Ideas to keep husband busy in the evenings and weekends while we're away... (European, travel)

[iamwayne]

Originally Posted by Eastcoasting

Gotta disagree here...the ability to prep and paint a room without kiddos getting involved sounds dreamy.

Don't even get me on the subject of children and table saws!

I guess the spouse couldn't take care of the kids while you prep and paint a room during weekends or after the kids go to sleep...

Why are you letting a child next to a table saw when it specifically states no unsupervised adult and all the safety and danger warning labels and instructions? Even when another person enters your work area you stop because they don't have any eye protection from projectiles from broken/bad/ripped cuts?

[Danimarie]

Thanks for the tips so far. I'm not sure why he needs help with this stuff, but I'll copy some of these ideas into a word doc for him to look at when I'm gone. Maybe he'll get some more hobbies and friends and if I leave again, he won't feel as left behind or whatever. LOL I have no intention of making food ahead and freezing it for him. He's a big boy. I agree with all of you. He grew up in a family of 8 kids and then lived in a dorm with 3 other guys/roomies and then he married me, so he just isn't used to being alone I guess. I have to teach him how to use the washer before I leave... LOL. We rent, so can't really do any of those building projects. And his specialty is more towards nerd. He's a Civil Engineering CAD Manager.

I like shooting. Will probably do some of it in Minnesota. Hoping to show my older 2 kids how to shoot a 22 with grandpa.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by Danimarie

Thanks for the tips so far. I'm not sure why he needs help with this stuff, but I'll copy some of these ideas into a word doc for him to look at when I'm gone. Maybe he'll get some more hobbies and friends and if I leave again, he won't feel as left behind or whatever. LOL I have no intention of making food ahead and freezing it for him. He's a big boy. I agree with all of you. He grew up in a family of 8 kids and then lived in a dorm with 3 other guys/roomies and then he married me, so he just isn't used to being alone I guess. I have to teach him how to use the washer before I leave... LOL. We rent, so can't really do any of those building projects. And his specialty is more towards nerd. He's a Civil Engineering CAD Manager.

I like shooting. Will probably do some of it in Minnesota. Hoping to show my older 2 kids how to shoot a 22 with grandpa.

Here's why I answered like I did:

I watched Mrs. NBP's mother wait on her husband (Mrs. NBP's dad) for decades. The guy would be sitting by the coffee pot and couldn't pour himself a fresh cup. Instead he'd call her and she'd drop what ever she was doing and come pour him a cup of coffee. Or make him a sandwich. Or whatever.

She did the food thing I mentioned when she'd be away for a couple days. I don't know if she pre-chewed the food for him but she did cut his meat for him on occasion.

This was when he was healthy and could do things for himself.

I wish to note that it did not rub off on Mrs. NBP.

[rockinar]

Originally Posted by Danimarie

Thanks for the tips so far. I'm not sure why he needs help with this stuff, but I'll copy some of these ideas into a word doc for him to look at when I'm gone. Maybe he'll get some more hobbies and friends and if I leave again, he won't feel as left behind or whatever. LOL I have no intention of making food ahead and freezing it for him. He's a big boy. I agree with all of you. He grew up in a family of 8 kids and then lived in a dorm with 3 other guys/roomies and then he married me, so he just isn't used to being alone I guess. I have to teach him how to use the washer before I leave... LOL. We rent, so can't really do any of those building projects. And his specialty is more towards nerd. He's a Civil Engineering CAD Manager.

I like shooting. Will probably do some of it in Minnesota. Hoping to show my older 2 kids how to shoot a 22 with grandpa.

You sound like you need a really man. Message me.

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by Sam.adams33

Too bad the OP didn't just say "we're new to town and looking for stuff to do"

They likely would have received some actually helpful suggestions. Instead, they get two pages of garbage and multiple insults.

Way to be helpful fellow Austinites.

I actually wrote and deleted three different replies, a couple of them so hilarious (to me) that I boisterously laughed out loud. But I deleted them all without posting because they were either mean, snarky or funny in a way that might not be deemed funny by those who are not me. And I'm trying to be better than that. I'm trying Ringo, I'm trying real hard.

All in all, I think this thread would have gone downhill fast in other cities, so I think Austin is doing itself proud, all things considered. Some really good suggestions have been presented, and great restraint has been shown, overall.

[hornraider]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

I actually wrote and deleted three different replies, a couple of them so hilarious (to me) that I boisterously laughed out loud. But I deleted them all without posting because they were either mean, snarky or funny in a way that might not be deemed funny by those who are not me. And I'm trying to be better than that. I'm trying Ringo, I'm trying real hard.

All in all, I think this thread would have gone downhill fast in other cities, so I think Austin is doing itself proud, all things considered. Some really good suggestions have been presented, and great restraint has been shown, overall.

So you were the Shepherd, and not the Tyranny of Evil Men....

LMAO...I love the Pulp Fiction reference!

[Eastcoasting]

Originally Posted by iamwayne

I guess the spouse couldn't take care of the kids while you prep and paint a room during weekends or after the kids go to sleep...

Why are you letting a child next to a table saw when it specifically states no unsupervised adult and all the safety and danger warning labels and instructions? Even when another person enters your work area you stop because they don't have any eye protection from projectiles from broken/bad/ripped cuts?

Wayne, if that is your real name. Why are you trying to control my weekends and my spouse.

Do you have kids? Are you married?

I specifically said don't get me started about kids and table saws...

[mesmer]

There's quite a few meetup groups he could check out if he can force himself to go.

If I was by myself for a month, I would try to get caught up on movies, tv shows, concerts, and books. There's always redbox, netflix and the library if you guys don't have the budget for him going to the drafthouse every night. He could putz around frys all. day. long. Habitat for Humanity sounds like a good place to volunteer for him.

Everybody has room to grow - some people just have more obvious areas of growth than others. This sounds like it'll be a good experience for him.

[AustinDude360]

Originally Posted by Danimarie

Thanks for the tips so far. I'm not sure why he needs help with this stuff, but I'll copy some of these ideas into a word doc for him to look at when I'm gone. Maybe he'll get some more hobbies and friends and if I leave again, he won't feel as left behind or whatever. LOL I have no intention of making food ahead and freezing it for him. He's a big boy. I agree with all of you. He grew up in a family of 8 kids and then lived in a dorm with 3 other guys/roomies and then he married me, so he just isn't used to being alone I guess. I have to teach him how to use the washer before I leave... LOL. We rent, so can't really do any of those building projects. And his specialty is more towards nerd. He's a Civil Engineering CAD Manager.

I like shooting. Will probably do some of it in Minnesota. Hoping to show my older 2 kids how to shoot a 22 with grandpa.

If he is a nerd, he should be pretty content playing video games and chatting it up with dotcomrades. No need for face to face social interactions.



Your husband reminds me of the PhD's I used to work with at SRI International. They needed admins assigned to them 24-7 as they couldn't take care of themselves. Extremely bright people who worked on cutting edge innovation, but no life skills or foreigners with no knowledge of the workings in this country.

[Danimarie]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Here's why I answered like I did:

I watched Mrs. NBP's mother wait on her husband (Mrs. NBP's dad) for decades. The guy would be sitting by the coffee pot and couldn't pour himself a fresh cup. Instead he'd call her and she'd drop what ever she was doing and come pour him a cup of coffee. Or make him a sandwich. Or whatever.

She did the food thing I mentioned when she'd be away for a couple days. I don't know if she pre-chewed the food for him but she did cut his meat for him on occasion.

This was when he was healthy and could do things for himself.

I wish to note that it did not rub off on Mrs. NBP.

Yeah, my husband's dad can be like that at times, though he is more willing to let his wife travel now that they are older. I guess some of it rubbed off on my husband, but he married the wrong woman for that job.

Originally Posted by austin-steve

I actually wrote and deleted three different replies, a couple of them so hilarious (to me) that I boisterously laughed out loud. But I deleted them all without posting because they were either mean, snarky or funny in a way that might not be deemed funny by those who are not me. And I'm trying to be better than that. I'm trying Ringo, I'm trying real hard.

All in all, I think this thread would have gone downhill fast in other cities, so I think Austin is doing itself proud, all things considered. Some really good suggestions have been presented, and great restraint has been shown, overall.

Thank you for your self control. And, I agree that the replies have been reasonably on the helpful side.

Originally Posted by mesmer

There's quite a few meetup groups he could check out if he can force himself to go.

If I was by myself for a month, I would try to get caught up on movies, tv shows, concerts, and books. There's always redbox, netflix and the library if you guys don't have the budget for him going to the drafthouse every night. He could putz around frys all. day. long. Habitat for Humanity sounds like a good place to volunteer for him.

Everybody has room to grow - some people just have more obvious areas of growth than others. This sounds like it'll be a good experience for him.

I agree with you on the everybody has room to grow thing. He's got some anxiety and depression issues, that have gotten worse in the past year, so that makes it harder. I'm trying hard to be patient with him while carrying on with life. He originally was kind of begging for me to stay home or trying to come along and work remotely, which isn't actually possible because of the internet connection at my parents' home. But, I'm going to, in a sense, push him into the water and see if he can swim. He does watch a lot of TV shows and movies and actually isn't that focused on us when we are around, but I guess he just likes our being there...

Originally Posted by AustinDude360

If he is a nerd, he should be pretty content playing video games and chatting it up with dotcomrades. No need for face to face social interactions.



Your husband reminds me of the PhD's I used to work with at SRI International. They needed admins assigned to them 24-7 as they couldn't take care of themselves. Extremely bright people who worked on cutting edge innovation, but no life skills or foreigners with no knowledge of the workings in this country.

He's a different type of nerd. He isn't into gaming. He is the workaholic, computer nerd. He can often be found learning more about software and chatting with networking buddies. He does fine with his work, but is bad at life outside of work.