It won't be steeped in memories of the previous spouse, and neither person will feel like a guest or intruder. For the Woodys, that worked well. Meriam Woody had bought a smaller house while still married to her first husband, but he died before they moved in. When she married William Woody, they added rooms and decorated together. He moved in a little of his furniture and has focused his energy on landscaping the yard.
Many remarried couples chuckle about the compromises they've had to make.
For the Woodys, it came at suppertime. After decades of cooking for a diabetic husband, Meriam Woody was used to cooking healthy meals. William Woody says he's learned to like chicken and fish. For Max Padgett of Hickory, it was learning to do housework. His wife of 32 years was a homemaker.