[Branta]

Just found some new ammo in the running gun battle between us, the waterfowling obsessed and our "better halves" (at least how she refers to herself).

it's their obsession with shoes and purses!!

Bought more dekes as I posted earlier and well... she found out this weekend. She doesn't seem to understand that you never, ever have too many dekes! "you spent over $200 on more decoys? are you crazy?!"
(I'm thinkin': yes, but what does that have to do with anything?)

But I got them ON SALE honey. I saved close to $60!!

well you know where and how that discussion went.

so now last night I happen to notice something new, something different sitting ledge where her purse, a perfectly nice purse once sat. Yup, it's a "NEW" purse!

What's this? I say.

Oh, I bought that weeeeeks ago at a "purse party".

really?! what was wrong with the one of the other 8 that you already have?

This is a new stle and really hot right now. it was CHEAP .

Like on sale, cheap?

It was only..... (ready?)
$280

GASP!! WHAT THE..... for a purse?!

Won't bore you with the rest of the details but we charted some new ground in the end... I don't hear about dekes, boats, guns. She doesn't hear about "Kate Spade", "Burberry", DK or whoever!! Fine with me!!

 

[Big K]

Holy Sheep$h!t Batman! $280.00!!!! Wow!

I just read your story to my wife and she told me quote...

"See...now I don't want to hear you complain to me when I bring a new purse home from Walmart for $10.00. I could be a lot worse!"

All I could say is..."Yes dear."

 

[just ducky]

This discussion probably goes back to the caveman days. Anyone who is as obsessed as we all are with our sport, and has a significant other of some type, has surely had this same discussion. I learned a trick a loooooong time ago that helps me with this. My wife's birthday is in mid February, so I got in the habit about 10 years ago of taking her on a real nice vacation in January or February in honor of her birthday. We've gone to Alaska, Mexico, Florida, the Caribbean, etc., etc., etc. This year we are off on a cruise to the western Caribbean the last week in January. So now any time that she gets a little whiny about me spending too much money on gear, or being gone most of the time from October 1 to December, all I have to say is "I know it's a long fall honey and I've been gone a lot, but just think about the nice vacation coming up in January. That's my pay back to you for all I've put you through!" Works like a charm guys. It shuts her right down. I try to do a pretty extravagant trip like this every couple of years. It's worth the money, and it's not like I don't have some fun too!

 

[metro_man]

I guess my first response would had been "Do you know how many dekes I could have bought with that money?" But, much like the rest of you, I too play the balance beam game. I guess its only fair. I like the vacation idea. My wifes b-day is in Feb as well.

 

[Branta]

the trip idea seems to be the way to go. but selfishly, that would mean taking vacation time to do it, which ='s less vaca for my fall excusions!! UNACCEPTABLE!!!

But the trip idea seems to be the "internationally" accepted response though. My buddy on PEI, Canada is "doing his time" in a couple of weeks down in Orlando. 10 days of Mickey would make me rethink this obsession of mine!

------------
by the way... I was told that "Burberry" pattern is the' best and very, very hot right now. I guess that's why it's worth $280

there you go guys! Valentine's day gifts!!

 

[just ducky]

The Mickey thing wouldn't be a vacation for me. Been there, done that. Way too commercial and busy! My wife and I have no kids, so whatever vacation we do is one we both want to do, and not revolving around theme parks. Case in point....one year we went to Alaska just before hunting season in early September. If you've never been there...GO! Fantastic scenery and a place that every outdoorsman must see.
This year however we are headed to the Caribbean for a week of scantilly clad people and 80 to 90 degree weather. A great way to wind down after a long, hard hunting season.

 

[Branta]

Think maybe you could convince the mrs. to go shopping one morning and then maybe you could get in a little duck hunt! I hear they have white cheeked pintail(?) and BWT's down there?!

signed,
singularly focused on any opp to hunt ducks!

 

[William H Bonney]

Sounds like you got a real handle on things there, justducky!
My wife would LOVE a trip like that, after the long hunting season I put her through,,,,,, do you have room for "one" more. ?, I'm not sure I can handle the SAME arguements through another season of ice fishing.

 

[just ducky]

No room for a tag along William. Sorry. And you're right about ice fishing season, and the same old problem. I don't spend nearly as much time at that as I do chasing ducks, but it does get bad.

 

[Mike L]

I have had some sucess with using the stress routine ? But ya
have to do it right, be very sincere and hold down your excitement til your gone from the house ! LOL Believe it or not hon it really helps to chill me out and relax me, etc. Set-up can be a key also. Get a little nasty around the house til you get her to ask whats going on. All's fair in this little scirmish ya know ! LOL

 

[stacemo]

This year I got out hunting more than the past 7 years. Of course my youngest son is 6 now and the older 13. The older one goes with me now. That makes things a lot easier. But what really did it (she won't admit it) is that I was sick with an extreme allergy from Aug 1 to the end of Oct. Not so bad that I could not work but that was it. The doctor said stay out of the woods because that was where I got it. Opening of duck season came in Tawas, I said "I'm going." She was not happy. My condition cleared up over the weekend, almost completely. Monday back at work. Tuesday, my condition was back. This repeated with opening weekend in Chelsea. Obviously this thing was stress related and she figured just how important it is for me to get and stare at the sky looking for ducks. Even my boss figured this out and let me take days off just about whenever I wanted in Nov. I hope this continues. I do not recommend this technique though. Of course I am paying for it now. She is off on vacation and I am home with the kids this weekend. I will be the one in my back yard practicing with my fluflu's waiting for a low flock of geese to pass over. Can't shoot guns here but I can shoot my bow.

 

[just ducky]

Stacemo,
I've been through the stress problem myself with the work. Had a job (and a boss) for quite a few years that took its toll on me, and my marriage. My wife got really in-tune with reading my stress level the last few years of that job. She points out all the time that when we dated she knew I liked to hunt, but since we've been married (almost 19 years now), and my work situation grew increasingly stressful, it's gotten worse and worse. I spent three or four times as many hours in the marsh now as I did when I was 25. So getting out hunting was a real stress reliever for me, and she encouraged that fully. But now that I have a better job, a better boss, and a lot less stress, she's getting a little grouchy in the fall again.

Mike L.,
You're right that the set-up is key, and getting a little grouchy around August and September helps.......then when hunting season starts, she almost welcomes me being gone for a while. It's a game that I'm sure has gone on forever.