By Jim Hagarty
2015
The keys to a successful marriage, I am here to tell you, are these: Balance and Priorities.
A few weeks ago, our Internet router sputtered. It had to be restarted once a day, sometimes more. It seemed to be slowing down. I rushed out the store and bought a new one for just under $200. Life is good again.
Last year, our vacuum cleaner powerhead quit. Without it, attempts to vacuum the carpets were very sad.
Months went by. I went into a second-hand store and there it was. A beautiful, bagless Hoover upright. Perfect. Even better was the price: $7.
Computer network: $200. Housecleaning: $7. A good marriage is also a matter of math.
Forward any further questions you might have to my lawyer.
(Update 2017: A few weeks ago, my wife sucked up a sock in the beaters of the Hoover, burning out the motor in the process. Total accident, of course, though it is odd that the match for the churned up sock has never been found. It is almost as though this one was especially selected. A brand new Hoover has now joined our arsenal. Cost: $200.)