Tag Archives: being together

Something Wonderful

Have you ever noticed in the movies how the guy always knows the right thing to say? You know what I mean, the romantic words, the flowery speeches you wish your husband would say and doesn’t. Why is that? The reason is because life is not a movie. In a script the character is saying lines the scriptwriter or scriptwriters have spent a long time carefully crafting to get the words just right. The actor and director have spent time making sure the words sound natural. Real life doesn’t work as neatly as movies or as it does for the … Continue reading →

Not Your Average Honeymoon

How’s this for a different idea of a honeymoon? This couple chose to forgo the traditional honeymoon idea of a trip to some lovely beach resort or exotic place. Instead they have gone to Kabul. No, that is not a misprint. They are honeymooning in the war-torn Afghan capital. It’s certainly a far cry from the traditional romantic honeymoon idea. Of course, this is not your average younger couple – all starry eyed either. The newlyweds, Maggie Heartsch and Jean-Paul Bell are middle aged. She is a nurse while he is a clown-doctor. Don’t know what a clown doctor is? … Continue reading →

Focus on What You Have

In marriage it’s not about what you own, not even sometimes about what you do. It’s about being together and enjoying each other’s company. Since it was a beautiful sunny winter’s day, after lunch yesterday we bundled our little dog into the car and drove to one of the quiet beaches near us. It was not deserted as we’d expected but still only a few groups of people on the beach. Some brave souls were in the water. We were not two of them. We walked along the beach, sat for a while watching the teal water as they waves … Continue reading →

Could You Let Your Spouse Die?

Could you let your spouse die? I have a friend who had to watch his wife die of a terminal illness and I know how hard he found it and wished he could do anything to prevent it. But to knowingly and willfully let his spouse die as this man has been convicted of doing when he could have done something to prevent it, what sort of man would do this? This man pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced after letting his wife die on their honeymoon when, according to reports. Again you wonder, what sort of marriage was … Continue reading →

Recession Effects on Marriage – Your Choice

Experts are coming out with prophecies of doom and gloom about recession and its effect on marriage. Dr. Matthew Bambling, an Australian psychologist from Queensland University of Technology, has waned that ‘the impact of the economic crisis is bound to put emotional pressure on relationships.’ But it doesn’t have to. Those of us who have been through loss of jobs, increased interest rates and problems trying to buy a home, have found that those hard times can actually bring a couple closer, if we let it. Talking recently with friends we laughed over some of the struggles we had financially … Continue reading →

Marriage is Weakening in America

I just read an interesting report put out by the National Marriage Project at Rutgers University. Each year, they release a State of the Union about the health of marriage in the United States. While the won’t release on for 2008 until the year is over, I thought it might be interesting to discuss the findings for 2007. David Popenoe wrote the essay for 2007’s report. In it, he talks about how the U.S. is following the trends of European nations toward nonmarriage. There is a continuing cultural shift away from traditional marriage as the primary social institute of family … Continue reading →

Family Time

The presents have all been opened and exclaimed over, the paper gathered up and thrown into the recycling bin. Two days ago, here was Boxing Day. Not for us the Boxing Day sales which in Sydney started ridiculously early at 5 and 6am. No, we did as many Australians do in the Christmas holidays; we gathered the family together and went to the beach. For us, the beach is ten minutes away. Mick and I were first in even though the water felt a little cold initially, but was only the first minute or so, then it become beautifully refreshing. … Continue reading →

When You Love Someone

When you love someone it doesn’t matter what you do. Just being together is enough. Saturday was one of those together days and evenings for Mick and me. While the washing was in the machine, immediately after breakfast we went to the local markets where we bought fresh fruit from the orchard and those vegetables, Mick hasn’t got ready in our own garden, we bought fresh from the market garden. We also found a Christmas gift at one of the stalls and then Mick bought me a silver bracelet for no reason except that I admired it. He’s a sweetie … Continue reading →

Money Strategies That Worked in Our Marriage

Today I’ll tell you some ways we approached the money issue in marriage. Mick and I always worked out our finances together. There were no secrets, except for the ones around Christmas, anniversary or birthdays. The main thing is to work out a budget and stick to it. But each person should have a little mad money they didn’t have to explain. This can be spent on clothes, saved for gifts, or used for whatever. Shop less regularly for groceries. We grocery shop once a month. Unfortunately fruit and vegetables have to be more often but stick to only that. … Continue reading →