Hang in there - we all hate the business trips but he'll be home soon. Make oreos!

My soon-to-be husband was gone for six weeks in Alabama (we're in Cali) this past fall...horrid! And we stink at the phone thing too - try texting.....it works for us

I dunno if it is just me but I can barely understand what you are typing, are you using English?

Ah, I hate when Rob is out of town and he goes for 4-5 weeks at a time. Even when there is nothing to say, I feel bad getting off the phone. I hate to mention some event he missed out on and talking about home always leads to him getting mad that I had to take out the trash or do one of "his" jobs. Oh! One good conversation starter with us is getting a dog. I always think about it when he leaves...and he talks me into waiting until he's home...at which point I no longer want a dog!
Hang in there Deb.

My fiance and I have spent more time on the phone than we have spent together. We've known eachother for 3 years and we have never lived in the same country. We have to deal with delayed telephone conversations, static and the 'I have so much to tell you when I see you' silence. It's so weired but I always check the timer on my phone to see how long we talked. No worries Ded, he'll be back soon!

Deb, my whole relationship with my boyfriend is over the phone. We only get to see each other once a month since we are currently seperated by 500 miles. We have learned to read each others mind over cell phone towers and over conversations very much look like the one that you had with Alex. Though, if you really want to get his attention, say something that (males) would interpret as sexual...he won't be quiet! :D

PS...I am fighting the temptation to make the oreos, the icing is what my mother makes to put on cakes. (so I know by heart what that tastes like)

Santamom is making the oreos as we speak and I'm salivating while waiting. The cookies are done; I'm waiting for the filling. With my sneak preview of the cookie, and a fingertip of the filling, it already goes on the "A-list."

I blame the internet. Now my Caruthers won't even talk to me on the phone but he just IM-ed me from upstairs.

Oh - I feel for you, I have had the same countless conversations with my boyfriend. He works for a company, his job is to travel 90% of the time. He has spent 2 months in Bankok, Christmas in Saudi, Africa, Malaysia,,, the list goes on. We've been at this phone game for 5 years now. Funny thing is.. I always ask that same question, "Did you eat dinner?" I have learned to keep it upbeat and light on the phone, dont drop any emotional bombs. Talking on the phone takes getting used to. Talk to him like you would when he walked through the door. Or let him vent about a bad day and just be an ear. Being on the road isnt fun after a while. I hope he doesnt have to travel for too long. This is a great post... I really feel for you, (my boyfriend backs for hong kong).

I know exactly where you're coming from. My husband was in the navy, and even though we sometimes had to go 6-10 months apart, it was a real struggle on the phone. Because he was stuck on a boat, he had little news to share, and I was so maxed out taking care of everything at home without him that I was too tired to fill him in on all of the minutia that brings a couple close. Hang in there.

This is why I needed to write this. Couples spend half their relationships apart and Alex and I spent less than one week a year, and I flip out when it's more. The other stories remind me how much I overreact. Not that I will neccessarily stop, mind you.

deb - you are right that you - like me - are lucky that our hubs only rarely go away. But its still hard when they do....

And, of all mine's talents, he has only just learnt to give good phone....

It really is all relative. My husband spent 52 weeks straight in Iraq. He didn't have access to a phone or internet for the first 3 months. Everytime a helicopter went down, I would have to wait 36 hours before finding out if it was him. For those 36 hours I would wait for the doorbell to ring and the dreaded visit of being informed my husband had been killed. At the same time, I needed to be upbeat for the kids. As I said, it's all relative.

Like an earlier post suggested, do try sexual innuendo in your phone conversations. Men are not complicated; food and sex.

This post made me smile. My hubby and I are horrible at the phone thing too. Mainly he is awful at it, he will say hello and then nothing else, even when he calls first! :) Just found your blog today via Africankelli. Glad to have found you.

MY boy just went to Inanapolis for a race week w/ his buddy but it's the first time in like three years we have been away from each other for so long! so I feel for you! I don't know how you do it! I kinda freak out every day for a little while,and then I think he will be back soon and try to stay busy. p.s. it is also diffrent for us because we live and care for my elderly grandmother who seems to like him best. We are also so co-dependent on each other it's not funny so I pretty much freak when he leaves. So sorry no help in this post. Just feeling your pain.