Odd title- this is a wife's point of view of putting up with her hubby's hobby*

He builds tanks, and the original source s the AFV news letter.

Sounds like a rather well balanced, mature lady!

http://www.afv-news.com/2011/06/life-as-a-plastic-widow/

Cheers

PS - the * is an idea- "Hubby's Hobby Hut".Would make a great sign for those of us who have a outside man cave. I just like the sound of the Hubby's Hobby.

LOL, great read and I hear the same things

Does that make my hubby a plastic widower? lol!

It would be fun to see a "shoe is on the other foot" article. Unfortunately, in my case, it would only contain three words.

World Of Warcraft.

lol! Ah well, I don't give him a bad time about his hobby, he doesn't give me a bad time about mine. I do wish I had a cave instead of the kitchen table tho.

It rather loses its impact once it's revealed at the end that she makes money from pedling plastic modeller's supplies and kits.

Anyway, anyone having a problem with their partner's anorak hobby need only follow the example of Aristophanes' Lysistrata. Problem solved.

My favorite line was:
"There are hobby shops in every vacation spot you may visit."

One can not help to wonder how many odd places she has seen where her spouse, just have to visit that obscure hobby shop located in far away suburbs and of which not even locals seem to have heard of?

Cheers
Janne Nilsson

Cut & Paste copy for those who don't wish to click away from PF.

My husband and I were enjoying the rare treat of having dinner out alone; (rare because we have two teenage daughters at home and one grown daughter who lives a half mile away). I was deriving great pleasure from the time alone as well as from the stimulating adult conversation. One of the things I have always loved about my husband is his ability to carry on an intellectual conversation on nearly any subject imaginable.
He is well read and well informed so the potential topics of conversation are virtually limitless. We were discussing, without interruption from the children or the dog, everything from the state of the plants in the yard to the state of the world. We had just begun a fascinating dialogue on the ozone layer and global warming when…the inevitable occurred. The conversation suddenly turned to plastic.
Yes, it’s true. I am a “Plastic Widow.” My husband is an avid modeler and this means that every aspect of our lives is somehow connected to modeling and, hence, to plastic.
Never heard of a Plastic Widow? Oh come, now. Certainly you are familiar with Football Widows, Basketball Widows, or Hockey Widows? These terms refer to the wives or girlfriends of men who are so obsessed with these sports that they have had to make allowances for their husbands’ passion in their lives and homes in order to keep the relationship in existence. A Plastic Widow endures the same fate with the exception that, instead of sharing her husband’s attention with sporting events, she shares her husband with his undying devotion to modeling.
Most of us know that our husbands are plastic junkies long before they become our husbands. If this is the case, we have no one to blame but ourselves for our predicament. We knew what we were getting into. For instance:
*Plastic knows no season; there will be modeling year round.
*We will be shown each piece at each stage and expected to say, “Wow!” and marvel at his craftsmanship.
*We might as well add plastic, glue, and paint to the budget. It will be purchased; resistance is futile.
*We must lower our expectations of organization. It’s not a mess, it’s a project.
*There are hobby shops in every vacation spot you may visit.
*There will be shows and competitions at which we will stand around and…well…stand around.
*Plastic junkies are afflicted with “modeler’s disease.” They buy far more kits than they will ever build. There is no cure
and they wouldn’t’t take it if there was one.
And last, but not least, every single topic of conversation can and will be related, in some way, shape, or form, to plastic modeling.
That reminds me…wondering how a discussion on global warming morphed into a conversation about plastic? Any Plastic Widow knows that this was actually a short trip. Global warming is responsible for the deterioration of the ozone layer. The depletion of the ozone layer has led to scientific research on methods of producing plastic that are more environmentally friendly. Implementation of these new methods of production will cost the model companies more and, consequently, the increase will be passed on to the consumer and the price of model kits will go up. So, it stands to reason that global warming is responsible for the rising cost of the tools of the trade for our passionate modelers. Any questions?
While all of this may sound rather overwhelming, the true Plastic Widow knows that, while his eyes may light up at the sight of ’78 Corvette Sport Coupe or a Panzer Battalion Series kit, his heart still beats for the woman who stands by him as the winners are called out at the show. He knows that she is the one who will be beaming with pride when he is handed the award or the one who will tell him how his piece was much better and should have won when his name is passed over. She is his biggest fan and his sounding board. She pretends to understand what he explains about his plans for his next build.

The Plastic Widow is a woman who loves a man who loves to model. If she is wise, she will use this to her advantage. Remember…for every kit or supply of paint, every bottle of glue or package of after-market supplies that is purchased, therein lies leverage for that pair of shoes, that new outfit, or that dinner out that of which she has been dreaming. Of course, the conversation during dinner will always turn to plastic, but, hey, we Plastic Widows knew that would happen all along. We’re used to it.

The other holy grail of all modelers - the lady who can encourage us in our hobby!

Very amusing to read, but also, unfortunately, a lot of truth in it.

I was former also thus "the whole annual modeller" and was on week-ends constantly on some meetings and events and in every room stood - at least - a huge glass cabinet with a ship model - to it my woman sorry ones had.

Since then I make in figures, only 1 project in the year, and do not go also any more so much on events.

And the result: Now my marriage holds for 24 years!

Cheers