On Fri, 7 Aug 2020 11:27:34 +0100, GB
wrote:

On 06/08/2020 13:34, T i m wrote:

Which is why we are together. ;-)


She sounds great.

She's great because she low maintenance. ;-)

My DW is not terribly keen on bikes. We borrowed my son's tandem, and it
was dreadfully noisy. I was on the front seat, and she was on the back
seat. There was this dreadful screeching noise coming from the back seat.

LOL!

Mine's a good stoker but (she's getting on a bit now so) can't quite
'pull her own weight', possibly not helped by her two full knee
replacements and the arthritis. eg, Whist we were going up a
reasonably steep hill on the tandem (and towing the camping trailer)
we ground to a halt. Pushing a tandem and (single wheel) trailer isn't
easy either so I got back on and was able to cycle up the hill solo.

But she's generally reasonably willing to give most stuff a go and we
have done loads of cycle touring, motorcycle touring, archery, she
used to fly power kites with me (all before arthritis and old-age
aches and pains started to kick in) and all sorts of boating. She a
good mate, if it's not something she can help with directly she's
there with the tea and sarnies or getting tools etc saving me having
to stop. Whilst working in the back yard on the scooter the other day
she was helping me when I needed her and was pulling up all the nature
that had tried to reclaim it since we last went out there when I
didn't. ;-)

When we were building the kitcar, as a special treat I let her grind
the valves in, done on a couple of newspapers on the kitchen worktop
and plenty of engineering stuff has been in the oven or dishwasher and
sometimes put in there for me by her. We were supposed to be changing
the water pump and I was delayed (watching Autocross on TV) so she
said 'I'll do it then'. I handed her the Haynes manual and off she
went. ;-)

Like me though, she would rather we be out doing other stuff than
faffing about on the house or bothering if that light matches that
wallpaper (or whatever other people bother about). It's not like we
wouldn't like the house 'nice', it's just that we are only here once
and our enjoyment is generally doing stuff outside of it. ;-)

The strange thing is, her previous bf was a mechanic but he never
involved her in anything (like that), used to just treat her as a
possession etc. When we met, I assumed we would do most stuff together
she was surprised and outside of a little reticence, has proved to
herself that she can do most things if she has a mind to, things she
was never allowed / encourage to do previously.

We tried the bring our daughter up with the same mindset ... she's a
person, not a girl or boy and therefore no reason why (again within
reason), she should be on the other end of the wardrobe getting it up
the stairs or servicing her own cycle / motorbike or car (and she does
all she can). When she was young I would take her motorcycling (on her
own bike) or to martial arts club and 'Mum' would take her ball room
dancing or to music lessons.

I am proud that she buys most of her clothes and furniture from the
charity shops, that she's happy with any hand-me-down smartphones I
can find her and that she gives most of her surplus stuff (inc
clothes) to the charity shop (mostly Isabel Hospice as that's where
her half sister died last year) and can paint and rearrange the
furniture in her own flat, rather than assuming she would need to get
'a man' to do it. I'm proud that we (this side of the family) have
taught her the real value of things, what's important, including
thinking of and caring for others. Being 'sensible / shrewd' with what
money she does earn means she can do more with what's left after
paying her rent and other expenses etc.

If she needs to do something, if she can't work out how to do it (or
the best way to do it) she calls her old Dad and will listen to my
advice ... basically because she know's I'll never BS her if I don't
know but more often or not I will know. ;-)

It's good that we are sharing vegan recipes and she will get us new
vegan stuff to try when she does our shopping (as I do most the
cooking (the Mrs clears up)). ;-)

I would consider myself a lucky man (to have a partner like mine) and
a proud father. ;-)

Cheers, T i m