Ongoing tale of a trip to France...

[Graye]

I'm the first to admit that my OH is a one-off. I love him to bits and we get on really well (just as well as we spend virtually all our time together) but he has some strange ideas and sudden whims! Take Tuesday. We were going back to France (via the Midlands where I had arranged to borrow a trailer to bring back here to help move some garden rubble and take things back on our next trip). Ferry and cabin booked (Newhaven to Dieppe), paid for, car packed, etc, etc.

SO he decides (while I'm in the shower) that we need a new car and promptly orders one by phone about 15 minutes before we were due to leave! And it's ready for collection on Monday from Middlesborough. AND he decides he'll wait and bring it to France so we can sell the current one (Spanish reg) next time we are down there next month. So of I set, all organised to do the trip on my own and mildly furious that I will have to drive 900 miles alone. Two hours later he phones to say he's changed his mind because a) I've got the satnav and he doesn't think he can find his way without it and b) he's not convinced he can drive a brand new RH drive car on the continent (we've had LHD for 8 years and he doesn't like driving at the best of times). Will I come back and fetch him? Soooooo! If I go back to get him we will definitely miss the ferry. Skipping the trailer collection doesn't help as we go straight past anyway and my cousin has gone to trouble getting it all ready, our numbers on it, etc. And the new car is still going to be ready for collection on Monday, paid for, taxed, etc, etc.

Just as a matter of interest, what would anyone else have done other than immediately hire a hitman (which I didn't by the way!) ?

[invisiblepiper]

[ina]

I don't know... Get divorced?

[weatherwax]

Made him walk

[mrsflibble]

no, tell him to buy a map, then tell him to walk. you dont want him getting lost before you can hit him with a rolling pin.

[Annpan]

Go back and get him, miss the ferry, give him an ear-full, let him fix it go back to France another day... it will still be there.

[invisiblepiper]

Annpan - can you give counselling sessions? - that was such a good response!

[oldfella]

Why not keep going and turn left somewhere and when you get to where you were not going when you left home, then phone him.

[Annpan]

Annpan - can you give counselling sessions? - that was such a good response!

Sometimes it is just not worth fighting over.... infact, most of the time, it isn't worth fighting over.

[red]

Annpan's so nice

I'd not have agreed to mad plan in first place. its enabling him to make mad plans if you go along with it.

assuming i had... would have carried on with plan and told him tough titty should have thought of that.. now live with consequences.

I'm not as nice as Annpan.....

[Loobyloo]

I agree with Red!

Don't let him have his own way all the time.

Mine's a bit better trained, not much though!!

I do also agree with Annpan, at times it's just not worth arguing.

Hmm methinks I'm on the fence somewhat?!

[Graye]

I was interested to see what the responses were! I wasn't sure if it was ME being unreasonable by doing what I actually did.

In the end I just carried on, picked up the trailer, caught the ferry, did the drive down through France, picked up the cats from the kennels (I forgot to mention these were costing us €17 a day too), had a very large glass of Pinotage and "phoned home".

As it happens the bit of the trip which was really bothering him (getting through Rouen) seemed to have been solved as there is suddenly a new and very simple route which I only discovered by totally ignoring the satnav, we actually did need a new car as our Spanish "residencia" is about to expire (and he got an incredible deal) and he has got a few extra jobs done on the cottage.

A few friends think I am amazingly tolerant of his "artist's temperament". But I suppose I knew what I was getting in the first place. Thanks for the input. I was still quietly seething when I wrote the message but even I can see the funny side of it now! So now I'm looking for ferries online for next Wednesday. I hope he makes it this time...

[red]

glad you went ahead. i think it was the right thing to do.

I can see entirely why you might be tolerant of his ways, especially if you knew before you got together! but still you have to make decisions too. besides, I would be thinking of the cats!!

[JulieSherris]

Aww, Graye, you made me smile this morning!

I guess we all have different tolerance levels & at some point, ONE of the partnership has to keep a cool & responsible head, else a lot of us out here would be in deep deep trouble!

Hubby & I both have our 'ways'... it only gets really interesting when our 'ways' either flow together at the same time, or clash strongly at the same time..... Last year when they flowed together, we left the UK to move to Ireland, (bear in mind that we'd never been to ireland before - ever!) we sold our house, he got a new job, left our families & our lives & tipped life on its head - all in 6 weeks from start to finish.... I've really gone from being a Stepford Wife, to a Barbara Good & now wouldn't be seen dead without my wellies on, even with my PJ's!!! (a right sight for sore eyes)

Luckily, we've only clashed twice in the 10 years we've been together - and both times we were moments away from walking away - thank goodness we didn't tho!

Hey, ain't love grand?
Julie.