Every time I dream...

Congratulations on 18 years of marriage! You obviously are doing something right if your marriage has been that successful! :-) I'm glad the anniversary dinner went well and you both had a pleasant evening.

I think what I did right was marry the right person for me in the first place. I think we've had something like 2-3 arguments in 21 years. That includes when I almost left him as a way to force him to get medical help he refused to admit he needed. (Yes, he is a man!) Now, when I tell him he needs to do something, he grumbles and generally does it. He recognizes I have his best interests at heart.

To be honest, I think it helps that we are both pragmatists. Neither one of us fights to get his/her own way unless it is really important. Even then, we each see what is important to the other and bend as necessary.