The mind-set of a man

I love a day out.

By this, I mean escaping the confines of the house and getting out with my other half visiting different places in Lancashire. This might be the beautiful Ribble Valley where I live, or further afield to the Fylde coast which is only 45 minutes away. We're lucky enough to work part-time too, so on our free days we usually leave the house early and see where the fancy takes us. Sometimes we have a plan, but most of the time we don't, and I much prefer this, as it makes life far more interesting.

Trouble is - and this is where my dear husband and I differ greatly - on our little excursions I love nothing more than casting my eye over a street full of enticing-looking tea-shops, and deciding which one I will give my custom to. My husband often tells me I'm a little hard of hearing, but the satisfying chink of a tea-cup I can hear a mile away!

In the warmer months, there's nothing more delightful than sitting outside a lovely cafe at a table adorned with a pretty tablecloth (apart from early Autumn when those pesky wasps appear) and watching the world go by. A generous slice of delicious looking cake completes the equation. In the winter months, and especially if we're fortunate enough to get a window seat, I could easily spend an hour sipping a cup of fruit tea, feeling warm and cosy out of the biting wind and cold. Bliss.

But, there is a problem with all this - and I did hint at this before - my DH has a strong aversion to any kind of tea-shop - hates them with a vengeance. The mere thought of sitting in a cafe for any length of time is enough to bring him out in hives. When forced, the most he will order is a double espresso and have you seen the size of those recently? With one quick gulp it is down the hatch and then he sits there looking at me from the other side of the table. The expression on his face tells me he's busy calculating how long it will be before he can make his escape. Me? Well, I'm then left with the hot, burning my lips sort of pressure to finish my beverage quickly.

Don't get me wrong. He loves the change of scenery, the long walks, and the fresh air, but the mere mention of a "cup of tea" after our exertions sends him into an immediate decline.

This is the difference, I suppose, between the sexes. Men are definitely not made the same way as us ladies. This difference is one I have to keep in mind when writing from my hero's point of view in my manuscript. I used to think it was all too easy to slip into the mind-set of a man, but is it really?

What do you all think?

Until next time.

Kim x