It's Always More Complicated

Partner has gone away for a very brief jaunt - and okay, is not the first jaunt he has taken, last year there was the intercontinental trip to visit family.

Me myself I am somehow not tempted to take jaunts.

Am still being very hermitty - taking walks in the neighbourhood most days - going out to dental and medical appointments - but that's all.

Has this become a habit difficult to break?

Sometimes think I should quite like to go and do research at this or that repository.

Meeting people in limited numbers would be nice except I think I may have forgotten how to do sociable.

I worry about this.

Blud thikkt with cold on reading this yestere'en:

I enjoy reading books, but my husband feels that it is rude for me to read when we are both home, because I am ignoring him. To be clear, this does not happen in excess by anyone's definition. I have read a maximum of 5 entire books since we got together a decade ago, primarily to avoid upsetting him.

She managed to read 5 books in 10 years because of this guy. I feel nauseous and faint.

*Apparently he 'he approaches me for comment or to tell stories every 10/15 mins on average' if she tries to sit down and read or even states intention of doing so.

I am not sure if any of the commentators actually said, 'Dearie, no jury would convict' but they all indicated that this was Not Normal Behaviour and that going into a snit because Wifey is Reading and not attending to His Majesty King Baby all the time is toxic if not abuse.

At least the update indicates that she actually took time for herself in a separate room and got in a decent swathe of reading time and intends to make it a habit. Wonders if hubby saw some of the responses dissing on him.

But you know, she did not know that this was Not Normal. At least in the case cited by Vera Brittain in Halcyon, or the Future of Monogamy (1929) was of marital incompatiblity due to his belief that no-one should read while he was talking, and her belief that no-one should talk while she was reading (perhaps she had a family or social circle that modelled this civilised habit).