Noisy Marriage - December 2011

He Said




Naysayers have been exhorting “How is your first year of marriage?” Tongue in cheek, of course, when what they really want to ask is “Are you still married?” Now, I’m not too sure about the reason for this question except that sometimes I do get a little explicit with information about our relationship. As I have told some people, “Yes, we are still married” and “No, she is not trying to have it annulled...yet.” When they ask me how it has been I always tell them it is wonderful. We should have gotten married long ago. They laugh; I laugh and all is well. However, when I start thinking about it,

there are a couple of small details that could probably be worked on if I’m totally honest. After all, I think that communication is the secret to all successful relationships so I will try to communicate a few minor infractions without upsetting you. Just remember these are all positive suggestions not quirks about you per se and it will only make our marriage stronger!

Your alarm clatters at 4:45 AM and it awakens me before it even begins to arouse you. You get dressed, walk the dog, take her downstairs and get on that infernal elliptical machine with the morning news blaring. I DON’T CARE WHO DID WHAT TO WHOM AT 4:45 AM! Then you come upstairs and take a shower. I guess it’s soap or whatever you drop but it sounds like an earthquake behind the curtain or maybe you’ve slipped and fallen down in the tub. Could you do it a little quieter? When you finally turn the water off, it’s time for the loudest hairdryer ever manufactured. And those curlers must be made of steel because when you drop one in the sink, it vibrates the whole vanity. Now it’s time for your makeup and I bet you open and close the drawer two dozen times before you’re finished. I promise you, you’re not that homely so what are you trying to cover up? As if that isn’t enough, when you drop something on the floor, you groan when you bend over to pick it up; I’ve heard Sophie howl with less noise.

At the risk of suffering your wrath, could you please pacify me by going in another room to get ready so I can have my beauty sleep?







She Said



Oh, I can go in another room all right. In fact, I tried to do just that over the summer and you said “No, it’s too much trouble to move everything”. It’s just like you to negate one of my suggestions just so you can whine about it. Communication must be some new revelation if you’ve practiced it in the past because you’ve had too many failed relationships for it to work. Let’s take this little by little. First of all, I have to get up at 4:45 if I am to accomplish my daily routine and get to school on time. You could get up at the same time, go downstairs with me, and use the Bowflex while I’m on the elliptical. You could use some toning, you know. Then we could both get ready for work at the same time, eat breakfast (guess who cooks every morning?) and hustle off to work with more energy than you can imagine. About my hairdryer…I’ve tried closing the door and it feels like a steam room so my make up starts dripping. I’ll save the response for what I’m trying to cover up for later.

Just a side note…do you remember when I surprised you last year by putting up a Christmas tree in the bedroom with colored lights just for you? Don’t hold your breath this year and I can promise you

the sound of Christmas carols will not be heard in the bedroom this December.





Merry Christmas everyone from Larry and Dena.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder . . . or does it?

He Said
Relationships are a funny business. Not literally, but funny in some ways. Take being absent from each other, for instance. All my life I have heard stories about men who go off on fishing trips and women who go on cruises with other groups of women. It makes me wonder. Do I need to be absent in your life more often?
Let me preface this by saying, I don't really want to; however, all these tales about being away from each other making you stronger got me thinking. I love being around you all the time, but would you miss my mannerisms, which annoy you daily and get on your nerves constantly after all these years, if I went on a fishing trip with the boys? I reiterate, I don't want to, but if it would make you miss me more, I could learn to fish.
My problem is I am not sure you would miss me enough or even realize that I was back, or you might find out you did not miss or need me at all. I would hate to find out that I had just become
a habit to you instead of your better half . . . or at least some half.
I think I will just give up on this fishing idea. I hate the smell of fish, I don't like the ocean, I hate all that bright sun stuff and the smell of suntan lotion makes me nauseous. Guess I'll
just hang with you.
I would miss you too much to go fishing anyway.
She Said
Good grief, what will you come up with next? Your going fishing is as likely as my driving a race car and I can tell you right now that Dale Johnson or Jimmy Earnhardt have nothing to worry about.
If you did find some new adventure to try without me and you were gone for a few days, maybe I could get some rest. Would I miss you ? Sure I would. Would I be pleased when you came back? Depends on what you brought me.
Being apart would not hurt our relationship and might give us breathing room to do our own thing. The problem as I see it is that when you returned I would have to give you a play-by-play of every minute you were away, and I just don't have the time to write all of that down . . . plus you would be calling me on my cell every five minutes with some fish story and I would be right in the middle of one of my soaps so I wouldn't talk, and you would want to know what's the matter. And so on
and so on.
No, we probably should just stay together every day or a better idea would be to go off TOGETHER on a cruise to the Cayman Islands where I could snorkel and you could learn to fish (ha ha) or I could learn to drive a race car, especially if one of those cute drivers were around to
teach me. (Do you hear me, Dr. McDreamy?)
You, fishing? . . . No one would ever buy into that fish story . . . especially me.