Are we weird?

[Icantremembermyusername]

My DC were with their dad this weekend so DP and I headed into town and ran some non child friendly errands. We went to our favourite bookshop and each bought a couple of books. We went home and picked up the dog and had a sniffy walk through the woods to our local pub, bought a bottle of wine (x2) and sat at opposite ends of a sofa with the dog between us and read our new books while drinking wine. In my head, it was bliss! We’d done the necessary, and walked the pooch and after the crazy of Christmas we were very happy to chill out with some relaxed lighting, ambient music, a bit of buzz and no calls on our attention. Dog was quite content too. We walked home after and made tea.
My friend says we’re weird and that only sad people go to the pub and sit in silence, ignoring each other and we should have stayed at home. What do you think?

Who cares? If it works for you it doesn't matter if other people think it's weird.

Sitting in companionable silence, each doing your own thing, what’s not to like?

OP sounds like you and your partner are very well suited...pure bliss xx

Sounds great

You weren't ignoring each other though, you were spending time together. Comfortable, companionable silence is one of the greatest parts of a happy relationship in my mind. I couldn't stand to be with someone who saw silence as something to fill at all times!

Sounds like you had a lovely day to me and as long as you, partner and dog are happy, that's what matters surely.

I think it sounds like a pretty perfect day to be honest! Maybe I'm wierd too 😂

Not weird, sounds like bliss and something I would love to do with DH but no childcare for our young two. Your friend sounds very rude and probably jealous as it's difficult to do something like that without good childcare in place. I love the comfortable silence between myself and my DH when we can get it

I can't imagine paying pub prices for wine when there's no other reason to be out, but then I don't understand paying for coffees out either. DH and I often sit on the sofa after DCs have gone to bed, he watches TV and I do stuff on my phone. I like sitting there with him. I think if we were out together we'd use the time to chat though, because we can never have a full length conversation when the DCs are around.

I don’t know an exact definition, but a sniffy walk to me is an off lead walk when the dog is allowed to potter off and, well, sniff stuff and be free to be a dog as opposed to a lead walk where I’m choosing the direction of travel. The dog is mentioned lots because she’s beautiful and we are very lucky to live in an area where bar maids welcome you with dog treats rather than living somewhere where you need to stay at home with your canine friend. Most places here have water bowls and offer treats and have blankets to cover the furniture so Fido (not her real name) can snuggle up while you have a drink.

Sounds like utter bliss to me. We manage this on holiday with me reading & my partner either watching football or listening to music.
Can't really do it in any of our locals but I imagine if we were a bit more rural it would be amazing 😍

We do this in coffee shops all the time! Sometimes we read aloud to each other if we are reading the same book.

Happy days!

I'm sending this to my partner as a suggestion for our anniversary coming up..lol it literally sounds like heaven.

I was waiting for the eventual 'my friend/hamster/cat/cousin said we're weird', that these thread invariably end with.

If they really did say that, why are you taking any notice?

If they didn't, why are you looking for confirmation that this is an ok way to spend your childfree time?

@Noodleface99

youre sooooo wrong, you cannot mention a dog too much.

now, they have the dog you think is over mentioned, so use your imagination what a sniffy walk might just be....

ok ok clearly you need help here...the D. O. G. Gets to enjoy sniffing his way along the walk without being hurried along it's a real treat & tiring for a dog, then they can get comfy for a good snooze.

@Icantremembermyusername your friend has no idea!! It sounds lovely. An almost perfect Sunday!!

My dad and stepmum do this regularly. I think it looks great!

Sounds good. X

No, it's what normal people who don't have kids do all the time. Lots of blissful micromoments like this. It's made me think though, that my OH and I take it for granted instead of realising it's not an everyday thing for most 🤔

It sounds fantastic. Good for you.

Some of this sounds lovely (dog walk; pub; reading).

Some sounds exhausting (2 bottles of wine in the middle of the day = 😴)

And some is just plain twee: 'Favourite bookshop' 🙄. Do you just mean 'bookshop'.

But on balance I think, not weird.

I think its your own business what suits you and your partner.

Sounds very normal.

Everywhere in the UK is dog friendly these days!

Well your friend obviously hasn't heard of the very popular Silent Book Club.

I think your evening sounds lovely!

I wouldn't want to do that in the pub (or go to one at all other than to eat) but I can't see what could possible be that weird about this, just seems very normal to me though we do similar pretty much every weekend - dog walk, bookshop, reading time, nice food.

If anything I'd have thought most people would find it a tad boring, rather than exceptionally weird.