It was my job..

Grannyjacq1

My DH does all the cooking and also loves doing the grocery shopping. He mows the lawn too. However he is no gardener! He thinks plants get in the way of his lawn mower and will mow right over them. Last year he pulled down a beautiful clematis because it was spreading all over the fence! I tried to say that was the idea. I now have a garden with just trees and grass. Anything else goes in a planter on the patio.

Encourage him to find his own "niche " He's obviously finding it hard after he's retired. ..is there a "man shed" nearby that he could go along to..It's just for men and it's great!.. my friend went with her hubbie the first time and he then just got stuck in...If he likes learning new things then join a local U3A group may also be just the ticket! !...A bit of encouragement and he'll be off!

Mine has stopped 'helping' in the garden since I screamed as he was about to pull out my jasmine.
Fortunately he has taken up bowling and enjoys it.

Some great tips, thank you ladies.
Note to myself:-

Pull up her favourite plant as a weed.
Make a rubbish job of mowing lawn
Fill sink with dirty dishes

Reminds me of a man we used to know - his wife told him to weed a flower bed. He pulled up all the flowers first, to simplify things, then dug up the whole flowerbed, removing the weeds. Then replanted the flowers.
Some of them survived.

Tanith you are not being selfish, in guarding your territory and needing time by yourself. We are all different, some need company a lot others, and I am one, need time on their own.

In working years DH used to travel a lot, rarely for long periods, usually just a few days at a time, but it met my need for a bit of space; a couple of times a month I would come home from work to an empty house and isolation. DH is still working intermittently, so still is a way occasionally and I am used to having him around most of the time but I still treasure those odd hours on my own. Fortunately DH has begun to understand this, which makes it much easier.

I agree with you MOnica I do like the house to myself occasionally..

"When your husband retires you get half as much money and twice as much husband!" Read this somewhere once and thought it just hit the nail on the head!