- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
Dad’s- how did you find time to build your rig and not destroy your marriage?
- Thread starter 4x4less
- Start date
- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
I love Chevy muscle cars..... my wife loves El Camino's. So I get my muscle car, she gets to drive a badass El Camino and we're both happy!
Spork
Tin Foil Hat Equipped
- Location
- Saratoga Springs, UT
- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
MAKE IT STOP!!!!
- Location
- Vehicular limbo
It's never really been a problem. My wife is awesome, and comes out and helps when I need a small hand or an extra set of muscles.
Get the little guys some tools. I bought my oldest a cheap set from Harbor Freight several years ago and the pilferage of tools from my box went down considerably. He's about ready for a better set, and the cheap "play" set will go to my youngest to abuse and lose.
Get the little guys some tools. I bought my oldest a cheap set from Harbor Freight several years ago and the pilferage of tools from my box went down considerably. He's about ready for a better set, and the cheap "play" set will go to my youngest to abuse and lose.
DAA
Well-Known Member
- Location
- West Bountiful, UT
My Dad gave me my own tools too early. I took apart all my other Christmas presents and most of them never got put back together. Which was my problem. But I took apart a bunch of other stuff too. That was my Dad's problem.
- DAA
- DAA
"How did you find time to -do your projects- and not destroy your marriage?"
It took practice for me and it was not easy. I needed to realize that everything didn't have to be done "right now." That was either because I didn't have the money to buy the parts and pay the bills or because I had other things I needed or should be to be doing.
Something we've gotten into the habit of doing is every couple days we have a conversation that consists of "what things do you need to do and what things do you want to do." It goes back and forth so we can try and work out how much time each of us needs so we can help each other out to either do what the other wants to get done or for kid wrangling so they can do it in peace. Lately for me its been plant a few trees, or wheelbarrow dirt from here to there. For my wife its been go through these boxes or set that up for the baby that coming in a couple weeks. She isn't going to be helping me with the wheelbarrow but I do need to help her pull down boxes from the garage or things like that.
I think its great that so many guys on here have super supportive wives that seemingly let them do whatever they want or even help them do the work in the garage or elsewhere. Maybe some of them are just flexing 🙄 but thats not the type of marriage I have.
It took practice for me and it was not easy. I needed to realize that everything didn't have to be done "right now." That was either because I didn't have the money to buy the parts and pay the bills or because I had other things I needed or should be to be doing.
Something we've gotten into the habit of doing is every couple days we have a conversation that consists of "what things do you need to do and what things do you want to do." It goes back and forth so we can try and work out how much time each of us needs so we can help each other out to either do what the other wants to get done or for kid wrangling so they can do it in peace. Lately for me its been plant a few trees, or wheelbarrow dirt from here to there. For my wife its been go through these boxes or set that up for the baby that coming in a couple weeks. She isn't going to be helping me with the wheelbarrow but I do need to help her pull down boxes from the garage or things like that.
I think its great that so many guys on here have super supportive wives that seemingly let them do whatever they want or even help them do the work in the garage or elsewhere. Maybe some of them are just flexing 🙄 but thats not the type of marriage I have.
- Location
- Vehicular limbo
It goes both ways for sure. She's got her list of honey-dos for me, and I help her with her stuff too. Happy wife, happy life.
Really Old Guy
New Member
Ellis-
Just steal the stainless CJ in your dad's garage, spend one weekend tying up loose ends and you're done! No wife issues, awesome Jeep!
Easy, Peasey!
Just steal the stainless CJ in your dad's garage, spend one weekend tying up loose ends and you're done! No wife issues, awesome Jeep!
Easy, Peasey!
- Location
- The Village of Kay
If you truly love your wife and she loves you, together you'll find a balance that works for you. It sounds like you have found that balance.
My marriage has evolved over 20 years, but from day 1 I have held to my hobbies and have sacrificed hobbies I wanted but are against her wishes (i.e. she is deathly afraid of guns and motorcycles). It hasn't always been easy, but because we communicate (like many others have stated in this thread) we are able to work it out. She knows if she needs something she can ask and I will get to it based on the urgency of her request.
I would never expect my wife to hang out in the garage (and I don't want to confirm her suspicions that my garage language is worse than my house language), just like she doesn't expect me to hang out in the house while she is crafting/sewing/whatever.
That being said, remodeling my basement and picking paint colors and carpet for whole house has been far harder on my marriage than almost any hobby I have ever had...
ID Bronco
Registered User
- Location
- Idaho Falls, ID
I would never expect my wife to hang out in the garage (and I don't want to confirm her suspicions that my garage language is worse than my house language), just like she doesn't expect me to hang out in the house while she is crafting/sewing/whatever.
That being said, remodeling my basement and picking paint colors and carpet for whole house has been far harder on my marriage than almost any hobby I have ever had...
Both of these hit home for me. I won't build a new home, our marriage would not make it through. While the kids are in the house, we have all of their hobbies in common, we go to them together. But she likes to do things with her friends which allows her to be her own person while I have hobbies she has virtually no interest in. It's interesting that I take and involve my kids in my hobbies far more than she does. I don't complain as long as I get to go. It's tough. My fishing buddies know if they invite me, they invite one of my kids because I take one with me almost always. Obviously not all of my hard core fishing friends can handle that, so I don't get invited a lot of times, but I'm good with it. My kids are my best fishing and hunting pals anyway.
You think getting time in the garage is hard? Try convincing your wife to let you frolic around the country and play grab-ass with @skippy
I think I'm gone 24 nights a year or so in the pursuit of being the best at something that 99.9999999999999999% of people don't care about. #becauserockcrawler
I think I'm gone 24 nights a year or so in the pursuit of being the best at something that 99.9999999999999999% of people don't care about. #becauserockcrawler
Its the best 24 nights of the year!!!
I've taken a page right out of the politicians playbook, where I propose something so wild... so outrageous.. (often times reckless, and stupid).... that when I then mention something slightly less stupid (like building another vehicle) I encounter FAR less resistance and all is calm on the home front.
Example:
"Sweetie, I think we should start taking Spanish classes every night, so that we can sell all of our belongings and move to Equador, and live cheaply in a 1 bedroom rental"...
"no"...
"ok, well,, maybe I'll just occupy my mind by building that early bronco I've been dreaming about. waddya think??"
The catch is... occasionally you have to legitimately do something outrageous / reckless / stupid so that she doesn't call your bluff!!!! She has to know what you're capable of!
Again, just like our politicians.
Example:
"Sweetie, I think we should start taking Spanish classes every night, so that we can sell all of our belongings and move to Equador, and live cheaply in a 1 bedroom rental"...
"no"...
"ok, well,, maybe I'll just occupy my mind by building that early bronco I've been dreaming about. waddya think??"
The catch is... occasionally you have to legitimately do something outrageous / reckless / stupid so that she doesn't call your bluff!!!! She has to know what you're capable of!
Again, just like our politicians.
kmboren
Recovering XJ owner anonymous
- Location
- Southern Utah
I was there for 2 of them. It wasn't all it was cracked up to be. 😍