Dear Daily Doocy Regulars,
Welcome to another installment of The Daily Doocy. I've had so much fun reading your real life stories and suggestions for a happy marriage. When I wrote "The Mr. & Mrs. Happy Handbook," I was really out to make a funny book and, according to the critics, I've succeeded. And now that I'm hearing your stories, I realize that I've really touched a chord, because there are so few good books about marriage, the audience has really embraced this concept. And for that, I thank you.
Now let's get to today's answers to the age-old question: "What's the secret to a happy marriage?"
E-mail No. 1
Dear Steve,
Our marriage of 47 years has survived because of the following arrangement: A long time ago it was determined that my wife, Barbara, would make all the small decisions and I, Leo, would make all the major decisions in our family. This has worked very well and I am prepared to make that major decision when it comes along.
Leo Porter
E-mail No. 2
The secret to a happy our happy marriage:
1) Don't go to sleep angry. Agree to settle everything everyday.
2) Don't use sex as a weapon. It's hard to stay angry while making love.
3) Always laugh... about everything.
I met Myrna in 1972 while I was riding a motorcycle and she was in the rumble seat of her brother's 37 Dodge. We married a few years later; she was 17 and I was 19. 32 years and four children later we are thrilled with each other. I stopped in for a haircut Saturday and the lady said, "Myrna looks pretty happy!" Everyone can tell we are still kids in love.
More stories: hitting her with a wet fly while fishing in a small boat, stomping the bottom out of a boat to prove it's solid and sea-worthy and then sinking, her poisoning me by putting charcoal fluid on the hamburgers to finish them quickly or me standing in line with 200 women in the after Thanksgiving sale to purchase our 25th anniversary ring.
It's true, when she goes to work I count the minutes until I see her again.
I think she's the same way. It's really weird.
Edward and Myrna Duffey
Thomasville, PA
E-mail No. 3
We have been married for 44 years. The secret to a good marriage is a dog. We have been traveling in a motorhome full time for 13 years and are together much of the time in very close quarters. When we cannot stand each other any longer, we walk the dog. Sometimes our dog is a very walked pet.
Linn and Kathy Backus
E-mail No. 4
The secret to our happy marriage is persevering till the Empty Nest! My husband and I are having a ball with our children out of the home! We will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary in December and our gift to each other is a bicycle built for two! Hang in there, younger couples. The best is yet to come!
Rick and Mary Nelson
Corpus Christi, TX
E-mail No. 5
Dear Steve,
Laughter is the key to a happy marriage. My husband, John, and I have been married for 34 years. A couple of days before Christmas two years ago, John proudly disclosed to me that he bought me a furnace for Christmas! "Furnace? Furnace! I said FUR... darnit!"
He continued, "But, Suzanne, on those cold winter nights, we'll turn up that furnace and be toasty warm." To which I replied, "Listen, honey, I'll just stop taking my Prempro and have a hot flash that will carry me through the whole winter!"
Good luck on the book.... can't wait to read it.
Sincerely,
Suzanne Turner
Lebanon, KY
What a lovely batch of love. Thank you for sharing it with me. If you'd like to take a look at what "The Mr. and Mrs. Happy Handbook" is all about, you can order it autographed at www.happyhandbook.com or Amazon.com.
See you next time!
Steve Doocy
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