The Beach

No Google results. I wonder if I’m spelling her name correctly. I’ve been meaning to ask my mom if she knows anything of what happened to her. My mom probably knows her mom or at least still talks to someone who still talks to her mom.

Last week I remembered this best friend I had in kindergarten. I remembered her all these years. She moved to Michigan. After awhile, I realized I remembered her last name incorrectly (or as a 5 year old, I understood her last name to be something it wasn’t). I told J this in amazement. He responded, “Wow. Big surprise. You forgot something that was 23 years ago.” What a guy.

This weekend we went to the beach with the in-laws. Say no more- I recognize this was my first mistake. But to my defense, Good SIL was going to be there and, originally, Evil SIL was NOT. Last minute, Evil SIL decided to grace us with her presence. And grace us, did she ever. MIL, while generally less offensive, kept attempting to manipulate the course of my life in a way not even attempted by my own mother. My own mother at least has some semblance of her own life- even if the vast majority of it does involve People mag and Judge Judy!! In less than 24 hours, MIL told me about 4 times that having children 4 years apart is good (then why did she have her children 2 and 3 years apart, respectively?). She told me not to quit work because she worries about J having to “bear the large financial burden of [my] family.” As a preliminary matter, I intend to continue working. How is this her business again? The next morning I was ill-rested, had a sore throat, and tired of my in-laws (specifically 2 of them). I told her that what she tells me what to do- I plan on doing the exact opposite. She said, ‘So I should use reverse psychology on you?’ I responded, ‘Or how about no psychology?’ I don’t know how it was later received. I also don’t care. I cannot imagine growing up with her as my mother. Without respite. She also said to me during my 24 hour journey through insane-town, “I was starting to get a belly. I realized it was sugar. I like the sugar in wine so I cut out all the sugar in my diet except wine.” I later heard her telling this to Good SIL’s MIL (does this make sense). For some reason, I just want her to stop saying this out loud.

Good SIL’s mother in law came to help with the grandkids (gasp, I know- a grandmother who actually enjoys spending time w her grandkids).

Otherwise, my sweet Monkey was an angel. I’m at work now (this is probably a huge mistake and possibly the demise of my career but I missed blogging) and I MISS HER, as usual.

This is my 6th month of working.

Have I done enough bashing of MIL in this episode?

To her credit, I suspect that her intentions aren’t evil. I cannot say this about Evil SIL. I think MIL is just not that smart. Or, rather, she could be smart, but she chooses not to use her brain, if that makes sense. And she definitely drinks too much. I love me some alcohol, but I don’t get so drunk that I slur my speech every night. So, I can say that I care about her and I definitely pity her. But I’m not sure why. She’s weak and cries easily. But that might just be the hangover.