I had a bad dream about my mother-in-law last night. She was telling me what a good cook she is (she does tell me this, repeatedly), and how I should really use her recipes if I want to make Paul happy (she doesn’t say this outright, but constantly hints it). I summoned up all my courage and told her that Paul doesn’t actually like her cooking (this is true). She said knowingly, “Oh, I think he does,” and then rapidly started talking about something else–which is EXACTLY what she does whenever I disagree with her on any subject: flatly contradicts me and then goes on to another subject in the same breath so I can’t argue. The whole encounter was so realistic. Thanks to my subconscious, I get extra time with my mother-in-law!
This is Day 5 of her not telling us that she’s coming for a visit. At first I thought–charitably, and then feeling righteous and lovely for being so charitable toward someone I can’t stand–that perhaps she was just waiting to mention it the next time she wrote to us, which would be a perfectly reasonable thing for her to do (more self-awarded points for me, for being so reasonable myself). But she has now emailed us, and has failed to mention the trip, which tells me that she’s hiding it. One thing I hate about Paul’s family is how SECRETIVE they all are. Last time she visited she took a plane, and she hid her departure date. As if we weren’t going to find out! She also won’t tell us how she meets her boyfriends, which of course makes me assume she meets them in some shameful, sordid fashion (I picture her hanging out in the hallways of nursing homes, licking her lips and waggling her eyebrows suggestively at all the old men wheeling by), but probably just means it makes her feel powerful not to tell.
I went to the dentist earlier this week for what was supposed to be just a cleaning. Actually, never mind, I don’t want to discuss this after all, forget I said anything. Suffice it to say that dentist stuff, it SUCKS. Sucks YOUR MONEY.
It seems like everything needs money from us right now: the couch is broken, the kitchen faucet is broken, the lawnmower is broken, the insurance copays have gone up and we got back-billed for two months’ worth of them, the hospital wants to see a little cash for that whole c-section thing, there’s our goddamned teeth which ought to be hand-crafted out of solid gold by the time we’re done paying for them, etc. Paul is all, “It’s going to be okay, it really is,” and I guess it will be, but doesn’t it sometimes feel as if it’s just one huge expense after another your entire life? When will there be big wads of cash that DON’T go for dental work and various insurances and car repairs? And then I can hear buzzing in the back of my mind about how we should have 6 months’ living expenses in savings AND be saving for the kids’ college educations AND what do you MEAN you don’t have a retirement account, you’ll NEVER be able to retire now, NEVER, NEVERRRRRRRRRRRR!!!
I found a couple of old posts I thought I had already posted. Or maybe I did post them and these are unused draft versions, so now I will seem to be repeating myself. Well, whatever, I’ve posted them now:
Now Is Not The Time
LYKWTAMBYTWAWTTO Day!
Go relive April and May!
I feel the same way in the dentist’s office as I do at the mechanic’s shop…I feel certain I am being screwed, and I totally see it coming, but I am powerless to stop it. I mean, there is a total imbalance of information.
I have to get 2 cavities filled Monday. I don’t think I need to elaborate on how that makes me feel.
Your subconcious is MEAN!
Totally with you on the dentist thing. I just had an infected tooth drained this week and am heading back next week to either have my 5th root canal or have my last one re-done due to sloppy work. Either way, I’m not looking forward to it at all. Any idea how much dentures cost?
I don’t want to even admit how long it’s been since I’ve been to the dentist. So I won’t.
And it seems that everything, moneywise, seems to hit at once. Bills being due, things breaking, medical expenses… Life really stinks sometimes.
Why is it that whenever I get bills, I always notice the bright yellow MegaMillions lottery billboard? Coincidence?
I totally get your post. I too hate, hate the dentist. My daughters go to a pediatric dentist and somedays I wish I were a 5 year old again. They are so nice there, but not my dentist.
Once you are an adult you are expected to floss and see the dentist on a regular basis. And they just cannot fathom WHY in the world I would not do that as an adult. My children have beautiful straight teeth, and so I feel good about that. What I cannot do for myself I have done for my children. And the rest…just one day at a time baby that’s all a girl can do!
Paula
Ya know that saying, “when it rains, it pours” and everytime someone says it to you in a time of stress, when things feel like they’re falling apart, you want to punch them in the mommy/daddy button?
Well, when it rains, it pours.
And punching me might make you feel better. ;) I’ll sacrfice for you.
My subconscious meanly made me dream that after painting the room and buying all this boy stuff, the baby ended up being a girl after all. I was horrified. But your dream is worse. It’s like when you’re at work all day and then you DREAM that you’re working all night. Horrible!
I am tagging you for tha 8 things meme: go here for the low down.
Dentists and mother-in-laws two things that go perfectly together because both get on your nerves. I went to the dentist last year and have my first cavity ever…ended up having to have a crown! My first major dental work on my own insurance and oh my gosh the bill was outrageous!!
Hope your mother-in-law owns up to her trip soon so you can start planning your escape haha!
We had the bills hit last week. My husband sold one of his motorcycles to pay for Elise’s birth, poor baby. Who needs two?
We went through the major dentist visits last year, too. We both had root canals and haven’t been back since. I guess I should go..booooo.
Hope you have a better weekend!
Your subconscious is a jerk! Extra mother in law time! Thats just wrong.
That bit about your MIL at the nursing home had me rolling! You are one funny lady!
That bit about your MIL at the nursing home had me rolling! You are one funny lady!
That bit about your MIL at the nursing home had me rolling! You are one funny lady!
We have over 10K in medical bills, all since last Sept. And we have health insurance!!! How is this possible?
We are not saving for college, and we don’t have 6 months salary saved up either. We have health and life insurance, and guardians chosen for the children (that’s a whole different post!), but that’s about it.
Glad to hear I’m not alone!
When it rains it pours! I owe money everywhere right now.
Perhaps one of these days your family could conduct a secret departure date as well. Time it well with her secret departure date, and you all could completely miss one another! And she wouldn’t be able to call you on it because she never told you her plans.
“I picture her hanging out in the hallways of nursing homes, licking her lips and waggling her eyebrows suggestively at all the old men wheeling by”
omg…snorting pepsi out of your nose…hurts!
I feel ya on owing everyone and their mothers brother $. I’ve racked up 23k in medical bills since March and with more procedures and probable surgery coming soon there’s no end to that. My daughter has racked up close to 6k in medical bills. The hubby, daughter and I all need new glasses. Daughter just graduated from college and our home equity line of credit is dry and we’re grateful that grad school is covered by scholarships. Our a/c is not functioning properly…and it’s 90+ flipping degrees outside! And the list goes on.
Dentist=The Devil. That. is. all.