<p>A PUPPY!!! It could destroy her fauna and foliage…it could pee and poop on her lawn! And it would have to be a purebred…with papers establishing lineage to the Mayflower or at least to a signer of the Declaration of Indepence.</p>
<p>Our goldens, both rescues, aren’t lineage proof…they look like goldens, act like goldens…but we don’t know WHO they really are. (SHUSH…there might be some lab in one of them…way back about 10 generations)</p>
<p>The trick is to SEND her a puppy BEFORE she leaves. I mean after all----you can’t travel with a new puppy.</p>
<p>DO NOT mail a puppy.</p>
<p>I had to sign in just so I could post a big fat LOL to this thread. Keep up the good work!</p>
<p>And I am not kidding…we had a puppy sent to the in-laws house for Christmas 5 years ago. We used one of their local messenger services that picked up the dog at a breeders and dropped it off at my MIL’s.</p>
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<p>My, my, LA is not exactly a bastion of pure white WASP-dom. She must have a very limited circle of folks with whom she can speak!</p>
<p>How’s the puppy?</p>
<p>Seriously, as a family who has rescued all but one of our dogs (and saw them lovingly through life until they died of old age) puppies, kittens are not social experiments or objects of revenge. One of our dogs was found wandering in the mountains where she was abandoned. And, as much as I would find it briefly amusing to see the outlaws struggle with obedience/pee and poop every creature deserves a loving and accepting home.</p>
<p>…and the fact that we have 4 lint brushes by the front door says that we are aware that our dogs might leave a mark…so to speak.</p>
<p>Re Post #66—Do not give that SIL a puppy.</p>
<p>I am so glad my MIL U is non-commuter because I would definitely have to drop out. I’ve failed many interview questions over the years, such as “What will <7-year-old-at-the time DS> do at Disneyworld?” And, “Why do you want to go to the Gulf Coast of Florida?” And I completely blanked out at responding to “You don’t like fruit” since it was a trick question where the fruit in question was the ripening peaches on the windowsill, not every other fruit I’ve ever eaten in front of the interviewer.</p>
<p>We did get a bonus on our independent project 12 years ago when we adopted a cat and later learned sister-in-law is allergic.</p>
<p>Missypie: You are totally correct. In our (and their) parts of Los Angeles it is very integrated. I have no idea who their friends are…or how many they have. I know that they once considered moving from their area because if was so JEWISH. They didn’t move.</p>
<p>I want to thank you for starting this thread, because I’ve spent a lot of time complaining about my m-i-l and wishing we didn’t live in the same town so that she wouldn’t be expecting us to show up for every single holiday–but there is something worse! The thought of my in-laws actually staying in my house for even one night is terrifying–for a week–well I think I’d hang myself! </p>
<p>We were in big trouble last year because we opted out of Thanksgiving with the in-laws. The one s-i-l that I really like said it was good I missed it, as my least fave b-i-l explained why he wouldn’t be voting for Obama:</p>
<p>“Because he’s a ■■■■■■■■ </p>
<p>This guy isn’t some uneducated, ignorant idiot. He’s a college educated idiot that ran a successful business for years.</p>
<p>My fave s-i-l said, “That’s fine, but don’t kid yourself that you’re a Christian anymore, because you’ve missed the whole point.” </p>
<p>I fear I would not have been so civil.</p>
<p>Poetgirl - you get an “A” in cleverness</p>
<p>Maybe you should read all of those college drinking threads to get some ideas :)</p>
<p>Are you willing to accept a satellite campus? That’s what I would be going for! Or off-campus housing. So many students want to be on main campus, but sometimes starting at the branch camps makes the transition so much better until better oral restriction is achieved. The Marriott offers several branches - and altho many THINK they will be happier at the main site, surveys show this is not always the case.</p>
<p>I did not read all the posts, but the best advice I have ever received was from my DH:
Think it; don’t say it. </p>
<p>Sometimes I am successful.</p>
<p>I’ve been to both versions of Hell. M-I-L used to live in town and we were harangued into making appearances for ALL holidays: Memorial Day, Labor Day, Mother’s Day Grandparents Day, Flag Day as well as the Big holidays where we were expected to be there all day (but sadly often disappointed!)
Then she moved out of state. The first year when my husband was being treated for incredibly debilitating nerve trauma from neck surgery, she asked to stay with us for the 5 weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas! When I said under no circumstances would this be a good idea, she promptly called my husband who in a morphine lollipop haze consented!
Now when she comes I just leave the house, truly for the entire day, and let my husband deal with her and her antics, I come home to make dinner. I put on a happy Stepford Wife type smile, make inane dinner conversation and retire early.
I hope God will forgive me that I did not treat her with more charity, weighing it against the fact that I did not murder her with my bare hands.</p>
<p>hkfl2922, I think you’ve done remarkably well under the circumstances. What kind of person asks to be a houseguest for 5 weeks?!</p>
<p>poetgirl - I am a graduate student in Holidays with MIL. I don’t know when I will finally graduate. My GPA is a solid B thanks to many courses in “Doing things she can brag about.” However, my real success is based on my 2 ECs - 25+ years on the Tongue Biting Team and Competitive White Wine Drinking. I actually got my MIL on the wine drinking team and things seem to go much smoother around the holidays now. The key is to offer a big glass as soon as she takes her coat off.
I don’t know about your chances though - I would develop your ECs and re-apply next year. Good Luck!</p>
<p>Competitive white wine drinking. You are a genius.</p>
<p>Here’s my suggestion: make a large pitcher of egg nog and leave it in the fridge for the duration.</p>
<p>My H probably would want a transfer. His inlaws (my parents) are Baptists, so no wine or spiked nog.</p>
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<p>Well, owning the banks didn’t work out so well, owning the media is more hassle than it’s worth, so now we’re reduced to owning movie theater concession stands for our daily shekels. I call dibs on AMC for the holidays!</p>