Yeah, okay, I know there are some men out there who are right buggers too, but I’m a wife, so this is about wives (partners… whatever you want to call them).

Graham and I had a talk last night about a conversation that had occurred at his work yesterday.  He just worked half a day, as he had a race in the afternoon, but during the morning, there was a morning tea shout for his boss as it was his 66th birthday (time to move on I think – my husband wants your job!!).  Anyway, he said the guys sitting around the morning tea table were berating their wives behind their backs.  I think this sort of carry-on is just plain awful, but then maybe it’s because I’m not married to one of their wives!  I’ve seen/heard enough to make me realise that there are some one-sided relationships out there for sure, and according to these guys, their wives sound like absolute nags.  When Graham was telling me about it, he was incredulous – he was like, “Well, *my* wife isn’t like that at all!” – thanks for sticking up for me bud!

One guy is 50 and hasn’t long had twins.  He’s onto his second wife, who is in her 30s, and she wanted a second baby but struck difficulty conceiving so they went through IVF.  Apparently he was doing it for her, as he’s not terribly fussed about being a dad again at 50 (go figure!) (particularly as he has almost adult children from a previous relationship). 

Then there’s another guy who is into his running, but his wife complains no end when he goes out to train, and when he tries to enter any events because that’s just a waste of money apparently.  But of course she goes off to Housie or the Casino (I can’t get my head around a woman in her 30s who plays Housie – let alone any age, actually), and he is expected to go home each night (even if it means stopping work while on late shift) to cook tea for her and the family.  Oh, the 50 year old with twins is expected to do that too, because the wife can’t cope with staying at home all day with twins AND preparing a meal apparently.

Graham then had to go into Central yesterday and saw a guy he used to work with.  Turns out, this guy has started training for the South Island Half IM too, and wants to do Challenge Wanaka.  He’s just bought himself a carbon bike and his wife hasn’t let him forget about it.  Graham told him that I was trying to talk him into getting a new bike, but that he didn’t want one.  His colleague almost fell over that *I* (“the wife”) wanted Graham to buy a new bike, and that he didn’t want to take the money and go spend it!!  Apparently in his world, he has to beg for anything he wants!

Very interesting how the other half lives.  I guess it comes down to your interests, and what sort of a homelife you have.  Maybe if I was a stay-at-home mother with no time for myself, I’d be a nag too – thank goodness I didn’t venture down that track!

Meanwhile, I’m eyeing up my last kayak hanging on the wall in the garage, trying to decide whether I could bear parting with it, to free up some ‘gift money’ for Graham to spend on himself in his preparation for Wanaka.  He doesn’t want to spend any money on himself, whereas if I could free up $3k by selling my boat, he’d have no choice!  (Then again, he’s likely to throw it straight into our savings!)  Hmmm, to not have a boat would be a major hurdle for me to get my head around (even if I haven’t sat in it for 18 months!!).  Perhaps in this instance, I’ll let Graham stick to his guns about not needing a new bike!