Masterful Marital Compromise- The Brew Closet

[CreamyGoodness]

As I have mentioned in the past, my father-in-law is a marital samarai. While I'm sure he isnt PERFECT perse, I have seen him navigate some relationship waters with the grace of a swan, and I stood mouth-agape in awe.

I, on the other hand, am a blundering clod who once tried to make a food analogy to my wife to tell her how much I loved her. "You're not some crappy shelf-stable cheesesteak meat, sweetheart... you're like a pork loin!" As soon as the words exited my ******* facehole it dawned on me. I ran for the back door and down the stairs into the backyard. Thats all the plan I had. Trapped by a fence, I came back up the stairs, slowly, and took my lumps. I wish this wasn't a true story.

Now originally, she has been immensely supportive of the hobby because it makes me so happy, but she was beginning to feel caged in by all the glass jugs and bottles I had squirrelled around the house. After not one but two projectile airlocks painted a Pollock on our ceiling she got some white paint and repainted the dining room... while I was at a homebrew club meeting. Her patience was wearing a bit thin. We argued, and I knew eventually she would win if something didnt change.

So, when it came to our hobby I enlisted f-i-l's aid. He taught me something amazing. Act like you want something huge and unreasonable and then whittle it down to what you actually want. After some ninja-like negotiating and a little subterfuge I heard her say "lets turn the hall closet into your brew closet!"

As of this weekend I has a space all to myself. I have a rolling cooler I havent done anything with yet, a big shelf full of bottles, and space for all my supplies and ingredients in tupperware and boxes. After SHE painted it ("wet cement" is the color if you care) I heard a giggle. She had put my tannin, energizer, etc. in a flower-shaped box with 6 rounded sides that perfectly fit them. Only problem is it is bright yellow with flowers on it. Small price to pay... and I live in Astoria... so play ball. Pictures will come shortly. What SHE loves is after I show off the mead, apfelwein, carrot wine and the 2beers I have brewing currently I can roll the door shut, leaving my laboratory out of view.

Point of this story? My wife rocks, my f-i-l is a genius and when I post the pics you'll be able to see the awesomeness that is the brew closet.

 

[headbanger]

Chalk up another epic win for Creamy!

 

[Pratzie]

Excellent, congrats!

 

[fizgig]

well played

 

[wbyrd01]

Perhaps your f-i-l should write a book. I would buy it!

 

[kombat]

Do you not have basements where you live?

In Canada, basements are extremely common (virtually all houses have them), and there's an implicit agreement that the basement is for the husbands, and the rest of the house is for the wives.

My basement contains my brewery, woodworking shop, tools, general storage, an exercise room (with wall-mounted flatscreen TV and Bluray player), my photography supplies, even an 8-foot long melamine workbench specifically built for building Star Wars Lego sets.

Granted, if we didn't have a basement, I can see how much more vigorous negotiating would have to happen.

 

[GrogNerd]

years ago, while still with the ex-, I had a buddy who was moving back to MI and his roommates had been planning his going away party for months and I was one of the first invited. they planned to hold it in a private room at an establishment that may or may not have featured dancing nekkid women.

waited until the day of the party and told La Reina de las Vacas, "that was Rog on the phone, said they were going out to (a totally different place) for his going away party, asked me to come along, but I said I wasn't up to it"

"oh! that's not right... you should go!"

yesssssssss

 

[Varmintman]

Creamy I was rolling I was laughing so hard.

On a serious note learn to choose your battles. Letting her choose the colors and pillows and crap in the bedroom while might seem ugly to you reaps many benefits and for the most part your eyes are closed in the bedroom anyway.

And if you are in the bedroom with open eyes you should be looking at your wife and not the drapes

 

[Zuljin]

The hall closet is also my brew closet. It just makes sense. Neither of us want brewing equipment all over the house. We've pets. It wouldn't last anyway. The hall closet is perfect. Most of my stuff is right there where I can find it, safe and clean.