Stephen's Funny Line of the Day: "Mama! You're getting me annoying!"

Weather: Freezing! Literally. It was about 30 deg. (F) this morning. I am not ready for the cold. Fortunately, it is supposed to get warmer over the next few days.

Pet Peeve: People who talk over the television program you are trying to watch.

Watching: The West Wing. Or I would be, if only my mother-in-law would pipe down. (See above.)

I See London, I See France

With the weather getting colder, I've had to put heavier blankets on the twins' beds. Matthew is now sleeping beneath a blue and white granny-square afghan that someone crocheted for Daniel when he was a baby. Stephen has a white-bordered blue knitted afghan. I still smile and shake my head in amazement whenever I remember how we acquired that one.

It was a hot day in late August, and the twins and I were out on our usual morning stroll through the neighborhood. As we passed one set of semi-detached houses, I heard a voice calling me from behind a screen door. I turned around and walked two steps back toward the house, then stopped in shock when the door opened to reveal one of our neighbors, a woman in her seventies, clad only in a bra and underpants.

It was an appalling sight. I'm not trying to be "ageist" here; quite frankly, I really don't ever want to see any of our neighbors in their underwear (with the possible exception of Bogdan, the Adonis next door).

The woman told me that her daughter was moving and had some things she wanted to get rid of, including a mattress and a knitted blanket. The neighbor offered them to me. Keeping my eyes glued to her face, I declined the mattress but told her we could certainly use the blanket. She gave it to me in a plastic bag, and I lugged it home over my shoulder.

It is a good blanket, and it has proven useful so far this winter, but I just wish I could forget that sight.

Stephanie was over this evening at 9 o'clock when I turned on The West Wing. When she saw what it was, she sniffed, "I don't like this show."

"Well, we do," I answered.

"Well, I don't like it," she said again.

"We do," I repeated. I was prepared to answer with the same response for as long as she went on repeating that she didn't like it.

Have I mentioned that my mother-in-law is a very rude person? She prides herself on her honesty and on speaking her mind, but, really it is simple lack of manners and tact. For instance, Stephanie always likes to boast to all and sundry that her twin grandsons are "real" twins, by which she means that we weren't using fertility drugs when we conceived them. In her benighted opinion, no one should ever attempt assisted reproductive techniques because "Nature knows best." She is very vocal in her opinions and doesn't hesitate to share them with her friends and former co-workers, one of whom has a daughter who was using Clomid when she conceived triplets.

The worst thing is, I often find I have to descend to Stephanie's level to deal with her. Subtlety is completely lost on my mother-in-law.

previous       index       e-mail me       next