...... to think most men become grumpier and more intolerant as they age

Oooh, tell us more!

johanna
Yes. Lovely thanks. Most of the arrangements went fine. I only had to throw my weight around at Athens airport.

jeni

Hello jeni
Did not know you are back from your cruise.
Did you enjoy it? And more importantly did you get to wear your fabulous shawl?

Yes, I think you are right. The old git is determined to piddle you of when ever he can!!!!!!!!!

biker you great forebearance in not emptying the cat litter tray over your GOM's head....or are you waiting for your cats to employ it first?

I'm beginning to think it was a good thing that my DH died 9years ago at age 59!
I must say he was never grumpy and as we both took early retirement at age 50, had 9 very happy years together sailing and working part time!

On the other hand, the old git next door more than makes up for any grumpy husband.
Perhaps he feels sorry for me and is trying to compensate for my lack of a personal GOM ?

Biker, we may not be going again, he`s talking of selling the caravan, but he said that last year as well. I`d just settle for a peaceful, pleasant holiday!

biker! And you with that wonderful Hoover, too....

biker
You are blessed with your amazing sense of humour!!

I went out with my daughter today dress hunting for her 30th birthday party..but apparantly!!! I should have been home "" Hoovering"" !!! as the district nurse made an unexpected visit and I hadn't hoovered up before I went out!!! (oh ! and I had left the cats litter tray on show!) not that they had used it!

so when you going again numberplease

Having just returned from 10 days away in our touring caravan, I`m relieved, and surprised, to find out that my Grumpy Old Git isn`t the only one on this earth! He`s nearly driven me to suicide these last few days, nothing was ever right for him. The water, waste disposal and toilet/shower block were all too far away, why didn`t I tell them when I booked that we were pensioners and can`t walk very far, the weather one would have thought was aimed directly at him, windy, rainy, cold (he wore a jumper and coat every time we went out, I was in t-shirts. Every time the emptying and filling up jobs were needed he moaned for England, every meal we had out was wrong, and to cap it all the footie on TV didn`t come up to scratch! I`m relieved to be home, at least here I can come on my laptop or read, and TRY to ignore him! Rant over, sorry, but thanks for letting me vent my spleen.

Thanks to eveyone who has posted here, it is wonderful to know my GOM is fairly typical.

That thing 'its nice here, why do you want to go (to the seaside, the theatre, shopping, the park etc)?

Although 80% deaf and lip-reads himself, he insists on speaking to me with his back to me -I'm not deaf, unless someone is speaking to the wall.

And no matter how many times I remind him he needs new trousers/shirts, (which I'm not allowed to buy) we always seem to spend the week before the annual holiday juggling/washing the only two presentable outfits he owns.

I do worry that I'll end up the same, my Mum died at 67, before she could develop grumpiness, but my Dad lived to 92, and it was so unpleasant to visit him, especially once the sun was past the yardarm. Dont want to be unreasonably cheerful, but intend to enjoy life to the bitter end.

Duchesse no, definitely not! Mine is the opposite of my father in all ways and I think I am the opposite of his mother.

Maybe those who had a really good relationship with their father might subconsciously choose someone similar though? Mine was a violent bully.

No, LaGrande, my DH gets more like my MOTHER everyday.

I started this thread but name changed.
One thing that worries me is that my father was a grumpy, miserable old devil, and had to be humoured and cajoled to make the slightest effort (but would be overly thankful and gracious outside the home so many thought him a lovely old man) and when I married my husband I thought I was getting the opposite of my dad.

So I wonder if there is some subconcious thing going on and you end up choosing someone who turns out to be like your father even though you think you haven't.

I don't think my father was grumpy in his youth but he certainly made up for it as he got older. Looking back I don't know why we put up with it, having to constantly walk on eggshells. Which is why I am particularly fed up with my husband as I have no intention of putting up with someone grumpy indefinitely, have done enough of it in my childhood.

Anyone else got a father-husband similarity?

My husband takes the weather very personally. If its raining he stomps around in a real strop. And when its very windy - ye gods - stay out the way. He is also rude about newsreaders on the telvision and I miss half what they are saying. He can be a laugh a minute amongst friends but sadly is a grumpy old man when no one is around. I just ignore him most the time and pretend I am deaf. Sad really, but all your posts made me laugh and I realise we are all in the same boat.

My husband (married in 2004) has always been of the negative leaning, more negative than me. He would say that is because he is realistic and less likely to be disappointed and more likely to be prepared for things than I am. Pre marriage and pre baby days I found it fairly easy to ignore/smile sweetly and try to cheer him up or focus myself on the positive. Since we have had little ones I have found it more difficult especially on days when I was juggling a lot. Anyway, am slightly apprehensive if the trend is that negative people just get more and more negative as they age. lots for me to look forward to in years to come then!!

Maybe he was just joking - pretending to be a grumpy old man? If he was he will come back with other posts, if not he was genuinely grumpy and is living proof that the species is alive and well and ready to take umbrage at us for recognising him as one.

Unicorn - are you still out there?

I just felt sorry for him.

'Sweet' - what, us?

Oh, definitely, marelli!

Do you think we're perhaps too 'spikey' sometimes.....not sweet enough perhaps, for the more gentle taste?

When men get to a certain age they don't need wives they need carers. I think it starts around 45?
I've been grimacing at DH's jokes lately. What I thought was his witty, dry sense of humour has turned into silly stories and often banal comments. I mentioned this to DD1 the other day and she said, 'He's always been like that. That's what we love about him.'