Top Ten Thursdays - Life Hacks

Life hack (or life hacking) refers to any trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method that increases productivity and efficiency, in all walks of life.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_hack)

This weeks top ten really stumped me as I couldn’t think of any life hacks that I do so realised I might have to be inventive with this post. I thought and thought until my head hurt and then it hit me, the many ways in which I do have life hacks and how lucky I am to have them. So this is my top ten, starting from number one as the rest don’t make sense otherwise.

1. How to make life as easy as possible - marry a man that you can have a true partnership with and who treats you like a princess (remember that you have to treat him like a prince in return). My beloved always says that it’s his job to look after me especially as my father told him that’s what he had to do.  I am truly blessed to be married to my best friend.

2. How to get a morning coffee without moving a muscle – have a lovely husband who makes you the perfect milky coffee and brings it to you in your favourite Blogging from A to Z Challenge mug.

3. How to cheer up when feeling blue – have a silly husband who doesn’t mind making himself look even sillier if he knows it will make you laugh. Another thing that my beloved does that always makes me smile is to put on other accents. He’s especially good at Liverpool, Birmingham, and broad Scots accents, though I'm not sure I could have married him if he sounded like that (only joking).

4. How to get rid of spiders when you’re terrified of them – have a very brave husband who will pick them up and put them outside whilst you scream with terror. (there will be no picture here as I don't even like looking at pictures of spiders so just imagine Ken being macho and picking up a big, hairy spider).

5. How to cope with flying when it ‘s not your favourite thing in the world – have a very calming husband who lets you cut off the circulation in his hand during take-off and landing, and who doesn’t mind fingernail imprints in his thigh if there is turbulence during the flight.

We don't normally fly business class but I had hurt my back in Australia and our lovely
insurance upgraded us so that I would be more comfortable

6. How to manage becoming a vegetarian in your late 40’s – have a supportive husband who becomes one with you, no questions asked. I totally didn’t expect Ken to give up meat with me but as his diet is 50% cake I shouldn’t have been surprised.

7. How to maintain romance in a busy life – it’s the little things that matter, such as sticking a note to the bathroom mirror, or leaving chocolate on a pillow, or even making a heart out of maltesers. We try and do these things regularly so as the other never forgets how much they are loved.

Note that I left for Ken

Chocolate heart that Ken left for me

8. How to fulfill your slightly odd fascination with graveyards - have a wonderful husband who indulges all your hobbies and even takes note of old graveyards to take you to. My beloved tolerates a lot of my quirks and this is one that he's really embraced for me, even going to an open day in an old graveyard in London where there was a fair in amongst the headstones.

9. How to cope when you're ill on holiday - have a husband who doubles as a nurse. I have had a few occasions over the years when I've been unwell when we go away and my beloved does everything within his power to make me feel better and I wouldn't want to be ill with anyone else. I'm also a little bit clumsy and have been known to fall over - down stairs (Portknockie, Scotland), over bollards in a car park (Strahan, Tasmania), even backwards pulling my husband over on top of me (Boat Harbour Beach, Tasmania).

This was in Barcelona (2005) when I had a rotten chest infection - my hair
is hiding the fact that I' as white as a ghost

10. How to maintain a fulfilling, supportive, and extremely happy marriage when life can sometimes get in the way - have a husband (wife, life partner, or whatever you call each other) who really understands your job, your worries, your hobbies, your sense of humour, your family, and basically get you. Never stop showing each other affection, don't go to bed angry, hold hands no matter how old you are, and don't be embarrassed to  canoodle in public (though sometimes I go out of my way to embarrass my beloved - we've even had an older man tell us not to get carried away in the vegetable section of a supermarket).

So there you have it, my version of life hacks - the key skill here was marrying my Kenneth and getting to spend my life with him.

Until next time, be good, stay safe, and hop over to Tamara' blog to check out what life hacks my fellow bloggers have come up with - click HERE to visit her blog.

Pamela & Ken

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