MIL fighting the terriers |
My father died way back in 1990 (apparently he was telling a joke at the breakfast table) and my mother died in 2002 (probably after having a sneaky fag on the fire escape of her nursing home) Relationships with them, I must admit were somewhat tempestuous throughout my late teens and early adult life, but before they died, I was lucky enough to resolve many of those cracked and knotty issues laid down during my salad days.
Of course I have inherited a couple of parent in-laws since then.
And I am lucky enough to be blessed with having good relationships with both
They are nice people.
FIL "pointing" |
If you really think about it,getting to know your partner's parents is a totally artificial experience.
Initially they aren't friends, they are perfect strangers, and are ageing adults that only have one other person in common with you. Your relationships with them could be fraught with history issues, conflict of attitudes , competitive urges and insecurities, or you could be lucky enough to become friends with two people who are actually responsible with the hairy-arsed despot that you have ended up sharing your life with.
I am lucky enough to be in the "hairy-arse" camp.
Having in-laws, in my experience is an easy and enjoyable sort of job. Neither camp possess any of the normal psychological baggage that is a child and parent relationship, so we can buffer and bookend our mutual loved one in the middle,so to speak
We are something separate.
Thank the Lord that we get on.....
off to bed for an hour....working tonight!