We’re on Day 47 of the stay/work-from-home, current normal of Covid-19 life.
I’m nearly 10 years into my marriage.
And I’m amazed to discover new things about my husband. Well, I’m always amazed there are still new things to discover.
Do you ever look at your spouse and think, “Wait. Who are you?”
If this happens too often, maybe check for amnesia. But if it’s during your everyday, run-of-the-mill situation, you may realize you don’t know your spouse as well as you thought.
I’ve been thinking through these instances ever since I brought home a new 1,000-piece puzzle about two weeks ago.
I dumped the puzzle onto our rarely used dining room table, and the Hubs and I began sorting the pieces. We rarely do puzzles together–especially 1,000-piece ones–so I soon earned a front-row seat into my husband’s psyche.
I did the normal-person thing and collected the edge pieces into a pile while simultaneously flipping the pieces to show the picture. When I realized the edge was boring (hard), I moved onto collecting pink flower pieces, then patted myself on the back when I finished a fairly simple flower image.
My husband, however, wouldn’t quit until he got the edge completed. He even laughed in a “you thought you could stump me, puzzle!” fashion when he realized the pieces had been cut in a pattern. The puzzle tried to stump him again when the pattern didn’t continue all the way around, but then cackled when he found the pattern again.
Note: My husband just walked in and informed me there was “literally no other way to do that edge!” Just so you know.
What a weirdo.
OK, so, not a weirdo, per se, but can we all agree that you should always organize pieces, then put together the prettiest, easiest ones first?
How else can you learn something about your spouse?
There’s the old stand-by of calling on your significant other to help assemble Ikea furniture. Because DEAR GOODNESS.
Actually, we survived putting together an Ikea dresser for George’s room. Halfway through, my mother visited and helped my husband complete the project. She raved about how he organized each piece and tool she would need, thereby making it simple.
Are we seeing a trend about the Hubs’ organization proclivity? (He also just commented, “Thank goodness one of us has it!”)
Early in your relationship, you can also learn a lot by watching your spouse cook eggs.
I’m assuming people cook eggs like their parents did, right? There’s nothing weirder than watching someone scramble eggs in a way different than your own. Other people don’t just scramble in the pan? Why are you adding milk? Where’s the cheese? Is that all the salt and pepper you’re adding?
And, lastly, you learn a lot about your spouse when naming an unborn child. Or, in our current situation, when naming a soon-to-be-adopted child.
You learn about ALL kinds of relationships and acquaintances your spouse had in childhood, college, etc.
“No, we can’t name our son Evan. I knew an Evan once…”
“Wesley? No, too close to that guy from The Princess Bride.”
“Heather? Let’s just say…no.”
Need I say more?
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Currently Reading:
Ashlords by Scott Reintgen – This book touts itself as “Red Rising meets Scorpio Races”, and since I loved both of those books, I had to give Ashlords a shot. I’m not very far along, but I’ve noticed something fascinating. There are three protagonists, and you read the story through each of their points-of-view, depending on the chapter. One character is told in first-person, the next is third-person, and the last is second-person, which is super rare in the novel world. (It’s like, “You adjusted your glasses and saw the scar on your hand. You wish your mother were here.”) I’m so interested to see how effective this style will be when I finish the book.
From what I can tell, there’s a class system (vaguely reminiscent of Hunger Games thus far). There’s some kind of major race about to take place where the riders, who are skilled at alchemy, mount phoenix horses. That’s all I have for you now, but I do love some good YA.