It doesn't take much to make 'em happy does it?

jingl Mr A loves making a list of things to do, then working at it. Give him a list, and he's happy..

Oh my I'm so jealous, its like pulling teeth getting DH to do jobs around the house, he says I'll be better when I retire... hahaha we'll see if that happens. He's not good at DIY and hates it when things go wrong everytime he 'has a go'.

Mine loves making a list, too - trouble is, he gets sidetracked by other, more pressing 'jobs' and the list never gets completed....

My ex was great at starting jobs, but then lost interest. In one newly built house, he dug a huge hole in the back garden because he said it needed draining. Four years later, when we moved, the hole was still there.

Snap! tanith.

DS1 loves having tasks to do. He asks me before he leaves home if he needs to bring his tools. As if he needs to ask!

anno

Can't get DH to let go of the tv remote to even find a piece of paper and a pen to trouble himself making a list

MIne is happiest when he is doing serious re-cycling. At the moment he is making new shutters fo rour beech hut. ''Where did you get the wood?'' I asked. Next door's skip was his reply.

Just spent a week at the beach - lots of men showing boys how to dig holes and make mounds - why???

My SIL is only happy when he is doing something - gardening, painting, carpentering, plumbing, which helped my daughter to get her large garden in NZ the way she wanted it very quickly. He works one week on his ship and one week off, so he is available for a lot of the time. He is also very good at housework and cooking, very handsome and about 6' 6". She is quite fond of him!

Sounds as if he has a lot in common with my DS1!

While I was away for the weekend in Glasgow meeting other grannies, Mr absent worked until 7 each evening hanging lining paper in the hall and on the stairs and landings because he wanted it finished before I got home as a nice surprise. He's never happier than when he's doing something practical and is a great believer in mending things rather than throwing them away. Well, obviously, I had a reason for marrying him.

Granb. I suspect this is a through-back to childhood seaside holidays! He even said it was like making a sandcastle.

I meant 'throw-back' not 'through'!

I am a bit like tanith and bags trying to get my husband to do anything is a total waste of time and effort. I'm afraid I am getting the same way now, so we are going to grow older together enjoying the things we like to do, that is until I get fed up with that, and start 'nagging' again, which will of course be quite useless.

Married a boff who did nothing in the way of diy until we retired to this cottage. Since then we have renovated it, he has built three dry stone walls, re-roofed the little barn with old re-cycled canal tiles, rescued all the shutters .......yet recently he's bought a new fancy 'tablet' - and is back to being a boff/nerd again. . He hasn't dug any holes yet, but when the fosse needs replacing......

DS1 (bit of a clone of DH) to DH:

"You know, Dad, the standard of DIY in this house has shot up since you started to get someone in."

So, so right. But, lists, spreadsheets, getting stuff done (not DIY) and he's amazing - and happy. Having exchanged today, Theseus is in list heaven!

Ariadne

Doesn't take much to keep them happy - undressing is entirely sufficient I find!

Mishap

I read a quip that struck a chord the other day...

Ladies, please don't nag your husbands! If he says he's going to do something for you, there's no need to keep reminding him every 6 months.

Yes, that certainly does strike a chord....