Swmbo

[oldticktock]

As I said in post #2 my wife encourages me to get more and often gets them for me. I've seen "The Teleman" collection, believe me it does not get much more vast and you don't achieve that without an understanding wife,i'm sure there are many more.

[murphyv310]

Hey Chris perhaps she wants you out of the way!!
It reminds me of the film "Flowers in the attic" except in your case its "oldticktock in the attic!

[threeseven]

Being single I don't have this problem, but in the past various live in girlfriends have voiced objection to my err lifestyle ! Vintage radio's, Hi-Fi and electronic stuff is not my only 'mania', as one ex referred to it, though. I also collect old motorcycles, automobilia, camera's, model cars, etc, etc, so my house is substantially devoted to the display and storage of this.
With 2 exceptions I have found the lives of my various past female acquaintances just plain dull. How they manage to get through life with so little interest in things is beyond me. Unless they were gossiping, wittering on about about shopping, lusting after yet more shoes or handbags, choosing new decoration, etc, they weren't happy !
Sometime, hopefully, I might meet a self fulfilled woman who can appreciate my 'mania' !!

[oldticktock]

I thought someone would think that.

The wife is a vintage Radio/TV fan too and quite interested in how they all work. She is also actively encouraging me to dedicate a spare room to the cause as a vintage retreat free from modern distractions, it's me thats not sure. She is also best at negotiating prices at antique shop/fairs, so brutal that I sometimes cringe, but in truth they almost always fold much to my delight. What's also cool is my lad of 7 & 3/4 (must get it right) loves it all too, and can tell the difference between caps and resistors and what their function is, and loves testing valves on the AVO and using the bridge, all heavily supervised and he is very aware of the inherant dangers and has amazed the wife with technical babble about whats he's been upto, i'm lucky it's a family affair.

Chris

[bluepilot]

I think it all boils down to evolution. Women are subconsciously trying to provide tidy nests or something and junk all over the place doesn't fit in with that. (Incidentally are there any lady members here who have problems with HWMBO or is this an exclusively male preserve?) Anyway a SWMBO who tolerates old radios should be treasured. In fact mine positively likes them because she can never work out how to turn the modern one on. If only we had more than one station on MW in Munich. Actually we have two in our house and she still hasn't worked out that the second one comes from the cellar but is always amazed that it provides just the programs that she likes.

[kalee20]

Originally Posted by tedzed1

But it sometimes works the other way round, as we have some female members on this forum, who may have problems with their husbands/partners, (would love to know if there is the case of other way round)

I would, too. Do these ladies have HWMBO's? Or are they just sensible and take no notice!

Toleration is a much undervalued virtue!

[Heatercathodeshort]

Ladies do not like 'three people in a marriage' and begin to get a trifle jealous if something comes into the house that love and affection is showered upon. I'm a single guy and just waiting for the flack! 'You think more of that old junk than me'.. 'Funny how you spend hours with that old junk but can't find 20 minutes to visit your sick mother in law'... 'You said once we got married you would take all that junk down the tip'... I didn't mind too much when you only had a couple but now the house is full of all this junk'..'How am I expected to dust with all this junk around the house'..I'm sure you can add to the list of old chestnuts. [Name and address withheld] X.

[ppppenguin]

Ladies need to know about this fetish BEFORE marriage, like any special interest. If they find out afterwards they may not be too happy. Too many ladies have this misguided impression that they can change their man. You can take the lion out of the wild but you can't take the wild out of the lion.

A lady should be greatful that he's into radio and tellies. It means he's not down at the pub getting drunk or messing about with other women.

I will freely admit that if you can't use the house for normal living because every square foot is taken up by "stuff" then a lady may not be pleased. TBH, I don't like it that way either and feel hemmed in if there's too much stuff around. I've been in some houses (naming no names) where you have to sidle carefully between barricades of stuff.

Those who have visited John Wakely will know that his house is pretty immaculate and a pleasant place to live. In fact you'd swear there was a woman somewhere keeping it nice. In fact it's just John who's a naturally decent chap who likes his home comforts.

[mark pirate]

A lady should be greatful that he's into radio and tellies. It means he's not down at the pub getting drunk or messing about with other women.

Believe it or not, thats what my mother in law tells my missus

I am 'allowed' to have several radios & tv's scattered about the place, as it's usually me doing the housework
We both have our seperate hobbies & interests, she has her horse, i have my 'junk', (both external to the house!) So never have any problems

Mark

[bluepilot]

Originally Posted by ppppenguin

I will freely admit that if you can't use the house for normal living because every square foot is taken up by "stuff" then a lady may not be pleased.

I once knew someone who just kept accumulating stuff. His lady friend was very tolerant but walked out when the bedroom filled up and he moved the bed into the hallway.

[Sideband]

Originally Posted by ppppenguin

A lady should be greatful that he's into radio and tellies. It means he's not down at the pub getting drunk or messing about with other women.

Brilliant....and that is exactly what I've been telling her for nearly 30 years.....! Still up in the loft though....!



SB

[oldticktock]

Hi Ya loft Buddy although i'm here by choice

[Hybrid tellies]

Mine seems to be growing more hostile to my collection as time goes by. She limits my stuff to the third box room which she now realises is full to bursting. So anything I bring home now is in secret or gets the where the hell are you going to put that reception.
Oh to be single again.

[Michael Maurice]

Originally Posted by Hybrid tellies

Oh to be single again.

As Basil Fawlty once remarked "Twice can be arranged"!

[Audio1950]

I'm single, so don't have the SWMBO problem, but I must admit to looking at my fitted wardrobes last week and thinking "If I got rid of some of those clothes, I could get a few more gramophones in there".! Every cupboard is full of machines or 78s, the spaces under all three beds are stuffed with machines, the garage is my round tuit repository, and there's even a box of spares in the boot of the car, 'cos I can't think of where else to put it! There must be therapy available!

Barry

[Phil G4SPZ]

Originally Posted by ppppenguin

...Too many ladies have this misguided impression that they can change their man...

I believe that this stems from being told by their mothers that they only need to remember three words about marriage - aisle, altar, hymn

[Boom]

Reading this thread is making me put my hands together in thanks for what I have. Not only do I have a front room fitted as a retro museum and radios all over the house all of which the wife likes but I also have a room/workshop/office/sanctuary totally to myself in the house. Heaven really...

[theoldtrout]

I feel sorry for some of you chaps who do not have understanding partners – what happened to a bit of give and take on both sides? I don’t have a HWMBO, my best friend and I - both long divorced and ladies of a certain age – share a house and we get along very well. She doesn’t quite share my passion for vintage HiFi or radio sets but I do sometimes get a comment along the lines of “do you think you’ll live long enough to repair all those wireless sets?”

[Alistair D]

During the 30 years I was married I was never nagged once about my electronics hobby. Many times I was advised for my own good though.

Al

[SeanStevens]

My wife just loves moving my stuff about. Never have I gone home not to find either:

1. My correspondence 'bundled up' so that my sedimentary filing system is rendered useless

2. My current repair + pot of radio parts/screws moved to the conservatory along with ANY other items that remind her of me.

The fascination with 'my stuff' is too strong for her. I have NEVER felt the desire to move anything of hers and find it rude when my items are shuffled around for me - never with any discussion.

The worst ever was the digital camera incident, when (in trying to rid the house of another box of unwanted toys) trying to photograph some stuff for disposal I found that my digital camera had been hidden. I took the house apart, no sign of the darn thing. When she arrived home, hours later, she did not understand my anger at the total waste of time she had caused me - WORSE still, went straight to the camera and said that she thought it was better stored in there (a draw full of her stuff, where the camera had never been stored) !

When I had a larger house (with a monster loft) my toys were easily stored out of sight and only a few things got dotted around the house. The radio collecting is relatively new - and I'm still 'holding out' for the right to work on them in the house/conservatory - and not be relegated to a cold loft.

But guess I will end up in the loft, surrounded by Scalextric cars and old radios - I been faced with worse scenarios……………… I just can’t remember when.


SEAN