We need something to do in the evening together. Something that does involve a little bit of competition, something that we will improve at and something that we can fulfill our needs of admiration with.

Needs to be at home because of babysitters and cashflow.

We have been doing workout DVDs together which is quite funny and gets lots of endorphins going. We do mountain biking on off duties when the kids are at school/ preschool (once every couple of weeks), but this doesn't give much opportunity for conversation as H is so much bigger and stronger than me (not fitter I hasten to add )

Just want soemthing else. Ideas please?

Maybe we're asking too much???

Thank you for reading
ST
(In a very good recovery from A - I'm missing the hobby I shared with FOM and the chatting/admiration we used to do about it. H has taken his rightful place but I'm feeling a need to replace the recreational companionship and hobby.)

IDEA #1: Do you like playing cards? Learn a game that puts you on equal footing and play away. Little to no money, can last as long as you want. Can be taken out and put up quickly if distractions arise. Affords LOTS of opportunity to just sit and talk. Just be sure to choose a game that you are both fairly equal at. One person winning all the time gets old for both sides.

IDEA #2: Get a Nintendo Wii. If you haven't played it, it is awesome. Requires next to no time start up. Games (especially Wii Sports) take very little to learn and while easily mastered, manage to stay interesting. Not to mention you get a little blood flowing (Maybe a lot if it's the boxing).

IDEA #3: Pick a TV show and make it "our show". Something you look forward to watching together. Not exactly UA, but can foster closeness none-the-less.

IDEA #4: Gee, what else could we do together to get a workout, be together, start endorphins flowing, hmmm....

Thanks for that JCP

I'd forgotten about the Wii - I've just had a b'day and I asked for money to go towards it - hoping to have enough saved for easter.

Oh yeah, cards - we'll get them out tonight and the pennies out of the penny jar.

We did do the TV thing, just discovered CSI - thing is it's on all the time and it killed our conversation and our sleep. Now limited to one/two a week.

Thank you for suggesting this forum, ST. I haven't paid much attention to forums other than those under infidelity so this is good to venture out of there.

This thread is reminding me of good things to do. Games are fun, especially cards. H and I used to play a lot of Cribbage, Speed, and two-people solitare.

I'm impressed you do work out DVDs together. H and I have talked about doing yoga together in the morning which could mix it up for you.

Wii is fun.

What about reading the paper together -- reading interesting parts of it to each other, do the cross-words, review the movies that were just released.

Have any rooms in your home that you want to re-do? What about taking a room and repainting it or making low-cost changes? Watch one of those home improvement shows and see if you can emulate some of the ideas that you like. Refinish a dresser or glaze a plant holder.

This sounds corny, but when was the last time you made homemade ice cream or had fondue? We have a little indoor s'more set-up that can be fun. We bought it for the kids and parties, but it's fun for grown-ups too.

Do you like to dance? If yes, set it up in your kitchen or living room, including great songs pre-programmed in an iPod, candles, and your dancing shoes.

Do you like music? Back in the day my H and I used to sit in the living room and listen to entire albums. Take out an old album (if you have a turn-table and LPs this could be especially nostalgic) or play a CD the way the artist intended -- from start to finish. Analyze the songs. Read the liner notes. Decide which songs you like and which ones you don't.

What about puzzles? We tend to do these around the holidays, but I always enjoy them and puzzles provide a great environment for conversation.

And of course idea #4 from JCat could be worth looking into.

I'll check back to see what others come up with.

Thanks L4

The home improvement one, will get us going, we had a think and are going to relandscape the garden - on paper.

I have never ever made homemade icecream, so that is something I'll look into - we both like the kitchen

Dancing... we'd both love to do dancing lessons but with no cash and not a free night away form the house it seems hard. But actually why not just put on some tunes and see if we can do something - I'm sure I could find a dance lesson DVD to do aswell.

Haven't worked out how to post links yet, have you found the 175 things to do?