Stairway to Happiness

Are you fretting the days you will soon spend alone with your spouse in your huge empty nest? Just think, you could have the same fate as Liu and Xu, a Chinese couple who spent 50 years living in a secluded cave in the southern part of the country. The couple first met when Liu was a single 19-year-old and Xu, a 29-year-old widow. After being castigated for their age difference, the pair eloped and moved to a cave in the countryside. They had seven children who all eventually moved away, leaving the couple again in seclusion. As Xu grew older it became increasingly difficult for her to climb the hill that lead to their small home. So, Liu spent his free time carving 6,000 steps up the hillside.

In the end, it was Liu who succumbed to exhaustion. He died in Xu's arms after collapsing from another hard day's work.The story of Liu and Xu's love so touched the local people that the government decided to preserve the "love ladder" and the couple's house by turning them into a museum.

You might not have the time or skills to carve out an entire staircase, but smaller tasks like putting in a skylight where you know she likes to read, or adding some extra bookshelves in his study are easy enough for do-it-yourself novices. Performing a labor of love for your spouse is not only a great way to fill your time, but to show them you care. [Weird Asia News]