Tips for traveling with a fussy woman

[Gene]

Dave, I found the best way to get along in Newfoundland was to (1) ask them to talk slower, and (2) agree with them (they really like that).

Gene

[Len n Jeanne]

Gentlemen, I am shocked... shocked... that nobody is sticking up for the ladies. (Jeanne here. Len is off to watch European soccer at a friend's.) We don't have this conversation problem. Len is a retired prof., so I often feel like a captive classroom of one.)

The OPer Tin Hut appears to be the Strong, Silent Type. He hasn't responded to any of our suggestions. We all know guys who are Men of Few Words, and these words do not include "Good morning," or "Happy birthday." Maybe his travelling companion deserves praise for holding up her end of mere normal conversation. (Including, but not limited to, "No-- I can't wait until the next rest area in 89 miles;" or "Honey, do you see that moose charging at us, in the middle of the road?"

I mean, maybe TH could just brush up on his verbal skills. Take a college course on elocution or debate. He could join Toastmasters. Listen to the sound-track of "Brush up your Shakespeare" from the musical, Kiss Me Kate. Or let her drive while he reads a book like, How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships.

Failing that, maybe the courteous thing to do would be for TH to start munching on throat lozenges and plead laryngitis. While he turns up the CD volume for Kiss Me Kate.

[masseyfarm]

You want us to do all this and dump the sewer tank too?

Dave

Originally Posted by Len n Jeanne

Gentlemen, I am shocked... shocked... that nobody is sticking up for the ladies. (Jeanne here. Len is off to watch European soccer at a friend's.) We don't have this conversation problem. Len is a retired prof., so I often feel like a captive classroom of one.)

The OPer Tin Hut appears to be the Strong, Silent Type. He hasn't responded to any of our suggestions. We all know guys who are Men of Few Words, and these words do not include "Good morning," or "Happy birthday." Maybe his travelling companion deserves praise for holding up her end of mere normal conversation. (Including, but not limited to, "No-- I can't wait until the next rest area in 89 miles;" or "Honey, do you see that moose charging at us, in the middle of the road?"

I mean, maybe TH could just brush up on his verbal skills. Take a college course on elocution or debate. He could join Toastmasters. Listen to the sound-track of "Brush up your Shakespeare" from the musical, Kiss Me Kate. Or let her drive while he reads a book like, How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships.

Failing that, maybe the courteous thing to do would be for TH to start munching on throat lozenges and plead laryngitis. While he turns up the CD volume for Kiss Me Kate.

[danlehosky]

Gene, I agree, the Canadians in BC are the same. I think they are more violent though. Look what happened in Vancouver during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It's good to cultivate a dazed expression as well, which I have down pat. That comes in handy everywhere.

A curious fact. 80% of Canadians live within 20 miles of the border.So I've always (except for Quebec) viewed Canada as a suburb of the US. They talk a little funny,but so do people from Alabama, you all. Culturally they are much the same. I did have a serious crush on Margaret Trudeau at one time and I think it was because she was the only Canadian women I ever saw not bundled up.

Dan

[danlehosky]

Now I feel bad about hiding her cell phone. I just got a big Fathers Day hug and kiss from my normally fussy in my face travelling wife.

Dan

[masseyfarm]

Oh, I get it now Gene! I always thought CIA meant "Canadian In Airstream". I guess my reference to that CIA background might be a bit misleading for you foreigners eh?
"(Foreigner may refer to:
Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a citizen of that country)"

Dave

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

Dave, you should not let your neighbors in BC know that you are spying on them. Remember, to fit in, wear a plaid shirt, wool cap, carry an ax to cut down trees, and say "eh" at the end of each sentence. The Canadians fall for that every time.

Gene

[Len n Jeanne]

Originally Posted by masseyfarm

You want us to do all this and dump the sewer tank too?

Dave

You're right, Dave. You guys can skip all the small talk if you just keep dumping the sewage.

[tpi]

Airstream Forums - View Profile: Mrs. Tin Hut

I was expecting her to chime in, but she hasn't been active here since March. Looking at her profile, I'd expect she has something to say on the matter.

[Gene]

Originally Posted by masseyfarm

Oh, I get it now Gene! I always thought CIA meant "Canadian In Airstream". I guess my reference to that CIA background might be a bit misleading for you foreigners eh?
"(Foreigner may refer to:
Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a citizen of that country)"

Dave

Dave, glad to see you are now using "eh" and the cover about the meaning of CIA should confuse those friendly but gullible Canadians. Your orders are to infiltrate Boston Pizza—they are everywhere. After that, we can take over Tim Horton's. Ontario has already adopted US culture and it is only time before we get the rest.

Our honor is at stake—it is 200 years since the War of 1812 and the burning of Buffalo must be revenged. We are preparing troops to be disguised as snow covered trees who will storm the Peace Tower; maybe Tin Hut can be the commander. This should be a lot easier than Afghanistan.

Oh, Foreigner is a band; Wikipedia got it wrong.

Gene

[mefly2]

Sorry to take the other road, but I really enjoy my wife's companionship and discussions; we talk about everything together. Until we got satellite radio (where we can listen to the 50-60 music) we probably didn't even have the radio on in the TV for 10 hours over the last 10 years!

[Len n Jeanne]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

Dave, glad to see you are now using "eh" and the cover about the meaning of CIA should confuse those friendly but gullible Canadians. Your orders are to infiltrate Boston Pizza—they are everywhere. After that, we can take over Tim Horton's. Ontario has already adopted US culture and it is only time before we get the rest.

Our honor is at stake—it is 200 years since the War of 1812 and the burning of Buffalo must be revenged. We are preparing troops to be disguised as snow covered trees who will storm the Peace Tower; maybe Tin Hut can be the commander. This should be a lot easier than Afghanistan.

Oh, Foreigner is a band; Wikipedia got it wrong.

Gene

Actually, Gene-- "CIA" is really "CI, eh?"

[the_bosco]

I can't believe none of you have hit on the perfect solution to "fussy woman syndrom"....install two children under the age of 10 in the back seat of the TV.

[purman]

Originally Posted by the_bosco

I can't believe none of you have hit on the perfect solution to "fussy woman syndrom"....install two children under the age of 10 in the back seat of the TV.

I mentioned this earlier as I have 4 kids under the adage of 10. Problem is the wife just gets tiered of yelling "I mean taking care of" the kids and puts on the DVD player. Then it's quite as a mouse in the back.

[purman]

I hesitate to bring this option up as it is very dangerous and can back fire. It should only be used in extreme cases:

THE MOTHER - IN LAW

If used right she can distract the wife for hours

But it can go south and when it does it goes south really fast, and when this happens your life

[slowmover]

I could use some help from my buds on how they keep their ears from being chewed off when stuck in a truck for hours while pulling the trailer.

Following Foiled Again's line of thinking,

How a day of travel is divided up as to time & distance is as important (more so, in this case) as a particular end destination.

Living in Southlake is bad enough . . don't compound it with chain stores, giant retail boxes and the rest as you already live there. Search out in advance the scenic places to stop for lunch (rest areas, overlooks, picnic spots) or the eatery with local charm and good food. I've used any number of online tools for years to this end.

Getting out of Texas is hard enough in the summer (the distance required to be away from the heat), but that doesn't mean one can't change the route to accommodate new and different.

For example, if you're always headed up US-287 to Colorado, change the route to go through the Fort Sill area and the Wichita Wildlife Refuge. Or, via OKC and the famous hamburger joints out in El Reno. Then onto Alibates Quarry or Bent's Fort (and do a day of lake fishing nearby).

You'll know what works. And keep breaks to under two hours or about 100-miles. Stay out of the rig for an hour about every four hours.

Work from different rules, and make the stops rewarding. Assign some reading homework on those stops in advance. The above all have wiki entries. The Texas State Handbook (online) is one such. Every state has something . . a doorway that, once opened, leads to reasons to plan a stop. And the stop (the "means") can help make better the day (the "ends").

300-miles or 3 o'clock is cited, but poorly understood. Dig down.

.

[Goal15]

Originally Posted by mefly2

Sorry to take the other road, but I really enjoy my wife's companionship and discussions; we talk about everything together. Until we got satellite radio (where we can listen to the 50-60 music) we probably didn't even have the radio on in the TV for 10 hours over the last 10 years!

Congrats mefly2 for stepping up to the plate with that thought.

I couldn't imagine not having my wife alongside on our travels and after 37 years of marriage I'm glad that we are getting to enjoy our Airstreaming time together.

Dana

[masseyfarm]

We are into 43 years and sometimes on those long trips the stories get repeated! When I say, "we talked about that yesterday", she accuses me of wanting to listen to the GPS Girl rather than her. And when the GPS Girl guides us up a dead end road, I get reminded again of my poor choice of consultation. (I told you so but you wouldn't listen)
It really is just a game she plays to keep me awake on those long hot runs.

Dave

Originally Posted by Goal15

I couldn't imagine not having my wife alongside on our travels and after 37 years of marriage I'm glad that we are getting to enjoy our Airstreaming time together.

Dana

[Goal15]

Originally Posted by masseyfarm

We are into 43 years and sometimes on those long trips the stories get repeated! When I say, "we talked about that yesterday", she accuses me of wanting to listen to the GPS Girl rather than her. And when the GPS Girl guides us up a dead end road, I get reminded again of my poor choice of consultation. (I told you so but you wouldn't listen)
It really is just a game she plays to keep me awake on those long hot runs.

Dave

Dave

we call our GPS girl, The Lady... and she completely failed us on our Arkansas trip last week..... well actually it was our less than spotty T-Mobile coverage..... so we had lots to talk about.... especially once I stopped and bought an Arkansas road map lol

Dana

[masseyfarm]

I believe, with some years of experience behing me now, that when two women are trying to do the same task probems my arise. Maybe it would be best to change the GPS to a male voice option?

Dave

Originally Posted by Goal15

Dave

we call our GPS girl, The Lady... and she completely failed us on our Arkansas trip last week..... well actually it was our less than spotty T-Mobile coverage..... so we had lots to talk about.... especially once I stopped and bought an Arkansas road map lol

Dana

[Goal15]

Or remember to print out the directions like I usually do.

Sometimes life just gets in the way of proper trip preparation, although for this trip we had the following because of the great advice we have gotten here on AS Forums:

120 adapter for our 30 amp cord when the campsite we were promised had 30 amp, became a site with what the desk person called "weak" power.

Leveling legos for the first campsite we have hit in six trips that wasn't close enough

extra length of water hose

Dana