Recurrent conversations

I know couples often have their own languages, signals and usually a defined sense of who has what job in the household, even if those jobs are bizarre, mundane or just plain yucky.

Over the years, somehow it's evolved that I get to scoop the litterbox and take out trash. Part of this is because of the way my brain is wired. I remember what day is trash pickup, recycling or yard waste. Keith does not. I'm always a little amazed if he takes the trash out.

Another thing that I remember is what's on TV most weeknights. I know I've written before about how we don't have cable, so I won't go into that here. And I'll be honest, most nights I can find something to watch that entertains me while I knit, even if it turns out to be Mystery of the Mega Flood for the 3rd or 4th time. (I love Nova.)

Thus, because I can remember odd details, and Keith has a strange relationship with time, he can't or won't keep track of what shows come on which nights. What I'm about to share are short conversations that we've had almost every weeknight of every week since September.

Monday: Keith, "Is the Mentalist on tonight?"
Me, "No, Castle's on tonight."
Keith, "When is the Mentalist on?"
Me, "Thursday"
Keith, "The guy who plays Castle really is ruggedly handsome. I wish I was."
Me, now looking up from my knitting to look at my husband, "Yes, he is, but you are too."

Tuesday: Keith, "What's on tonight?"
Me, "NCIS or Nova, then NCIS LA."
Keith, "What about the Mentalist?"
Me, "Not tonight. You normally watch the News Hour at 10 on Tuesdays while I go surf the web."
Keith, "Oh. I don't think I'll watch that tonight." or "Oh yeah, thanks."

Wednesday: Keith, "Is your beloved Mentalist on tonight?"
Me, "No, CSI New York is on at 10."
Keith, "What are you watching now?"
Me, "Human Target."
Keith, "When's the Mentalist on?"
Me, "Tomorrow night."

And yes, he'll ask me about it tonight too.

I'm not sure why we go through this each week. Yes, I think Simon Baker is just adorable. I like watching it, and what's funnier is that Keith doesn't even watch it that much. Perhaps part of it is that as we've been together so long, I've gotten much more likely to yell at him if he comes into wherever I'm watching tv during the last 5 minutes of the show and starts talking or plucking his guitar. Or, much more likely, he thinks the woman who plays Van Pelt on the show is good looking (she's a redhead), and he wants to watch her.

Whatever it is, this conversation is something we've had for so long, and this week I started thinking about it when he wandered in to ask me what I was watching and to bring him up to date on the plot after asking if the Mentalist was on.

He's just lucky he's so ruggedly handsome that I'll put up with all this. :)