What Kind of Wife…

I’m attributing this title to Jade Walker, who gave me the idea from a PM she wrote to me about the Eliot Spitzer prostitution ring scandal. I’m sure you’ve already thought of this…But what kind of woman stands by her man when he publicly acknowledges using the services of a high-priced call girl? What kind of woman stands by her man when he’s outed via extortion? What kind of woman stands by her man when an affair with an intern is revealed…to the world? And what kind of message does this send to other wives (and their daughters)? ~-Jade Walker-~ … Continue reading

“The Good Wife’s Guide”

Back at the start of February my friend Christy (of saved the puppy fame) forwarded an email entitled “The Care and Feeding of a Husband.” It was one I had seen before, and one which has become both laughable and notorious. Why? Well, in case you haven’t seen it, the article’s title is “The Good Wife’s Guide” and it suggests several specific ways to be a good wife. Below are a few of them: • Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready, on time for his return. This is a way of … Continue reading

Can a Job Improve Your Marriage?

Once upon a time over in Pets I wrote about my life as a pets blogger and all the tales I’ve become privy to. People love talking about their fur kids as it is, but when they find out I write about pets? Wow, you should see how much more they open up! Learning I’m also a Marriage blogger doesn’t have quite the same impact. For instance, if someone’s having pet behavior or training problems they ask for my advice. People usually aren’t as eager to admit to problems in their marriages. However, one thing I’ve noticed is what a … Continue reading

Warning from the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam, and, What is an Orphan?

The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam, recently issued a statement urging parents considering adopting from Vietnam to be very careful in choosing their “adoption service provider”. The U.S. Embassy has been increasingly denying orphan petitions and U.S. visa applications because of irregularities in adoption cases brought to it. The statement did not say what any of these irregularities were. The wording “an adoption service provider” leads me to believe that the Embassy refers to adoptions arranged through attorneys or adoption facilitators rather than through social welfare agencies. I would always be more skeptical about this kind of adoption, although in … Continue reading

Reunited and It Feels So…Good? – Learning to Be a Couple Again

After enduring months of separation due to job circumstances, late last November my commuter marriage came to an end. Wayne got back his old job, quit the new one, and came home. It’s been an adjustment ever since. Don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled he’s home. I’m thrilled I don’t have the hassle of dealing with showings and fretting about doing certain things by myself anymore. (Like hurrying to tidy up any messes when a showing appointment was made.) Basically, I’m just thrilled he’s around to help with certain chores (like walking Murph in the mornings) and we’re back together … Continue reading

Sometimes You Just Never Know How Dense Your Spouse Is Until…

…they do something like I did last week. You know how I wrote Friends: You Just Never Know Who You Have in Common? Well, turns out the wife of Wayne’s friend is not my childhood friend after all. I didn’t have her email address, but I had her snail mail address so I sent a letter saying how funny it all was that we knew each other. Wayne had the email address for his guy friend, so he wrote to him that way. On Saturday she used Greg’s email to write and say there is no way I can be … Continue reading

Even Rock Star Wives Sing the Blues

One afternoon not too long ago as I was folding laundry I was watching True Hollywood Story: Rock Star Wives. It was sensational. Some of the rock stars profiled included Dee Snider (Twisted Sister), Alice Cooper, Duff Mckagan (Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver), Slash (Guns N’ Roses), and Vince Neil (Motley Crue). Both the wives and the rock stars were surprisingly candid about the trials and tribulations their marriages experienced. What struck me most was how so many of the marriages had encountered every kind of worst case scenario imaginable. And I’m not talking about just one kind of worst … Continue reading

The Marriage Blog Week in Review for December 17-23

Merry Christmas Eve! ‘Tis the season to be even busier than usual, but maybe today you have some time to catch up on things. Such as reading the Marriage Blog. If you missed any of last week’s musings from Lyn and myself, check out this edition of the Week in Review to see what we wrote on: Monday, December 17 How Much are You Willing to Give? Lyn proposed situations of spouses giving and wondered which ones would be giving too much and would warrant a “No!” Why Nookie Should Be on Your Christmas Wish List A report I saw … Continue reading

The Marriage Blog Week in Review for November 19 thru 25

Last week had the potential to be nuts. There was turkey to eat, football to watch, sales to shop, and family to enjoy (hopefully). In case you were too busy to fully enjoy the Marriage blog, enjoy this week’s Week in Review. It’s your handiest tool for catching up on everything Karri and I covered last week. Monday, November 19 My Husband’s Fascination with Cheaters I don’t know why he’s nuts about the TV show Cheaters, but he is. Tuesday, November 20 My Fascination with the Real Housewives of Orange County Wayne’s guilty indulgence is Cheaters, mine is Bravo’s Real … Continue reading

My Fascination with the Real Housewives of Orange County

Wayne might be fascinated with Cheaters, but I have my own guilty pleasure TV indulgence: Bravo’s the Real Housewives of Orange County. It plays off the success and popularity of other shows of similar, though fictional, ilk: ABC’s Desperate Housewives and Fox’s cancelled series the O.C. The Real Housewives, however, is a reality show following the lives of real women. The show’s name is sort of a misnomer, though. Some of the “housewives” don’t stay home at all. They not only work but are incredibly successful. In fact, if I’m not mistaken, two of them –Jeana and Vicki– own their … Continue reading