Dear Annie: My husband has taken up what he calls a “harmless hobby”: metal detecting. Every Saturday at dawn, he straps on his headset and heads to local parks, schoolyards and — most recently — the beach where we took our kids for years.
At first, I thought it was cute. He’d come home with the occasional coin. But lately, it’s become an obsession. He spends hours online researching “hot spots” and even spent our anniversary trip scanning the landscape for “promising terrain.”
He insists it’s relaxing and says at least he’s not at a bar. True. But I feel like I’m competing with a metal detector for his attention. And to be totally honest, I’m sick of hearing about it. Is this truly a harmless hobby I should embrace, or can I ask him to ease up on the metal detecting? – Second to a Shovel
Dear Second to a Shovel: If he’s spending your anniversary trip scanning for hot spots, the problem isn’t metal detecting; it’s priorities. Skip the teasing and sighing and set some clear limits. No turning vacations into prospecting trips.
As for his Saturday morning excursions, those sound fairly harmless. Instead of stewing, consider claiming that time for yourself. What’s a harmless hobby you’d enjoy?
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Dear Annie: I feel like I’m losing my husband to his metal detector
