I have been informed that my daughter's boyfriend will want to talk to me to ask for my daughter's hand in marriage. He is very comfortable with Dot (big surprise) but does not know what to make of me and is "shitting a brick" at the idea of talking to me. My baby sister, who some may be familiar with on Facebook, has said I should really wind him up and record the conversation for her. He is a lovely bloke, has so much patience, and boy do you need it with my daughter and has done so much work around her flat, but since when has it been necessary to ask dad permission to marry his daughter?
I've lost track of your family since I no longer go to Facebook. Your daughter is probably too grown up to worry much about what the family thinks?
You must know her, then. We are very close and very alike and can tell what each other is thinking by just a look. My family is so big I have completely lost track as well, there must be over a hundred of my relations on Facebook.
@Dave Sutton - That was my initial thought too. She's not 18 . . . or even 25. So, why does a guy need your permission? Especially a guy whose likely not all that young himself. Is this a British thing?
@David Lazarus @Dave Sutton I assume the proper protocol is something like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXdlXqVlskc&t=151s
@Craig Long - That was funny!
It's not a British thing, although in years gone by it may have been, and she is 42 years old with a 16-year-old daughter, so it was the reason I posted here because it is very unusual
I hope it goes well for her this time around. I know what it is like to marry the wrong person.
@David Lazarus I have been married twice, I did not marry the wrong person the first time around, but we just drifted apart as time went on. I had three sons by the first marriage, one son is CEO of a company with branches all over the world and is a millionaire. Second marriage with Dot produced a son, and then a daughter, who from the day she was born knew all the little tricks that only girls know to be able to get her way with Dad.
@Dave Sutton - I suppose you could say that my wife and I drifted apart too. That said, I really don't think we were all that compatible from the start. I had just come out of a relationship that ended badly and was afraid to be alone. My wife was seeking an opportunity to get out of her parents' house. I don't know. She's smart in some ways, but we are incompatible in other ways. We almost ended the relationship in 2004. Or, if I am to be completely honest, she almost did because she felt like I did not want to be with her. I had tried so many things at that point as was a bit burned out. Then, she got the idea of having a child. I guess she thought it might bring us closer together. Unfortunately, it did not. So, add all that to having a broken heart that had never mended until much more recently and you can get a glimpse at why I finally asked for a separation (and eventual divorce) last year. Virginia law requires that we be separated for a year before we divorce since we have a child. My son will be 17 next month. He and I don't get along very well either and have grown apart starting from about age 4. Sad, I know. But it is what it is. Hopefully, I will find someone more compatible who is both compassionate and understanding. However, I am not even going to start looking until it's been a year. That will be on August 2.
If I may ask, what are you and your family doing regarding COVID-19? Are you still masking in public places and social distancing?
As for me I'm not social distancing or masking up anymore.
And I'm not looking to be in any relationship for now at least.
@Craig Long - That surprises me given your age and such. My primary care physician, who is older than me , still wears a mask. I do too.
@David Lazarus When I go to the doctor I have to mask up. When I go shopping or enter a business establishment I don't have to. I still see about 20% of the people masking up.
@Dave Sutton Do you still wear a mask?
@Craig Long We do our main shop early in the morning so with not many people about we do not wear masks. In more crowded situations, the masks go on, and hospital and doctor visits they are worn as well. Visits from the children are mask free.
@Craig Long @Dave Sutton- My primary care physician still wears a mask in public indoor places. Not just her office. It's about the same here, though, on average. About 20% where masks in public indoor places.
I think this holds true for both the UK and the US. The situation is improving, but the problem is far from over. I was just looking at numbers last night (https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2020/health/coronavirus-us-maps-and-cases/). On average, CA is worse off than AZ. Until the seven day average is less than one, I think there is still cause for concern. Am I being too cautious?
It's OK to be cautious. I never worried about getting sick though. I just had to wear a mask so I did. I believe since I got all my shots that would keep me safe.
@Craig Long - I got the first three. I'll probably get the fourth next month as I intend to visit my mom in FL in August.
@David Lazarus I've had three so far. My fourth can be in August or later.