Friday, January 09, 2009

let me go crazy on you

I wrote a while back about taking vitamins to deter bouts of depression. But I have to confess, I haven't been very good about taking them for several months. It's not that I forgot, I just haven't been taking them. And since I'm not merely breathing these days, I just haven't felt the need. Top that with the fact that RL isn't working out of town any longer, my life and emotional state turned all butterflies and rainbows.

"Are you taking your crazy pills?" I reminded my dear husband they are *not* crazy pills; they're just vitamins. But he insists I don't act as crazy when I'm taking them. Actually, his exact word for it was "b!tchy." I'm more "agreeable" when I take my "crazy" pills. But it's kind of funny, don't you think, that my "craziness" is more noticeable when he's misbehaving? Not badly misbehaving, just being a little annoying.

The truth is, these past few months we've been slowly entering a new phase in our marriage. The long awaited Empty Nest. For most married couples I imagine this is a normal adjustment. But most married couples have, at some point previously, been married without kids at home. RL and I, on the otherhand, have never been married without children. Jeremy was seven when we got married and shortly thereafter (about seven months later) Brandi was born. There's never been "just us."

So he's always home (because he doesn't go out of town) and we're always home alone (because there are no kids). But sometimes I think we're getting on each other's nerves and driving each other crazy. The other day, after walking passed Brandi's empty room, I told RL I was feeling a little sad about it. "That's why you need to take your 'crazy' pills."

See what I mean? He's driving me crazy!!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Queenie and I had two years together pre-brats but I hope those years are not indicative of what we face in 2-3 years when we empty the nest. Those were (for various reasons) tumultuous years that I would prefer not to relive. I wonder if crazy pills would have helped?

I am happy to hear that RL is in town and quite pleased that you're getting to enjoy butterflies and rainbows, even if it means the lepruchan comes out now and again! :-)

Desmond Jones said...

What is this 'Empty Nest' of which you speak? . . .

Anyway, one hopes that by the time you hit the Empty Nest (whatever that is), you're past the 'adjustment issues' that characterized the 'newlywed, pre-kids' stage. But then, maybe there are a whole new set of 'adjustment issues'; is that what you're tellin' me?

Phyllis Renée said...

XI -- Yeah, that leprechaun -- always after me lucky charms! :D

Desmond -- Yep, you got it.

Sailor said...

Empty nest? I can only dream... okay, not really, I'm lucky- all four kids are so far well-adjusted, normal, troublesomequarrelsomelaughing
jokingteasinggoodstudentbad
studenttearsandjoy
filled-kids.

I hope you and RL do adjust well though, that's gotta be a big change.

Oh, and crazy pills? Take 'em if you need 'em, is my thinking!

FTN said...

Maybe do a scientific study by just TELLING him you are taking the pills, but don't take them. See if he thinks you are "less crazy." Might be the placebo effect, for HIM.

I hear stories about women being driven nuts by husbands after the guys retire, because they are around home so much and don't know what to do with themselves. We had our kids in our mid-20s, and I think when Autumn and I are in our mid-40s, we'll be excited to be back by ourselves again.

That is, presuming we're millionaires and can travel the world. Which, now that I think about it, is kind of doubtful.

Bijoux said...

I'm starting to think that I will have to find a full time job when Husband retires just to escape the TV that will be ON THE WHOLE FREAKING DAY!

Sorry to vent; what are them there crazy pills you're taking called?

Phyllis Renée said...

Sailor - Thanks. I think it's a matter of testing what we've learned about how to live with each other.

FTN - Yeah, I've thought about just telling him I'm taking them, just to see if he could really tell the difference, but I hate lying to him.

Cocotte - Oh, believe me, I completely understand. Some nights after he gets home from work I make a game of seeing how long it takes before he turns on the tv. The other night he broke the record and didn't turn on the tv until after he'd been home TWO HOURS!

The vitamins I'm *supposed* to be taking are a multi vitamin (One-A-Day), Fish Oil (for better emotional health and memory), and vitamin E (which is supposed to reduce sore boobs -- which wouldn't be near as sore if I'd completely eliminate the caffeine.)

for a different kind of girl said...

I'm trying to find my happy place right now. That or I'm still slowly recovering from having my husband (and the kids) at home for nearly two weeks solid recently. That's practically unheard of around here, and it completely threw me off kilter! I think I may need to mainline some vitamins!

Anonymous said...

Now the cooped-up-we-can't-stand-each-other blues are not likely to invade here unless I manage to become physically disabled. I just got too many things I love to do in my shop which means that even when I'm home we get good breaks from each other. At this very moment Queenie LOVES when I spend lots of time at home, in fact she tried to get me to use up some of this year's vacation to stay home longer after New Year's.

Then again, maybe she loves it so much 'cause I do car work, laundry, dishes, and cleaning more often when I'm off from work? Nah, couldn't be that ......

Roaming With A Hungry Heart said...

I'm late on commenting here, but this is of interest to me.

Do you know anything about St. John's Wort? I've heard this can be good for depression too. Have you ever tried this?