I didn’t at first. Had to look again.
Gold! This is gold!
Not my circus, not my monkeys! (But, I know all the 
s!)
6 Likes
Raise your hand if you think @Marilyn could be a stand-up comedian!!!
8 Likes
WHY??? 
4 Likes
Idk, but I probably have no standing to say anything critical about that, ‘cause I know we’ve got a box of random device chargers and similar stashed in a closet somewhere. 
I’m impressed—that’s a lot of remotes but at least they’re smaller than tables & chairs!
3 Likes
It may not be our circus or our monkey, but gosh darn it, I WANT TO SEE THOSE MONKEY PICS ON THE WALL!
5 Likes
I think this is the perfect “case in point” photo about why there are so many chairs, spindly tables, etc. if it’s still working, don’t get rid of it.
2 Likes
Reading through the comments and laughing while simultaneously looking around to see if I have any spindly tables and counting the remotes.
11 Likes
I think they have only hung one. Not sure if I will go over there again before they return.
They are staying in her town a couple more days.
If I go back, I’ll take some
I know this is an anonymous forum and I know that we all feel invested in this process, but if I were MIL I would be really upset at having photos of my home on display for (mostly disparaging) comments by people I don’t know.
1 Like
I agree that I would be upset if I were MIL. Hopefully she’s not on CC ; )
And I feel like we are Hoggirl’s community and are here supporting her.
IMO Hoggirl has gone way way above and beyond the call of duty with very little acknowledgement or thanks from MIL so I feel like this is our way of providing her with some kudos and affirming her thoughts and feelings.
It also feels more like crowd sourcing decorating ideas to me which I find fun. And believe me, my house isn’t a model for current trends in home decorating either. I have lots of brown furniture, some inherited, some gifted, and some we even bought ourselves, plenty of legged tables, etc… And likely too much stuff and not an optimal seating plan.
And FWIW, I think Bob’s condo looks like great space and that the newlyweds are just struggling needing to consolidate what they both have together and either making it work for them, or donating some items.
8 Likes
I think @Hoggirl has historically been very careful on CC to “x” out anything that personalizes a picture - pictures of herself, etc. I also think these room pics could depict any independent living place of an 80 year old couple in any place in the country!
10 Likes
I appreciate your commenting that. I admit I felt a bit guilty about posting pics. Wondered if that was too much/crossed a line. The home itself is lovely, and their furniture is not horrible - dated, but functional. There is just too much of it!! I think I hoped placing it the way I did would emphasize to her the need to cull some more. But, yes, that may have been too much to share, even on an anonymous forum.
She will not leave the living room configured like that. It was I who made that uber silly ring around the rug. Though that was kind of what she wanted other than the blue wingback chair. I initially sent her a pic of just the white chairs asking if that was where she wanted them. Mil: No, scoot them over/not so close together was her response. Me: I can’t. The blue chair is now in the way because it won’t fit in the second bedroom. Then I sent a pic that included it. When she saw that photo she said, “That blue wingback chair may have to go.” I shared with her that they would have a lot more options if the desk weren’t in there. So, I’m directly giving her unsolicited interior design thoughts myself. Her reply was, “We [which to me is code for Bob because he has certainly seemed unwilling to get rid of anything - it’s HIS desk] like the desk, but there is nowhere else to put it. We won’t use it as a desk.” 
I could have put the blue chair in the middle of the rug. I guess I could have had the movers put it in the garage. But since they may use it elsewhere in the house (no idea where!) I left it in the living room. I could have put it in a different random, “somewhere,” for sure. But, it would have been equally, if not more, silly.
I think it is common for older folks to arrange their furniture in a circle hugging the walls. And, given the many shared experiences here, it is also common for them to hold onto too much.
If she’ll ditch the desk, the blue wingback chair, and blue leather tufted chair and shift some things around a bit, it can look nice, IMO.
8 Likes
That’s classy with a K right there.
3 Likes
They are not my cuppa.
Sil is worried about getting them back should mil pass first. She wants them.
I am so glad my dh only wanted his dad’s football memorabilia. Which he did share with my nephew. They both got letters and jerseys. Our ds and nephew both got a commemorative watch, too
5 Likes
Turns out that monkey is “Cookie” by American artist Donald Roller Wilson. The monkey is an orangutan that appears in several of his art pieces. He’s done other animals also.
Depending on whether its original/lithograph/print and/or signed in some way can be quite valuable (ranges of 1500-25K or even higher). Original framing was very ornate. You might want to go have another look at it. I can see why SIL would want to make sure she got them back (and you might want one yourself despite the subject.) I would definitely ask MIL when and how she acquired them.
Look for signature on lower left, upper center, left edge and on the back. Look for notations of year, any letters or numbers or heart symbol also on back
5 Likes
I would gladly let SIL have that monkey and any others. It would give me nightmares.
4 Likes