I
just felt like doing something on my own for once"). For added effect,
either muss your hair a little, or make it obvious that you've just combed
it when you do finally get home. A little smell of liquor wouldn't hurt
either, but lipstick on the collar is way too obvious. If you're a
non-drinker, buy a 6-pack of cheap beer at the local supermarket and use it
like mouthwash. If she mentions the smell, show up next time smelling of
real mouthwash or Certs. Some small mistake in your attire (one shirt
button undone, shirt tail partly out, belt backwards, one sock down, etc.)
is also effective, but only once.
Assuming this doesn't get you divorced (if it does, you are almost certainly
better off), your wife will start being real happy to know you are in the
garage, and her only rival for your affection is a car(s).
BTW, I should probably add that I've never had to try any of these tricks.
My wife's previous marriage was plenty to convince her that she's lucky to
have a husband who stays in the garage too much ! She has always supported
my hobbies, even the "stupid" ones <g> She even wants a LBC of her own (if
I'll fix it), but it has to be an automatic.
Randall
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-triumphs@autox.team.net
> [mailto:owner-triumphs@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Bill Brewer
> Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2000 6:12 AM
> To: triumphs@autox.team.net
> Subject: Triumphs verse Wife
>
>
>
> Hey Listers,
> This is a serious and sensitive issue.
> SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed), IE my wife, has a
> problem with my cars
> (two TR-3's). I get up at 0430 every morning to work on them
> while she and
> our three young children are still sleeping. I get 90 minutes
> personal time
> every morning which is divided 50/50 between Triumphs and studying the
> Bible. I find it easy to jump out of bed at the thought of
> being able to
> work on the car with a hot cup of tea, unmolested.
> My kids love to ride in the TR.
> My wife thinks that it is okay sometimes.
>
> I am trying to placate my wife. I do things that might
> help her to join
> and enjoy my hobby. Our British car club is very wife friendly and
> essentially everyone comes with their wife. I take her with
> me to two yearly
> car shows (and shopping after) and see if she likes any
> aspect of the hobby.
> It turns out that she has always loved Morris Minor Woody Wagons
> (Travellers). There may be one in our garage someday.
> If my wife came home and caught me in bed with her best
> friend she
> would say "Well at least he wasn't working on that F***ing Triumph."
> The Triumph and airplane were both here long before the
> wife. Maybe
> they are the last strongholds of bachelorhood that she is
> trying to purge.
> Can any listers provide any usefull lessons learned and helpful
> suggestions? There could be some real nuggets of wisdom out there.
> I love my wife and am a dedicated husband and father. My
> wife views the
> Triumph as the "other woman". I feel that life is too short
> not to drive a
> roadster.
> Thanks
> Bill Brewer
>
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