Tackling part of your question anyway, regarding buying houses and fridges - particularly since we have just done both.

In both cases I did the research, because I have more time than he does, prepared a short list, told him the basis on which I had prepared it, and made recommendations from it.

In the case of the house, we went around a few together, and discussed the pros and cons and implications, and he made the final choice. Throughout the purchase process I did all the negotiations, again because I had more time, but I kept him fully informed and told him in advance of any decisions I would have to make, and he ratified these.

In the case of the fridge, I went through the same process of drawing up a short list and explaining the criteria, this time he said he was not particularly interested and trusted me to make the right decision.

All of that was very easy.

What was much much harder from my point of view was when he wished to borrow my car keys. That was fine, but he took them off my keyring so they would not take up so much room in his pocket.

When I came to go out the following day, and could not find my keys for a while, and broke a finger nail trying to get them back onto my ring, and then was nearly late I felt far from submissive and really had to struggle not to say something pointed when he came home. In fact I was so upset about it - beyond the point of being rational, that I did not say anything for a couple of days until I could be objective. Then I told him the problems I had had and left it with him, to hopefully not do the same next time.

cariad