Back in the day there were CRT and Yoke extension cables available, but now not so easy to source. A CRT extension can be made using the connectors from a inexpensive CRT brightener. The Yoke probably uses common tube base plugs/sockets. Another issue could be the ion trap if this set uses a electromagnet, but that could be solved by using a permanent magnet variety. All and all it can seems like a daunting amount of effort and dollars when the objective is to restore one old TV. So yes it's understandable that a wife could view such a process as being on the borderline of insanity.
