Background - I will start by saying we have 2 dogs and my husband idolises them. I have 2 children from my 1st marriage and both they and their children totally accept and love my 2nd husband. To all intents and purposes, we are a happy family. I should say my husband has never wanted children of his own - he prefers dogs.
Problem - Some years ago, my husband refused to renew his passport as he doesn't want to go on foreign holidays and leave his dogs in kennels (Up to then, he had happily left them in a very good kennel without difficulty.) So for the past 8 years, I have holidayed abroad with friends with my husband's blessing. My husband and I have taken holidays in UK in self-catering accommodation where we can take our dogs with us. I enjoy these breaks but they are not really a holiday as I still have the housekeeping to do whilst he walks our dogs for miles.
We will be celebrating our 40th Wedding anniversary next year and I would dearly like to go on an Anniversary Cruise to celebrate. When I suggested this to my husband, he replied that he was thinking more along the lines of a party. I don't want a party - that just means more work for me! He did a 'surprise 40th birthday party for me 35yrs ago and told me the night before that he had not ordered any food - he hadn't thought about that. (I can laugh about it now)
I could just go ahead and book the cruise as a 'surprise' but is that fair and would he go?
In case you are wondering, I love our dogs too but I treat them as 'pets.' My husband's 1st thoughts are always about the dogs and they both adore him. He even gets up in the night to let them out when they scratch on the kitchen door. Consequently, we never have a full night's sleep! I could say more but I think you will have got the picture.
Our Welfare State. Is it broken?
