Wives and girlfiends who just don't understand!!

[jgrattigan]

I'm a relatively new bird-watcher and my girlfriend - who's probably my 'ex' by the time you read this - has been takin' the 'wee-wee'!! She's told all her friends and relatives who have joined-in the mickey-taking! Does anyone have a shot-gun I can borrow?? B (:

[steve_nova]

Sod them! You only get one life. Just go with your heart....you know its right :t:

[helenol]

Welcome to the Bird Forum. I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as we all do on here. Believe me, it's addictive :)

Regards

[steve_nova]

ps jgrattigan, you might have perhaps worded the title for your first post a little more discretely as some readers may wish it to be your last by the time you read this!
I think you will find there are a significant number of "wives and girlfriends" on this site that contribute here just as much as the other half.

ps welcome to birdforum.

[very boring banned member]

Tervetuloa to BF, Jgrattigan! Helenol is just trying to say, that You do not need a girlfriend ? ;)

[helenol]

You do not need a girlfriend ? ;)
oi !! I saw that! He probably won't have one with all the time he'll spend on here!

[rogerk]

oi !! I saw that! He probably won't have one with all the time he'll spend on here!
Before I met my Mrs. I was a birder, since I met my Mrs. I've been a birder, and now she is a birder!
Persevere, my friend, it's either put up or shut up with most birders!

Welcome to BF, this is the promised land..............

[gthang]

Eh, what's up, doc?

My neighbors are Rattigans.... no, really.

Anyway, welcome to BF!

[robinm]

Hi jgrattigan,

A warm welcome to Birdforum on behalf of all the Admin, Staff and Moderators. I hope you enjoy your time with us - I am sure you will find everyone friendly and helpful.

My wife was always somewhat less keen than I but accompanies me on all but my early morning birding trips. However, she realises she has lost because yesterday she was iding med gulls on their call. :t:

[Johnny1]

I guess I'm lucky, my wife has always accompanied me while birding, getting as much pleasure travelling to different places and seeing "firsts" as me. These days my wifes job prevents us from getting out together as much but we still try to arrange hollidays etc near good birding spots. With my mates I found some take a keen interest and they outnumber the s******ers.

[Jasonbirder]

My wife hates it too...makes my life as difficult as she possibly can for me!
The pain and trauma I suffer to get a weekend in Scotland or a few days on the Scillies have to be seen to be believed and the number of times i`ve told her i`m going to work when i`ve secretly booked a days holiday - left the house in suit and tie, got changed en-route and then had to change back from muddy boots into a shirt and tie before arriving home!

[tom mckinney]

My girlfriend was not a birder before I met her. Initially she came out with me just to spend time and enjoy the country side.

Then she came on a short distance twitch with me to see a Lesser Scaup. She then started to come with me more & more.

Then she suggested we go to India as she wanted to see the Taj Mahal. Well Bharatpur is not far away - so I was hugely keen. Her initial plan to go on a sightseeing holiday transformed into the the most hectic birding schedule I've ever done. She became driven by the desire to notch up as big a holiday list as possible!

After returning she was hooked.

She now owns an expensive pair of optics that she bought herself and has a pretty impressive Brit list considering she has been birding for 3 years. She thinks nothing of a 1400 mile round trip to see a Coot with a white backside & genuinely thinks the idea of getting soaked and wind blown on east coast headlands whilst waiting to see LBJs is the correct way to spend her time off. I can only agree!

She even twitches by herself if I grip her off when she is working. Last autumn she found a Yellow Browed Warbler in Lincolnshire.

What I'm saying is that people (whatever sex) either take to it or they don't. You can't persuade them or force them.

However, had she not have become as keen as she is I can imagine a much less happy relationship with plenty of sneaking around & lying!

[jgrattigan]

Thanks for all your replies! I've been out today to The Old Moor RSPB 'tween Rotherhan and Barnsley and I saw a Bar-tailed Godwit,well, 18 of them actually, a Common Tern and a Little Ringed Plover. In my excitement I phoned 'er indoors and told her. She couldn't believe the passion in my voice when telling her. I arrived thru the door about an hour ago and, to my shock, she only been into town and bought herself a little Collins book on birds!!! She said that she should be glad that it's only the feathered variety that I am taking such a keen interest in! Well.......

[Gerry Hooper]

Good news jgrattigan!
She'll be hooked soon! My wife wasn't intrested in Birds when we met now she's very keen.

P.s> Welcome, enjoy!

[Gill Osborne]

Oh that IS good news!!! I was showing Neil this thread last night and he couldn't understand how someone could try to stop someone else doing something which they were passionate about! Neil is not as mad-keen as I am but he does occasionally join me on my birding trips and on days when he doesn't want to come he'll happily let me trot off for a few hours...he knows that I always come back bouncing and bubbling over with news of what I've seen! Plus, once I pass my driving test, he's always telling folks that he'll let me take the car off to wherever I like...I'm going to hold him to that!!!
Jason...ever thought about divorce??? I feel so sorry for you...I think she's being a tad unreasonable!!! Surely going out for a few hours or the odd day/weekend to look at a few birds is not that bad a sin? Better than having an affair or summik LOL I don't suppose there's any chance of her getting interested in some way?
Had to smile at your tale of your wife's conversion Tom.....wish Neil would get bitten by the bug! Has your wife, incidentally, got a bigger life list than you now....she certainly sounds addicted!

GILL

[pauco]

Thanks for all your replies! I've been out today to The Old Moor RSPB 'tween Rotherhan and Barnsley and I saw a Bar-tailed Godwit,well, 18 of them actually, a Common Tern and a Little Ringed Plover. In my excitement I phoned 'er indoors and told her. She couldn't believe the passion in my voice when telling her. I arrived thru the door about an hour ago and, to my shock, she only been into town and bought herself a little Collins book on birds!!! She said that she should be glad that it's only the feathered variety that I am taking such a keen interest in! Well.......
Well thing's are looking better!!;)
bert.

[pauco]

My wife hates it too...makes my life as difficult as she possibly can for me!
The pain and trauma I suffer to get a weekend in Scotland or a few days on the Scillies have to be seen to be believed and the number of times i`ve told her i`m going to work when i`ve secretly booked a days holiday - left the house in suit and tie, got changed en-route and then had to change back from muddy boots into a shirt and tie before arriving home!
Ever forgot to change, and walk in the house:eek!:

bert.:'D

[helenol]

Whatever happened to each person having their "own space"?

[deboo]

TRUE STORY......

In the Vendee last week on family holiday....

Me... 'the well travelled and super knowledgeable birder'....
Wife....'throws crumbs out for the birds in our garden' type!....

At the beach.....I see a Skylark and point it out to the family.....
Wife says that it don't look like a Skylark....she consults Collins...
She idents.....CRESTED LARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SHE WAS RIGHT....hahahahahaha....

Moral of the story......

Let them do the birding...they are better at it!

Red faced Dave.

[avifauna]

Whatever happened to each person having their "own space"?
Reminds me of a workmate who used to give two provocative 'sayings':
'It irritates me when the children have grown-up, so the women can go to work and earn money they can have on their *own*.'
If this didn't make swords rattle, he just added:
'But I guess it's better than spending their days on the couch, smoking and reading decoration mag's.'

- Btw, my wife is working full time AND able to distinguish the occational raptor from crows or gulls in long-distant flight.

[helenol]

'But I guess it's better than spending their days on the couch, smoking and reading decoration mag's.'
....and eating chocolate.;)

[CJW]

I've no sympathy for those weak-willed amongst you who allow your birding to be curtailed by anyone.

[weather]

Didn't we just do this!

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=15126

Mike

[helenol]

Mike, I think it may have started off as a kind of "welcome to BF" thread, and has now digressed somewhat.....nothing new there then.

[SimonC]

And, besides, this one doesn't have an inexcusable spelling mistake in the title,.........just a funny one!!;)

[helenol]

And, besides, this one doesn't have an inexcusable spelling mistake in the title,.........just a funny one
I just noticed that! Hmm...maybe I should start a thread called "Husbands and boyfiends who just don't understand" Tit for tat, and all that.

[Darren Oakley-Martin]

I just noticed that! Hmm...maybe I should start a thread called "Husbands and boyfiends who just don't understand" Tit for tat, and all that.
Freudian slip, Helen?

[SimonC]

Freudian slip, Helen?
No that's the funny spelling mistake........do wake up Darren!!

[helenol]

No, just following on from the original thread title....

Besides, I don't "do" Freudian slips. ;)

[alan_rymer]

Only Jim ones?.

[Josette]

What is a "wee-wee"?

[Vectis Birder]

I'm a relatively new bird-watcher and my girlfriend - who's probably my 'ex' by the time you read this - has been takin' the 'wee-wee'!! She's told all her friends and relatives who have joined-in the mickey-taking! Does anyone have a shot-gun I can borrow?? B (:


Dump her. If she is going to take the mick and have everyone else at it too, then she isn't worth it.

[helenol]

Only Jim ones?.
deary me Alan. I just noticed this.

Do settle down.

[pduxon]

What is a "wee-wee"?

in this context it can be translated as make fun of.

It's a polite way of expressing a piece of colloquial English. Wee-wee being a bodily fluid.

[helenol]

Do settle down.
You obviously have. :D