<p>^^^ At least he did not decide to renege on the “Early Decision” application altogether! :D</p>
<p>Sorry to tell you Pizzagrl, but you’ve lost a grip on the theaters too. The owner of the largest theater chain in the country is Philip Anchutz, a conservative Christian who is an evangelical Presbyterian. So ellebud, there are plenty of theaters out there where your MIL can buy popcorn.</p>
<p>Yes, and it is very fortunate that ellebud’s mother CAN buy popcorn so that she can keep her mouth full of something other than her unbelievable opinions.</p>
<p>And, while I feel that my MIL-U may not be the perfect fit, I can really sympathize with Helenback and ellebud who are forced to study at a school so ill-fitting just because it is so strong in thier field of interest. </p>
<p>Happy holidays to you all! I certainly feel much more grateful for my own MIL than I did when I started this thread. ;)</p>
<p>What kind of puppy? Male or female? I suggest it not be named Tiger.</p>
<p>I think a “small” puppy is the best bet, and I have no intention of naming anyone’s puppy for them. I actually think MIL really needs a puppy to worry about now that there is nobody to worry about, anymore. (Knock on wood). Maybe I’ll name the puppy after me, just to inspire affection and indulgence. ;)</p>
<p>Have you contemplated a short term study abroad program? Not very far abroad. I was thinking that you could volunteer to watch a neighbor’s house/bring in mail/feed pets, etc. while they are traveling over the holidays. You could stash a bottle of wine there and every afternoon disappear to the neighbor’s house for a half hour of solitude.</p>
<p>Oh-- she needs to worry. How about a “small” pit bull puppy? That ought to give her plenty to worry about. And, the symbolism!!!</p>
<p>I have an idea - get her a weasel and then you can name that Tiger. A snake would be nice too.</p>
<p>Study abroad sounds fantastic.</p>
<p>Actually, I’m taking a page out Musica’s book for next year and if MIL-U decides to transfer to our home for the holidays, we may take a temporary transfer (H and me) to someplace warm for a couple of days.</p>
<p>I might even ASK her to come for a couple of weeks. If history proves itself out? She will find herself miraculously busy. I predict she will not be able to leave spike, her new dog, at home alone. :)</p>
<p>Spike, the pit bull. Nice ring.</p>
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<p>Sounds like you have been consulting a mental health professional.</p>
<p>I LOVE the white wine drinking competition! Last year my MIL, in the spirit of family togetherness invited my BIL, SIL, nephew (who I had never met…actually a nice kid) and her royal highness to Thanksgiving. I love Thanksgiving. It is a holiday that doesn’t involve gimme, gotta havea…I spent the whole dinner totally sober. But I had almost a full bottle of a very nice white wine. Didn’t feel (or act) a thing. MIL felt that since her husband just died (the closeted Jew who was an anti semite) we should be “together”.</p>
<p>(I did find out, from my “nephew” that he had a very lonely childhood)</p>
<p>Interestingly (and totally unsolicited) my husband said, when my parents were alive, that they were wonderful inlaws. They knew what was going on with his parents…kept their mouths shut. They loved our children…never criticized our parenting. They weren’t wealthy, but they gave of themselves. My husband gave the eulogy for both my parents and had only wonderful things to say and he meant them. It can be done. (Although I LOVED the mind game that my mother played with my husband’s religion: She knew that my FIL had to be, despite his protests to the contrary, Jewish. Family names were the indicator. So, while not saying a word to me, I know she told her friends that my husband was “not religious.”)</p>
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<p>Careful or she may take a gap year. This year my inlaws accepted an invitation that I didn’t know had been extended…I guess invitations had been turned down many times before so in their eyes it was a “come whenever you can” thing. If you extend an offer to her, make sure she knows it’s for the winter term of 2010 only.</p>
<p>If she takes you up on your offer to visit, then you can offer to go to her house and sit Spike for while MIL is out of town at your house. See, win-win!</p>
<p>Please don’t send your MIL a small dog. There is only one type of visitor that is more annoying than a MIL - a MIL with a small, constantly yipping dog! :)</p>
<p>The closeted anti-Semite Jewish FIL…ellebud, they sound like the cast of a movie…comedy or drama…could go either way.</p>
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<p>Are you are forgetting the MIL with loose dentures?</p>
<p>Let’s call it a dramady. My husband was shocked when he heard that his father admitted in therapy (I wasn’t there) that why he knew so much about how horrible Jewish women/mothers were: His mother was Jewish. My husband almost fell over. He came home and said, “You were right…he’s Jewish.”</p>
<p>My f-i-l is the person who said to me,“You know, when you really study it and know all the history, it’s not so hard to understand why Hitler did what he did.” I’m not making that up either!</p>
<p>I said, “Really? It’s not hard for you to understand the slaughter of 6 million people?” And he said,“Well, of course he took it too far…” </p>
<p>The amazing thing is they’re quite friendly with a Jewish couple that are neighbors at their vacation home–even spending New Year’s Eve together. How can you be anti-semitic and then look your Jewish friends in the face? </p>
<p>Of course, these are the same people that think they don’t like animals, yet when their daughter brought home a dog my f-i-l said, “Well I like THAT dog.” I said, “No, you like dogs. THAT dog is just a dog, and if you like him, then you like dogs.” I guess they like THOSE Jews, but not those other faceless masses.</p>
<p>We are deferring our admission to Holidays with MIL until early January, when the star pupil, SIL, will be able to be home with her star pupil fiance. DH and I are the class dunces, for some reason that I don’t really understand. But I will be earning the best grade in Keeping My Mouth Shut as she and SIL start to plan the Wedding of the Century and I get to sit back and enjoy the fireworks.</p>
<p>Here’s my question: what is the proper protocol for keeping one’s mouth shut when MIL starts to talk about her health problems in graphic detail? Does the grade get bumped down for a slightly horrified facial expression?</p>
<p>Yes, mollieb, your grade gets lowered, but you can earn extra credit points for research by Googling her illnesses and printing off gross, yet graphic, images, which you will, of course, share with her (you know, out of “concern” for her well-being).</p>