Something DH can do that I just can't.

[Dontmentionfringe]

I realised this Christmas that for all I criticise him DH can do something I just can't. His ability to patiently get involved in small talk from my elderly relations for long periods is astonishing. Same stories over and over. Hour after hour. Never thanked him til today. Whats your Dh's special skill?

Mine has a great bedside manner. Will set up a tray of medicines- you know cold and flu tablets, throat sweets, vapour rub, tissues etc. will bring drinks and snacks to the bedside, or makes a den with the duvet on the couch and organise box sets to watch.
He’s a master at a roast dinner.
He’s fantastic with technology and all gadgets, even helping my relatives with these.
Brilliant at parallel parking and manoeuvres towing the caravan.
Shit at tidying though.

Being a fabulous dad to my children from my first marriage. He didn't have children with his first wife as , although they didn't know it when they met, she had incurable cancer. After she died, when they were both 38, he just thought he wouldn't have a family.The boys were 7 and 9 when I met him and he brought them up. Now they are both nearly 30 they absolutely love him and hugely respect him. They take him to sporting events , fill him with beer and laugh at his terrible 70s jokes. They regard him as dad and have a special name for him. He didn't expect to be a dad. He will be a grandad in March. He is beyond excited. A very fine man.

Mine does the dishwasher, empties the dishwasher, does the washing, puts it on the line, folds when dry and puts it on the bed. Looks after me when I'm not well. And also retired early and moved to France with me. And digs holes and moves soil and cleans the woodburner.

I do the DIY, chop the wood and make the kindling and set the fire. And I do the cooking.

Brings me coffee in bed every single morning without fail. Even when he had Covid recently and was sleeping separately, he still appeared with coffee each morning, wearing a mask. (That was probably when I got it)

A few things.

He’s an exceptional listener. I’ve never asked him a question and not seen him really properly hear me and reply with thought. And we have some daft conversations so all credit to him.

He’s shockingly efficient. Cleans and tidies like a whirlwind, everything in its place, things shiny and neat. It’s rubbed off on me from watching him over the years but he still impresses me.

He’s incredibly patient with the DC. Doesn’t matter how tired he is, if one of them wakes up or needs him he has this superhuman calm tone, it’s genuine, while I want to wail.

He’s the best man I’ve ever known. No matter how long we have together it won’t be enough. He’s outstanding.

Not a great cook but with precise instructions eg peel and chop into exactly 5mm cubed pieces does a a fantastic job. And good at clearing up.
The perfect commis

In terms of his secret skill that no one else can do, it’s taking photos of me that I actually like. No one else ever manages it. He’s in that industry but other professionals haven’t managed it. I think it’s because he’s got the patience to put up with my fussiness, it’s the one thing that makes me feel good about my appearance

Mine cooks. I think our diet would be much less varied if I was in charge of cooking.

Lovely thread 😊 mine is a great driver and endlessly patient with all sorts of nonsense that drives me round the twist. Wouldn't be without him.

Amazing with young children. They flock to him and he seems to know just what to say to make them laugh/ keep them entertained. I'm a bit like Snape

My DH loves meal planning and food shopping and will happily trail from supermarket to supermarket to get the best bargains and the choicest selection of fruit, vegetables, meat and anything else we need. (I would just put in a home delivery order and take what they send).

Mine is another one who will happily chat to anyone. His other superpower is he can wrangle any animal or baby /small child. He loves them and they love him back. We have 2DGC and he’ll happily be left alone with them - no fear of nappies, feeding, playdoh, Peppa Pig or anything really.

My DH is a total faffer but this also translates into enormous reserves of patience to Get Things Right. Decorating, building furniture, packing the car for camping, anything he does do he will take time and effort to do it as well as possible. He is the person who adjust all the ropes when we put the tent up so we don’t end up sleeping in a soggy mess, whereas I’ve lost interest and have started inhaling wine long before we have anything approaching acceptable

He also loves me even when I’m being a stroppy mare, which I think is quite a niche skill.

If you point out a behaviour that upsets you to my DH, he will listen, think about it, and then change it straight away and forever. I'm pretty sure I don't do this even though I try.

Mine is a good head taller than me so he can reach stuff I can't 😁

Also so very thoughtful, he always gets me great presents & buys stuff for DD which are always spot on without any prompting and wraps them so I don't even know what they are.

Poached eggs perfect every time, delivered to me in bed on my birthday & Mother's Day

Finally, after 15 years can still make me laugh until I cry 🥰

He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of roads, places, postcodes, dialing codes - more useful than Google maps, I can say I want to get from A to B (across the country, not half a mile) with no traffic lights, and he would know a route.

He has many other good points, but that's one I can't do at all, most of his others I can do a bit because I'm so brilliant

This is such a wonderful thread and I’m not ashamed to admit that it has made me have a little cry (I have had that kind of day anyway).

I can’t do my husband justice today, because I can tell that the words just wouldn’t come. He is truly the best man I have ever met on every level and in every aspect, and I’m grateful every day that I get to share my life with him.❤️

He's amazing in bed and makes me feel like the most beautiful woman alive. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I haven't...erm...climaxed in 22 years and that's probably only when I was drunk.

He's great in other ways and also drives me mad sometimes but I've never stopped fancying the arse off him!

Sorry to lower the tone!!

My DH can take a very complicated subject and break it down into three sentences or less in the blink of an eye. He is astounding good.

Oh, and can also make any instructions elderly friendly better than anyone I know.

I really think he should have been a teacher

Hang groups of pictures perfectly lined up. I don't know how he eyes them up. Undo nuts and bolts really efficiently and can wield a drill . I think I'm easily impressed.

@Bluebluemoon not at all!

It’s a very important part of what makes my DH my perfect man. I can’t imagine ever not fancying him.

Rebooting the kitchen after dinner. All the ironing.
My favourite might be the fridge and bin emptying before holidays.
Ooh and holiday research. Painstakingly researches every flight/villa/hotel combination and present me with a reasonable shortlist to choose from.

Excel.

I'm the practical one so do a lot of the cooking, car driving, DIY etc but DH is amazing at the mental load. He sets up food deliveries, does all the insurances, shops around for best prices on everything.

He is also an older dad to DD and still has the energy to throw her around whilst she squeals with laughter after a long day teaching. I tend to sit on the sofa and snuggle with her instead and be a bit lazy.

Aw this is a lovely thread.

My DH is the best dad in the world. I spent a day away from our small daughters last week and left them with him and my mum, and she observed after that day that I was the functional, facilitating parent, and he was the nurturing, fun one. His endless patience
He's also super fit (16 min 5k runner) and has a singing voice fit for a west end musical. He's better at MS Excel than me even though it's my job and is amazing at DIY. He also lets me warm up my feet in between his thighs and has the world's biggest puppy dog eyes that I can't look into if I'm cross else i lose.