Marriage work

It's Sunday evening. My wife has already come in and asked if I'm coming to bed soon. I told I would, so I'll be brief. I've worked all weekend at a friends house replacing the stair treads from covered with carpet, to stained oak. I've enjoyed the work, but I'm tired. I still have some work left to do that I'll finish this week. They're good friends - some of the best we have. They're paying me for the work, but I'd probably do it for free if I didn't need the money right now. Of course if I were doing it for free, I wouldn't be working as hard to get it done as quickly. Might as well be honest about it - money motivates.

While at their house today, they were working on getting some curtains hung in the living room. It was quite interesting listening to them "discuss" how to get the job done. She had an idea on what it was to look like and a picture in her mind that she understood. But she was having a hard time conveying it to him. He was trying to see this picture she had only in her mind, but apparently his vision was somewhat blurred. He wanted hard dimensions and for her to describe her mind's picture in terms he could understand. She was trying, but her "big picture" mentality made it impossible for her to give the minute details he was after. His need for detail made it hard for him to be patient with her inability to give it. She became frustrated with his questions. He became frustrated with her lack of detailed answers. After several hours of work, they only had one curtain in place. It looked great. And now they both have an understanding of what to do on the remaining windows. But to get the job done took alot of work. The work of understaning each other was so much harder than the actual hanging of the curtains. They were talking two completely different languages from two completely different perspectives.

Listening to married couples talk can be quite amusing. Particularly if you're married as well. It can be like looking or listening in a mirror. MORE LATER.