In-laws

Let me start by saying I have the best in-laws a person could ask for.  Seriously.  My mother-in-law is the sexiest old lady I’ve ever known and my father-in-law has never met someone he didn’t like.

However, they ARE in-laws and that just puts them in the category of occasionally difficult.  My father-in-law has been quite deaf for many years and uses hearing aids.  When m-i-l started losing her hearing she would yell at f-i-l and tell him his hearing aids weren’t working.  Why HIS hearing aids would make a difference as to how she could hear, we’re not sure.

They bicker. Ever since I’ve known them they bicker and from all accounts it started way before I came on the scene so it’s not my fault.  I know they adore each other, they’ve been married for a bazillion years and you can’t stay with someone until you’re 92 without some affection, I’m pretty sure of that.  What do they bicker about?

everything

Out to dinner:

m-i-l:  “We were at the golf club on Wednesday and had the best shiraz with…”

f-i-l:  (interrupting) “No, it was Tuesday and we had merlot.”

m-i-l:  “I’m sure it was Wednesday and we had shiraz, remember that cute little waitress that you liked so much?”

f-i-l:  “It was Tuesday and it was Glenn the waiter.”

my husband:  “What about the golf club on Wednesday???”

m-i-l:  “I’m sure it was Wednesday”

husband:  “Mum, what about the golf club, what’s the story?”

f-i-l:  “Remember Teddy wore those plaid pants you liked so much?”

husband:  “Is there a story here???”

Then because they can’t hear very well, they speak very loudly but they think they’re whispering so we get a lot of this type of chatter:

m-i-l:  “Wow, Maureen would you ever wear that color outside the bedroom?”

me:  “I think she can hear us.”

f-i-l:  “I think that woman looks rather attractive, what don’t you like about her?”

don’t EVER get them started on politics.  That’s when I kick in with “gee, what beautiful salt shakers they have in this restaurant, have you noticed?”  Then I give my husband the evil eye that says, “will you all just shut up about politics and let us enjoy our meal?”

I don’t like to argue.  It’s not my strong point and I always lose.  I’ve learned that, even though it’s said loudly, ‘your mother wears army boots!!” isn’t a reply that will win me any argument.

I know it sounds like they’re a pain in the ass but mostly his parents are wonderful, caring people who are generous to a fault.  F-i-l is a retired (at 92 long long retired) physics professor and he judges history by whether it happened before or after the electron was discovered.  M-i-l was an English teacher who will tell you about all the famous people she taught years ago.  It’s really quite interesting to listen to their stories.  The first time.  My husband and his siblings definitely do the roll-eye at stories that have been re-told 50 times or more.

When I take a break from entertaining her, my mother-in-law loves to play Galabingo on my computer.  She says that’s what’s keeping her active at nearly 90.  (Their social calendar is much busier than mine, I can tell you.)  She enjoys doing it and we think it helps with her eye hand coordination.  They live on their own, care for a 10 acre property with over an acre and a half of landscaped garden and require only minor help.

One of the best things my mother-in-law makes is her chocolate mousse.  I just love that stuff and hers always comes out perfect in every way.  It’s never too sweet or runny and you know how some chocolate mousse sticks to the roof of your mouth with that fatty feel?  Nope, hers doesn’t do that either.

I’ll admit she rushed on this and she stressed that it looks like the chocolate wasn’t mixed well enough.  It tasted divine but I told her she could make it for me again and we’d re-photograph.