When couples spend more time together, trouble is bound to follow
In the Showa era, the phrase 'A husband is best when he's healthy and away' became popular. It was a commercial for Kincho's 'Tansu ni Gon'.
Having taken early retirement, I now realize, belatedly, that the catchphrase was spot on.
I will quote from my diary of a year ago, when the time I spent at home increased dramatically.
A fight with my wife over whose turn it was to wash the dishes. We settled on washing our own dishes, and taking turns daily for large items like pots.
Dinner was minestrone, a salad of fresh onions, and lightly pickled cucumbers.
Regarding cooking, my wife, who works part-time, forced an unequal treaty upon me. While I am unemployed, grocery shopping and cooking for dinner have become my responsibility. Furthermore, my wife pressured me, saying, 'Since you have free time, you should do the dishes too.'
When I naturally countered that it was 'too one-sided!!'...
She snapped back, 'You're the one who decided to take early retirement on your own, so it wouldn't kill you to do at least that much.'
This is no longer about logic. The cause was that there were only two weeks between when I told my wife I wanted to take early retirement and the company's application deadline.
In the end, we settled on the conditions mentioned in my diary.
Um, what I'm trying to say is...
🍀 Consult with your partner about early retirement well in advance.
🍀 Time spent together as a couple is important, but if it increases suddenly, trouble is likely to occur. Whether it's going to the library or taking a walk, make sure to go out by yourself.