Greg Hartnett

As with so many things in life, maintaining a relationship has so much to do with timing. Being able to discuss things with your spouse is so important, but discussing those things at the wrong time can prove to be a recipe for disaster. I had one of those moments this afternoon.

With fresh snow in Vermont this weekend, and limited time slots available within the next few months, I tried to persuade my wife of the merits of a quick boys trip. As the Christmas holiday rapidly approaches, I knew that my proposition was tricky at best, with a potential for me eating shit. Lily gets pretty stressed around birthdays and holidays. A two-fold problem, really. God bless my wife, she does her best to make each event the greatest it can be. Shooting for the stars on each birthday, Christmas, and every other milestone is a pretty big feat. Enter my nonchalant demeanor, and her burden intensifies.

So when I called to feel her out, and immediately heard the stress in her voice, I knew I may be in for a rocky road. With the clock ticking, I didn’t have the leisure of waiting for a more opportune time. I decided to strike - and as expected, it didn’t go over well. With Killington 300 miles away, and a good deal of Christmas shopping to be done, the timing couldn’t be worse. Add the stress associated with siblings in a non-sharing mood, and the snaps coming from the Mrs. were well anticipated.

In the end, we came to an agreement, and I convinced my fellow boarders to adjust their schedules a bit. Makes for a late night drive, but another part of relationships is compromise, right? Hopefully the conditions are ripe, and the snow is soft. Hopefully my legs hold for more than a few runs