I've just deliberately sent my husband on a wild goose chase

[GooseyGooseyWander]

I may or may not have changed some details of said hobby and equipment.

He has a 'hobby' that he is obsessed with. Let's call it wild goose chasing. He watches YouTube videos about wild goose chasing, he reads magazines about wild goose chasing, he has all the gear ('infrared', 'thermal imaging' etc) and likes to go out wild goose chasing on a regular basis.

Recently he hasn't been wild goose chasing due to some disillusionment with his level of success in wild goose chasing and the lack of presence of gooses in the local area. This means every night, for many hours he has talked to me about wild goose chasing. Reads out bits from magazines to me. Talks endlessly. Listens to goose chasing videos in bed and comments on goose chasing techniques.

Tonight I went out on a run and happened to see a wild goose in an unusual location.

Nonchalantly told DH about it and would you know it, off his own back he's excitedly gone out to chase said wild goose.

I've now had two hours of mumsnetting and watching MAFS UK without someone talking about gooses through it. I expect DH is still delightedly crawling around on his hands and knees with his thermal imaging goggles looking for said wild goose.

Only I didn't see a wild goose.

AIBU?

AIBU to see it again tomorrow?

Well I see the humour in the OP'S 'deception' and I can tell from some of the previous posts who I would rather be friends with in real life!
If i wanted something from a shop and had coveted it for months and DH told me he heard it was now back in the shop (after months of me going on about it), I would rush off to said shop leaving DH in peace at home. I maybe lucky and find the item I wanted, I maybe unlucky but still enjoy my trip to the shop! It isn't exactly the level of bullying or abuse some posters seem to think it is
OP I salute your genius

Owl spotting?

It's got to be geocaching!! They do seem like wild goose chases every time I hear of it!

I thinik its funny but why did he tell kids they could stay up late so he could dump childcare on you?

I love you OP.

You are a Jedi Master OP. May the force be with you.

It's got to be geocaching!!

No, because that isn't how geocaching works. You don't just spot them whilst on a run.

He's either a twitcher or a stalker.

I reckon twitching as you can't just up and off and shoot a deer without proper prep.

It’s actually us on the wild goose hunt isn’t it?

@whynotwhatknot

I thinik its funny but why did he tell kids they could stay up late so he could dump childcare on you?

Sigh. Backstory alert.

My run yesterday evening was deliberately later than usual as my darling husband has fallen into the habit of being Unavailable At Bedtime.

This leaves muggins here to wrestle the spirited children into bed.

So last night I went for a run with instructions for the delightful fruits of our loins to be in bed by the time I got back. Strict instructions.

They weren't. Because; spurious reasons. Basically he couldn't be arsed and let them stay up until I got back so I didn't miss out on the joy of putting them to bed.

However

We have a hard and fast rule due to previous goosing related Unavailability At Bedtime that he can't go out goosing unless the children are in bed.

So two gooses with one stone - despite him thinking he had managed to successfully Avoid Doing Bedtime he now had to do bed time in order to go out goose chasing AND in doing said goose chasing also means I get the evening off from listening about goose chasing.

If that makes me a meanie pants I've already made my peace with it.

I want it to be ghosts so much

OP - is your husband one of the British population who firmly believes there are wild big cats in the UK so he heads off to chase up reported sightings?

I think you're a meany, OP. But not for the goosey business. I think you're a meany for not telling us what this hobby is. Is it nature photography of some kind?

@Ekofisk

Maybe not tomorrow night, I’d give it a few days.

Otherwise DH is going to rope you in as Wild Goose Spotter In Chief and you’ll become an integral part of his hobby.

Love it OP, but I'd be careful not to see too many wild geese for fear of the above...

OP. You. Are. A. Genius.
Can we be besties please?

Something you chase.... aliens, crop circles, Yeties, Big foot.....

OP, I think you might be my hero

Foraging for unusual mushrooms?!!!

At first I thought badgers or bats, then spotting something like shooting stars but with the children being too noisy comment I'm back to thinking it's an animal. I'm going to punt for otters or red squirrels.

Just popping in for a gander to see if the hobby has been revealed!

@TheChiefJo

I think you're a meany, OP. But not for the goosey business. I think you're a meany for not telling us what this hobby is. Is it nature photography of some kind?

Is that a euphemism?

If beavers was a “warm” guess I’m going with Otter spotting.

My guess is looking for big cats.

Love this

Geo catching.