Apparently it only takes 72 hours alone together before my husband and I are grasping for things to talk about. Three little days!
We had just gone through a very busy stretch, and life had not given us much time to simply be together; so we booked a three-day getaway at the beach. Day one was relaxing. No schedules. No other people to consider. No work. It was just the ticket.
Days two and three were more of the same. Sleeping in. Eating out. Long walks and talks on the beach. Near perfection.
Then came the ride home where I stupidly mentioned the (then upcoming) election. Oops! It had been a perfectly wonderful, relaxing time! What was I thinking? But it wasn’t the whole ugly election subject that prompted the decline in our conversation. It was the fact that we could go to the library to vote early.
And it wasn’t the going to the library part that revealed that we truly had exhausted our conversational topics. It was my saying that since we moved to a different county, I needed a new library card.
But the true downfall came when Bob said he would get one, too, even though he hasn’t actually used a library card since 1971. When I pointed this out to him, he confessed that getting a card might not be a good idea, but it wasn’t for the above reason. It was because he was thinking of getting a new wallet, a skinny one that would not handle as many cards. Then he started going over every card in his wallet. At that point, I had no choice but to jump out of the moving car.
Somewhere between the new Costco VISA and the stamp card for Asian Chao Emperor’s Club Customer Loyalty Program, I started laughing uncontrollably. Thankfully, Bob joined in. I guess this is what it has come to after all of these years – 72 hours. After that, we must recruit friends, family, or even a member of the opposing political party to rescue us and infuse new life into our conversation. It’s good to know one’s limits. It’s also good to laugh at yourself. And if all else fails, a nice quiet ride might be the best choice of all.
Life on the Lighter Side 
Leslie Richardson
/ November 21, 2016Reading this at work was not the wisest choice. I am getting looks at laughing out loud.
Bonnie Anderson
/ November 22, 2016So glad I could get you in trouble from a distance!
RAAckerman@Cerebrations.biz
/ November 27, 2016First, let me say that I am thrilled I found your new blog. I had thought you gave up sharing your humor with the rest of us. (I found out because I was notified of dead links on my blog!)
Secondly, I am sure you recognize that my ability to run out of things to say is … non-existent. Especially, if it involves science, technology, medicine, politics, or books. Now, the weather- that can shut me up (unless it’s the science behind it…)
Finally- look at the bright side. You both get new library cards- and now you can dscourse (let’s not argue 🙂 ) about the books you just read.
Bonnie Anderson
/ November 29, 2016It’s so nice to hear from you. Thanks for commenting. I do recognize that there would be no lulls in the conversational topics list with you. You are a thinker. Truth be told, my husband is, too. But he is careful to not throw out too many technical thoughts as so many of them go over my head. I remember early in our marriage when I’d have to remind him that I didn’t go to school to be an engineer. He’s gotten quite proficient at using layman’s terms and I have gotten pretty good at understanding the technical terms over the years. Part of our issue here is that we were so worn out our brains were spewing out a bit of mush, which of course is okay, too. It gives us things to laugh at.