I’ve noticed a particular phenomenon in the men in my life, and I call it “when boys get bees in their bonnets”.
It’s an interesting turn of phrase don’t you think? Not that boys wear bonnets, and I imagine having a bee in there wouldn’t be terribly comfortable. But that feeling of agitation sums it up well, because our boys are not terribly easy to live with when they get a bee in their bonnet!
They can’t stop thinking (and talking) about their latest idea or dream; even if it is sometimes, a bit on the crazy side (or at least, not very practical). This is more than an eccentric whim. This is an obsession!
And when our boys get a bee in their bonnet, they drive the rest of us batty!
Take the husbear (not literally, I’ll keep him even with this interesting little trait because I’m pretty sure he’s not the only one).
When we first got married and moved into our new home, he “had” to have a shed. Within months we had a shed (man cave) in our backyard, complete with pool table.
About twenty years ago when our kids were still small, he started talking about wanting to buy a caravan and taking some time off work so we could travel around Australia.
I foolishly (!) encouraged him, as I knew these thoughts and dreams made him happy.
You can guess the rest.
Within twelve months we had packed up all our worldly goods and put them in storage, rented out our house, and spent six months caravanning around Australia.
It was an incredible experience and I’m so glad we did it – but my point is, that once the idea was in “his” head, it was like trying to stop a runaway freight train. I never dreamed that it would actually happen.
My sister said she realised it was a fait accompli the day she visited us and saw the budget he’d pinned to the wall, along with a checklist of what needed to be done before our (at that stage theoretical) departure.
More recently, the husbear has had a bee in his bonnet about buying a holiday house and it has been the topic of countless conversations for three or four years (I even mentioned it here on the blog back in 2016). It didn’t end up working out – and when it did fall through, he was like a bear with a sore head.
Miss 23 tells me her man is much the same.
What is it with boys when they get a bee in their bonnet? They dream, they plot, they plan, and they talk about it ad nauseum, wearing you down gradually!
And when it does come to pass? It might go quiet for a while but then there will be the next big thing … whether that’s buying a house, putting in a pool, buying a pool table, car, motorbike, boat, or other toy …
I can’t complain though, it’s led to some wonderful adventures, like our trip to Europe in 2015 – and when we did (part of) the Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk for his 50th birthday.
Plus I’m sure I have plenty of my own quirks and idiosyncrasies 😉 …
Does your man ever get a bee in his bonnet?