Diary of a Marriage: Why Summer Is Good For Marriages

When the weather gets warm, everything—including marriage—just gets better. Here’s why.

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Walks around the block. Especially the early evening ones, when the fireflies are out.

Beach trips. Getting away from the day-to-day grind means more time to recharge. A coworker takes Saturday jaunts to the Shore with her husband. They pack a cooler, a change of clothes, and plop on a beach for the day. Then, sandy and sun-tanned, they head back to the city. Best. Date. Ever.

Less clothes. And, well, we’ll leave it at that.

Rita’s Water Ice. It’s become our Sunday afternoon tradition, sitting in the sun with giant cups of candy-colored water ice. Sometimes we talk, sometimes we don’t. Either way, it’s enough.

No school. As a teacher, J. gets summers off. This means that for three months, he becomes what we’ve termed my “house husband.” Since summer is my busiest time at work, it’s helpful that J. can take over things cleaning the house and doing the laundry and scheduling funny things like dryer vent cleanings and car inspections. (Who knew you have to have your dryer vents cleaned?) Sometimes, I’m even surprised with …

Fresh rugmarks. Coming home to them is one of the best things in life. Plus, a vacuuming husband is just plain sexy.

Less sports. There’s no college basketball during the summer. This means I get control of the TV. Hello, Bravo!

Bad TV. While our weekly shows take their summer hiatus, J. and I remember what we’ve been missing during the week: a funny little thing called ‘conversation.’

Drives to the train station. J.’s taken to waking up with me in the morning and driving me to the train station. The best part: When he picks me up each night, he holds a sign, like limo drivers do at airports. These usually refer to what I’m wearing (i.e. “Pretty lady in my favorite green dress with too many bracelets on”) and they’ve become my favorite thing to collect. Proof that the littlest things are really the biggest.

Picnics. Ants and all.

 

 

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