It’s no surprise that normally delightful couples who are now quarantined are starting to consider awkwardly planned acts of murder. After weeks (and weeks) of looking at the same face, passing the same body in the hallways and being around the same individual 24/7, cracks will certainly begin to show in any marriage.
From leaving toilet seats up and ignoring dirty litter boxes to humming ‘80s tunes and smacking gum, annoyances between spouses are likely to quadruple when stuck at home together all day and all night. Here, a few Cream City couples reach out to yours truly for a bit of help...before anyone is traced in chalk. Let’s see how we might be able to temper nerves during this trying time.
Dear Ruthie,
He’s driving me nuts. My husband. He’s driving me nuts. No. He’s driving me fucking nuts. He is on furlough from work due to the pandemic, so he’s home with me. I’m lucky enough to be working from home, but I’m still home. With him. Every day. All day.
I can’t say he’s doing anything wrong, but everything he does seems wrong. He walks too loud, talks too much, bangs the dishes when putting them away, belches...a lot, takes forever to brush his teeth, talks to himself...a lot. It’s just too much.
Is it me or him? I know I sound like a total bitch. I know it’s likely me, and I’m guessing there are things about me he’s not particularly happy with either. What can I do to reign in some of his annoying behaviors while not causing World War III?
Going Nuts,
Nancy
Dear Nancy,
It’s both of you so, shut the hell up. It’s easy to see how tensions can run high during these odd times. The fact you recognize his annoyances are likely more your problem than his is a good sign that you have things under control.
Now that the weather is warming up, be sure to take scheduled work breaks and head outside. Take a walk, enjoy lunch in the sun or simply grab some fresh air...alone. The short break will likely do you good. If your hubby’s annoyances are still akin to nails on a chalkboard, suggest he simply not approach you while you’re working. Ask him to avoid work area in the afternoon as he is “distracting” you from the work at hand.
You can certainly approach him about the things driving you insane. Perhaps, start the discussion by asking what you could do to avoid annoying him. Be warned, however, that this could open a can of worms, leading to hurt feelings and arguing, so proceed with caution.
Dear Ruthie,
My wife and I are both stuck in the house, practicing the safer-at-home guidelines. Things are pretty good, but she keeps talking to our cat and dog in this high-pitched baby voice and it’s super annoying.
She’s always done it but now that we’re here together all day, it’s getting really annoying. I tried joking with her about it because I thought she’d get the clue and stop but she actually did It more. It’s not cute. It’s really dumb and annoying. How can I tell her to stop because I’m going crazy over here with this baby-animal talk?
Help!
Doctor Doolittle
Dear Doc,
It is sound like wittle-bitty boy is having an icky-wicky day. Turn that frown upside down, sugar...it could be a lot worse. She is not leaving the door open when she’s on the can, is she? She’s not clipping her toenails at the dinner table or rubbing boogers on your back while you sleep, right? So, suck it up, buttercup! These are tough times and talking to the pets likely gives your wife a sense of comfort and joy.
If you truly feel like any more baby talk will land you in divorce court, ask her to maybe cool it a bit with the baby talk. Let her know that your nerves are frayed due to the quarantine, that you’re not quite yourself lately and that the baby talk adds to your nervous state a tad too much. Hopefully, she’ll take things down a notch. Let me know!
Ask Ruthie a question at DearRuthie@Shepex.com. Follow her on Instagram @ruthiekeester and Facebook at Dear Ruthie. Don’t miss her new game show, “Dear Ruthie’s Bar Wars” on www.twitch.tv/dearruthie, and check out her hilarious drag reality competition “Camp Wannakiki,” on YouTube.
