Srsly

this forum makes me wanna stay single forever.

I think she just gets a bit down when I'm away as she effectively becomes a single mum. It doesn't help me though if she won't talk to me.

Doesn't that make you an uncaring dad by being away?

It's possible that this is just her way of dealing with it? Maybe it hurts her to talk to you when you're away because she misses you? Sounds odd but I know someone who's husband works in Germany for 3 months (not consecutive) of the year and they don't talk to each other during those times because it breaks her heart to hear him but not be able to see/touch him. I presume you talk to her about it when you're at home? TBH, if your relationship is strong enough to cope with you being off piste for the times that you are then a bit of this shouldn't be the be-all and end-all.

Thinking of you both anyway xx

You seem to be doing fine on achieving that front anyway.

Taking a load of unrelated items, putting them in a bag and then shoving that bag in a box behind a door is not tidying up in any useful way

I've just found a bunch of stuff I've been searching for since my mum came to visit...

This seems to affect older people quite a bit. Or rather, their kids

She did talk to me today, though she was very moody.
Turns out both the boys have a cold. For the baby that means he's not feeding much each time he has a bottle, so he's waking up more often for smaller feeds, so she's getting no sleep, so she's grumpy.
There's not much I can do about that. I'm stuck on the rig for almost two more weeks.

Over the last couple of weeks or so, a lot of people have been trying the 'so when are you going to find a girlfriend', 'how come you're single', 'when do you think you'll have kids?' chat with me.
I wouldn't mind, but frankly between the arguing I've seen, the numerous people who more or less do nothing but whinge to me about their other halves, those in relationships just seem to be having a [LIFTED] time of things.
Good luck to you all, and all that, but honestly I don't think it's for me.

While I'm not sure I'd go as far as our esteemed Prof. I think those who seem to assume that being single means your life is somehow broken need their bumps examining. There are pluses to being in a relationship but there are certainly plusses to being on your own too.

For example, I found out at quite short notice that there was an event I wanted to go to last night. So I went. No having to negotiate, no finding babysitters, no guilt-trips or sulking. I appreciate that's only one side of the argument but with some people you wouldn't believe it existed at all.

Jon

The other benefit is that you do not become clingy as you are more self sufficient.

A downside is that bitterness and hatred can creep in. Gotta keep that in check.

Mark

Well I think you will cope.

They're not all the same, I've now been with Red for just about 5 years, the time has flown, he's my best friend, we don't play stupid mind games with each other, we have open, honest communication, mutual respect and it's easy. We don't argue because we're both quite laid back, we're both quite independant and there's no sulking, silent treatment or anything.

It's nice to have the simple companionship, someone to talk to over dinner, someone to take over the chores when you don't feel like it, someone to share a joke with. I know I'm fine on my own, I'm not defined as a person by my relationship, but life is better with us together.