Shhh, I am hiding...
I've been putting off posting in this thread, because I feel like a whiny brat for complaining. For those who don't know, we had huge neighbor trouble in January, and are moving back to the States next month, which was planned before all of that. So, when we had the trouble and felt the need to move for safety, we weren't even going to be here a full six months which meant we couldn't get a new lease anywhere. We moved in with the in-laws, and while it is 'generally' okay, the close quarters creep up on me from time to time. The usual trying to give each other space, we can't have our routine, they can't have their routine, everyone sharing a bathroom and shower stuff can all be worked around. They eat differently than we do, but we try to eat at a different time than them most nights to share the kitchen more easily.
What is chapping my hide is being treated like children. FIL lets us just get on with it, but MIL seems to always be telling us what we need to do and not need to do, and comes unglued if we spend a bit of money here and there. She doesn't have a clue what is in our bank account, but seems to think we are supposed to be saving every little bit for our move back. We bought lunch from the chippy today and she had a fit because we are supposed to be saving. £7.20 is not going to put us in the poor house, or prevent us from getting hubby's visa, shipping anything or moving back. Every time we walk out the door she is asking where we are going and giving us strict orders to not be spending any money on ale... We don't drink often, and we know our financial situation.
When we went to London for hubby's visa medical, it was a one day trip and she wanted us to pack sandwiches for the coach there, and the coach back. I was NOT making sandwiches at 5am to be eating at 6 pm, and carrying them around all day. When I explained the food safety aspect, she said we could borrow BIL's collapsible cooler, which is huge and too much to be toting around a city. When we went the following week for three nights, she wanted us to pack food to take for our room. Again... food safety, or carting a cooler in addition to overnight bags.
Overall, it is as though we are stupid children who need to be told every little move. I have been doing laundry since I was 11, and helping before that. She feels I do it wrong because I put one load worth of soap, and one of softener. She likes it to smell good, so she will pour half a 21 load bottle of softener per load. All that does is make your clothes sticky.
Then there is food. Oh geesh! The ketchup, sauces, jams, salad cream, etc are stored in the cabinet after they are opened. We keep tossing them and then more appears. Things that are supposed to be refrigerated will sit on the counter for a week before they are eaten. Not milk or meat, but chocolate pudding desserts and sauces and things. We keep pointing out the danger, and we keep being told that since neither of them have gotten food poisoning yet, and you can't train an old horse, there is no point in us trying. Okay, fine, you don't care about the risk, but I do. That, and the insane amount of salt they put in everything, are two of the reasons we cook our own. We also eat more healthy overall than they do. It is a personal choice, and I don't judge.
I could go on and on, but I'd just be moaning and wailing all night. Thanks for listening.
