Men it’s time to stop reading!
My secret ladies is dishonesty.
Well perhaps that is a little blunt, but for myself who has been married over twenty years, dishonesty works perfectly. In fact now that I think of it most days begin and end with a lie. Let me explain.
As my husband is an even earlier riser than my early rising self, we rarely lie speak to each other until we meet in the kitchen. Most mornings I burn the toast, it’s just something I do. As the smell of burned toast fills the kitchen I curse, open the window, throw out the toast and flap a newspaper around. Why? So I might not have to listen to the predictable opening sentence I hear most mornings, “Did you burn the toast?“.
WTF. Most mornings this happens, and most mornings, he who has hung around for twenty years, asks the same question. In my head I think “What the feck do you think?”, but in the interest of a happy marriage I say, “No”. He smiles and the morning routine begins.
As the day goes on the lies continue.
I will have just sat down, hot cuppa in my hand and a few biscuits on a plate. (If you’re going to take a break you might as well take a proper one, so I may be about to enjoy this snack while watching television or checking what’s happening online.) The phone rings. I reluctantly put down my cuppa, and rush to answer it. Guess who just knew when to ring me? Yes Mr over twenty years together!
“Hi”, I say, slightly out of breath. “Hi darling” he answers, ” you’re out to breath, did you run to the phone?”. And here we go again, “No I was upstairs cleaning the bathroom and had to run down to answer it”. Now this is not one of my most accomplished lies as now I will have to do something to the bathroom. However never fear it’s not too difficult to make it look “clean”. The trick is, clean towels, folded of course, and the real tell tale sign, loo paper almost full on the loo holder.
There are many other lies I have perfected over our twenty plus years. Take for example the purchase of new clothes. As he asks, “Is that top new?”, I say “This is ancient”, and just to really add to that I may add, “I bought it about two years ago when were were going on holidays, remember?”. Of course he has to say he does and as a result, no questions asked! If for any reason he does know it’s new I will always say that it was bought in Penneys or else it was on sale.
As for his clothing, it is not always of a standard I approve of. Old jeans, shirts or jumpers which have all seen too many days are worn around the clock. Whatever items he took off yesterday are inevitably on top of other clothing. So of course they are first in line to wear again the next day. Rather than have a row about these items, I have found a number of ingenious ways of dealing with this problem. Listen up girls. Fellas if you’re still reading this it’s time to do something else.
The simplest trick is to take that manky old shirt and put it in the washbasket. However be extra careful with it. Ensure it is burried at the very bottom. Place it below those items which have been in the basket so long 
they are actually beginning to harden. When he asks about it’s welfare you can tell him honestly “it’s in the wash”.
Another handy method of losing clothes is the recycling bin. Out of sight, out of mind.
Lastly my favourite method is to cut the tiniest hole in it. Maybe in the sleeve or near a button. In no time at all he will put it on and horror of horror it will tear. You can convince him it was because it was worn from age and he will be able to say a proper goodbye to a much loved (unstylish, awful) item of clothing.
At last the day is drawing to a close and the children are in bed. I sit happily chatting. Oh, when I say chatting I don’t mean with Mr been with forever. No, I mean chatting online to all my “friends”. As he pops in I type away and only ever admit to blogging. Finally it’s time for bed. “Goodnight” he says. I say, “I’ll be up in five minutes”, which really means I’ll get carried away online and when I do come up you will probably have fallen asleep.
Mr been with me forever, goes to bed. And so ends another day of lies.
However it is also the end of another day which I was lucky enough to spend with my best friend, my closest companion, my soulmate. For over twenty years we’ve walked together in sunshine and rain. We’ve held hands during the early days of first love and during very dark days of grief and terrible sadness. We’ve supported each other when needed, and laughed together more times than I could ever have imagined. We’ve watched each others body age and hair change colour, and yes we have also lied to each other each and every day.
And I hope we get to lie to each for many more years to come.
photo credit: Ed Yourdon via photopin cc
photo credit: Parvinder Singh via photopin cc
My thoughts on a page. 
I know I should have done as I was told and stopped reading, but glad I didn’t. Sweet and unexpected ending 🙂
Glad you liked it, although maybe you learned something and are lying! 🙂
Ah, thought I got away with it 😉
Do what works, Tric.
I think most happy and contented marriages work on this basis (I say from a happy and contented marriage-stance!!) I must admit that many a pair of track suit bottoms over the course of my life have been obliterated with the scissors: I have released my dad, brothers, sons of these appalling pieces of clothing. My beloved has no track suit… He knows what it’s fate would be, har har
For those who read this comment, Emily is one of my online friends and a conversation between us is the inspiration behind this post!
You must have made it to bed sometime to manage to make all those children of yours!!
I must admit my husband has one pair of pants and a mad overly patterned jumper that I am itching to snip!
I must admit, I’m shocked myself I’ve produced all these children when I’m nattering away -to you!!- at all hours!!
🙂
You forgot the one last lie of the day. Lying down next to your friend and being safe in his presence. 🙂 One last lie of each and every day. 🙂
Ah pox you’re right. Although I did do a post once called “one pillow” I think which spoke about that.
I do think I’ve been very lucky in life and especially in love and in that I am not lying! 🙂
🙂 I love your lies and truths. 🙂 And your use of “pox”.
I will have to check for the “one pillow”. Though part of me is thinking I may have read it…. I will look!
this is so funny and sweet at the same time, tric. and i’m not lying when i tell you this )
I wouldn’t doubt you Beth. 🙂
I cracked up laughing here, I’m 4 years married and already lying 🙂 Hubby wears a lot of printed film related t-shirts “oh no, how did that hole get there or little ones pink vest must have sneaked into the wash” 😀 Great post!
Well done. I’d say you are destined for a very long and happy marriage as you are obviously a quick learner. 🙂
This was hilarious and sweet at the same time. Begone manky clothes! *snicker*
Glad you liked it. Many the manky outfit has disappeared over the past twenty years.
you don’t fool us, tric – we know you’re lying too us about that new item of clothing being something you bought ages ago or in a sale, but in the interest of harmony and an easy life we let you think we believe you 😆
P.S. I’m very familiar with the wash basket trick. It’s amazing how often Anita would enquire what I was planning to wear to some family celebration or other, disapprove of my choice, tell me how smart I looked in the outfit she would prefer me to wear instead – and when I dug my feet in and insisted I was going to wear my original choice of clothing, come the big day – in a blatant act of domestic sabotage – what I planned to wear was ‘in the wash’, she having conveniently ‘forgotten’ I was planning to wear those clothes for the ‘do’ – Ggrrrrr !
Ah the lovely lies of a life spent together. I knew you’d have plenty of experience in this. Anita was a master at maintaining a long and happy relationship.
What a great post! I worry that I’m already doing most of these things after only 3 years of marriage!Especially the cutting little holes in clothes!!x
Oh do not worry. Be happy you are learning early and this will help you so in time you too will be part of the “married forever” group!
Before I got married my grandma gave me some advice, say yes yes yes and then do whatever you like.
That is super advice. Your grandma was a very wise lady.
Hilarious! You have a great writing talent and an enormous sense of humor!
Thanks so much. I’m really glad you enjoyed it. At the moment there is a lot of sadness around me, so a bit of humour is good.
I wished the hole thing worked for the daily wearing of the same shirt. My husband wears his until the collar comes off, or the sleeve falls away. Still, it takes some convincing to get him to relinquish ownership.
May I suggest you get to that shirt with the scissors! Just a very tiny hole would do it!
It would never work if we were completely honest – I mean marriage is for your entire life! How honest can one person be?
You are right. Too much truth is never a good thing.
Yes, lie to, for and with!
Hee hee hee. It looks like a lot of us know this secret. 🙂
Men it’s time to stop reading – ok so I did Tric, the curiosity is killing me, should I just take a sneak peek??
Ah go on, but I bet you already have! 🙂
Yarra maybe I will so.
Now I’ve read it Tric and guess what? I’m going to share with the world or at least the bit where I’m told I can reside in!!
Thanks c.j, for spreading my secret!
Only too glad to oblige.
Oh Tric, I loved it 🙂
I used to hide my ex’s clothing at the back of the wardrobe and if he forgot to ask where it had gone after a few months, they were thrown away. If he did ask, I could pull it out and say “Wow. I was cleaning out the wardrobe today and I found this. Wonder how it fell down there”?
And the best thing about bathrooms is that you can throw a bit of bleach into the toilet and let it sit for a bit before flushing. Do this just before he comes home so it smells as if you have been cleaning. lol
Oh we are kindred spirits. It looks like reading the other comments that we are not alone.
Funnily enough, we were discussing this same topic at sewing group yesterday. Someone else suggested cutting up and onion so it smells as if you have been cooking. lol
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