Oh, mil has at least one monkey lamp that is similar. And several monkey figurines.
You can search for, “Donald Roller Wilson” prints. He was actually born in Texas! But he has been in Fayetteville, Arkansas (where the U of A is) since the 1960’s. At the height of his popularity, there were lots of knock-offs being made.
My Google search claimed he has works at the Blanton in Austin!
Perhaps MIL’s artistic vision helps explain her attraction to Bob.
That was a minor plot point in the book The Martian when the German astronaut gets an email supposedly from his wife entitled (in German) Our Children but he knew it wasn’t from her because she would have written Our Monkeys.
One of my favorite books, BTW.
Did you read the others by the same author?
As for the stuff, and the move, I have nothing useful to add but I think it comes up in every family. My dad (and his 2nd wife) are buying a new condo, surprise, and my father said he’s dumping everything in the yard and setting fire to it. But then he said he’s bringing it all with them. And obviously, neither of these things will happen, and I’m anticipating many similar situations to what we’re reading here…good luck!
Just wanted to say that I think @Hoggirl is doing a stellar job here. Much of the advice has been helpful, but I don’t get the sense that @Hoggirl is handling the situation in an over-functioning way that requires “remedy” or therapy. Awareness, yes - but she has a good read on the situation and is using this site to vent. (And entertain! Those monkeys!)
Some interactions indeed become toxic or dysfunctional. When taking on other people’s issues impacts what you do and how you feel, yeah - you need to step away and maintain your health. But being involved, while occasionally uncomfortable, may also be the price we pay for all the good that comes from being part of a social group, in this case a family. It is so clear that SIL is the one here who is out of touch (and would benefit from a therapist.) In the meantime, she has more grounded family members! Hopefully, she will find her peace soon. It’s all a balancing act.
Oh, dear! Are her lamps ironic? I meant mine as a joke! Your MIL has become infinitely more intriguing to me.
And I’ll have to look up Mr. Wilson. The print is just good enough and just kitsch enough that it actually appeals to me. A little. Not sure I could live with it on my walls every day. But it has a Frida Kahlo feeling, and Frida is in the background of my lamp pic!
One of my fave cc comments ever!!! Marilyn, FTW!
Look up, “Naughty Betty”
I fear my posting an image would violate the TOS…
Betty isn’t nearly as charming as the flowery painting, but I did go down a bit of a rabbit hole and learned that me and your MIL are in good company as his works have been bought by Robin Williams, Jack Nicholson, Harrison Ford, Steve Martin, Meryl Streep, Carol Burnett, Diane Sawyer and Carrie Fisher. Too bad that her print isn’t an original. I see his works going for close to $50k!
As a friend once said, everyone can find their freak. Naughty Betty is a lid for someone’s pot. Different strokes for different folks. I love America. 
Think how much sil would be freaking out if they were!
I think mil has three prints/lithographs, whatever they are called. They are numbered. I do know one is signed by him. They may have some modest value.
I see some listed on Ebay, ranging from a few hundred dollars to close to $2k, so seems that there is a market.
Your name MUST be in the safety deposit box account. Having a key doesn’t guarantee you access. Just make sure.
MIL plus at least one other person.
Agreed. I had the 2nd key because my name was on the safety deposit box account. (But she’s the one that decided one was needed and paid the fees.) I think they checked my id when doing safety deposit box errands.
For our safety deposit box, we have a card that we must each sign when we set it up, and then every time we access it, we sign again on the ledger below and it needs to match the original signature. Of course, our bank may be behind the times.
Cue the theme song to the, “Brady Bunch.”
So mil did reach out (thankfully to both dh and me) via text about a, “Christmas meal,” that wouldn’t be on Christmas that she and Bob would host at their home at the CCRC. She had asked when our ds was getting in town. She was trying to coordinate a time with us and Bob’s son and his wife who live about 30-40 minutes away. No invitation to sil and her ds to join us. Remember she is in the same town where mil’s house is. Initially, it was up in the air about whether or not it would be brunch, lunch, or dinner, but between dh’s work schedule and ds’s social calendar, it is looking like a dinner on Monday, December 21st.
We will (obviously) go, but I’m not super excited about it. I’m wondering how excited Bob’s son and his wife are?? I know they traveled at least on one sailing trip to the Bahamas with Bob and wife #4.
But, I applaud mil for realizing she is the one who needed to reach out about a Christmas get-together since her decisions have caused the disruptions to our usual traditions. Someone upthread mentioned it would be better to meet these people for the first time in a social setting rather than in a hospital or at a funeral. Feels like a bit of a snub to sil, but I believe she has told mil she would not come to Bob’s house. Her preference was a one day round trip and meeting at a restaurant for lunch. Idk if that was communicated to mil or not. We’ll see them anyway since we are going to them on the 27th, but mil doesn’t know that is happening.
Yes, I have told sil this is happening.
I think MIL should have invited her daughter and let her decline if she didn’t want to come. Excluding her feels mean.
Good luck with the meet and greet dinner! Hopefully it will go smoothly for everyone!
@Hoggirl Have you met Bob’s son and wife yet? Or will this be the first time??
I agree with this sentiment, but if they have talked about it and MIL has"front-run” this potential snub with an alternative plan (and explained that she has heard SIL about celebrating with Bob and wants to honor that bc relationship with SIL is important), it could work. Really depends on how effective the communication on this has been (and whether SIL wants to be an “injustice collector”).
I think it’s great that MIL.reached out with some holiday plans.SIL has made it pretty clear that she won’t come to Bob’s house (even though now this will be her M’s house as well). Maybe SIL and MIL can arrange a neutral spot for themselves on another day.
Have fun meeting Bob’s son and wife.
Where is the food coming from?
Agree that it’s nice that MIL/Bob (or just MIL) took this step to get together. Who knows, Bob’s son and family may whisper in the kitchen to you “can you believe how all this went down?!” . Alternatively they may be a little cautious with you and your family - after all, if this son is from wife #1 he has been invited to this rodeo more than once before with a new person as “wife”!!!
If SIL made it clear to MIL that she would NOT go to Bob’s then that is a choice she has to live with (in not getting this invitation).