Memorial Day at "My" House

So, let's see, we all slept until about 11 am yesterday. I woke up to find Scott getting dressed and asked what time it was and was curtly informed that it was already 11 am. As if it's all my fault that he slept in, of course. He headed to the inlaw's house right away to get working on the garden, told me to get over as soon as Tay and I were ready.

We headed over about an hour later, after getting some coffee and getting dressed and getting the dogs BACK into their kennels. (And DANG did I feel bad about leaving them kenneled inside all day long, but the wind blew the door off the outside kennel again the other day, and Scott hasn't done anything about it, and it's too big for me to manage to get back on the hinges. So, putting them out for the day wasn't an option, unfortunately.)

Got over to the inlaw's house and got to see all my seedlings. I had a lot of broccoli and cabbage finally come up, but it's never gotten bigger than dinky. The onions still haven't sent up more than a couple of shoots. And none of the peppers came up. But I had 27 cucumber seedlings. And about that many tomato seedlings. I spent a couple of hours first punching holes in the bottom of empty coffee cans, then transplanting all the cucumber seedlings into empty coffee cans.

I won't go into all the detail now, so I have SOMETHING to share for my Independence Day Challenge this coming Sunday.

Suffice it to say, we got a LOT of work done yesterday. Not all of the planting, but a lot. And when the SIL and her boyfriend got there with the baby, they were actually ok.

But, once again I was reminded about the difference in my values and those of my SIL. She is understandably unable to help out in the garden right now, having just had a c-section 2 weeks ago, but she also didn't seem to think TOO much of it when her 4 year old son (who's staying with the inlaws right now) wanted to step all over the rows that Scott had been raking into shape. She wouldn't have said anything if it wasn't for the fact that Scott was about to blow a gasket when the little $#it started to run up the length of one row he'd so carefully just raked up into a good plateau. She yelled at the little boy who's never PREVIOUSLY been scolded for screwing up the garden, so he didn't know what the issue was. He just wanted to help "Unca Cott" flatten down this dirt. *sigh*

Then the SIL sat there in the chair as MIL and I and Tay were picking stones & rocks out of the dirt, and Scott and Dan (the boyfriend) were raking up another row, and laughed at us and joked about since when did we think we're all a bunch of farmers, and was that what Kati really wanted, was a farm?!?!?! I just told her that I don't have delusions of being a farmer, but I sure as hell think that we could reduce our grocery bill by a bit if we can get our garden to produce enough. After that, I turned her "Farmer Scott" and "Farmer Dan" comments around and started calling them "Gardener Scott" and "Gardener Dan". Incidentally, "Gardener Dan" didn't come back out to help with more planting after we ate supper. I think he was rather embarassed to be made fun of by his girlfriend for helping her family with their garden.

Once again, it becomes easy to see how quickly this relationship is going to end, if SIL isn't careful. She's already started belittling him over things that he DOES do right "Farmer Dan!" and turning things around that SHOULD be good points. ("He's SOOO protective of the baby!" now is going to quickly turn into "I wish he'd just leave her alone!" if yesterday's attitude is any indication.) Rather than encouraging him to be doing healthy, wholesome activities (like gardening!) with folks she knows won't encourage his over-drinking, she bitches & moans about what a mean drunk he is. Yesterday she actually called out to the garage on his cell phone and started harassing him over the phone about drinking too much and how she was going to kick his @$$, and I got out there to leave and Scott said that Dan hadn't had a single beer. *shaking head*

As I predicted this past Christmas when she told me they were engaged to be married in August (after the baby's born, so SIL can fit into a size 6 dress again, down from her fully-pregnant size 18), I told the hubby that I'd believe she's getting married when I see her walk down the aisle. Dan isn't the first guy to propose to her, she's had other fiancees. But she always finds a way to mutilate the relationship, turning the now-ex from a "great guy" into the "scum of the earth", and ruining a relationship that had good potential. And in her behavior toward Dan yesterday, I can already see the beginning signs. And the MIL's no better. She was making comments like "Oh, he's such a good daddy...... for NOW." and "He loves his baby girl SOOO much, I just hope he doesn't screw her up!" *sigh*

Anyway, yesterday was a day of mixed feelings. SIL never did say anything outright nasty to me or Tay. Except for being a bit snarky about the gardening efforts, and not really UNDERSTANDING why we want her sons kept out of the garden, she wasn't out & out nasty or anything. To us. But her attitude toward the world in general is just so tiring. Even when it's not aimed at oneself.

And, we DID get a lot done with the garden. FIL and Scott are going to do more tonight and tomorrow as well. And I'll be back over this next weekend for more planting still.

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I did NOT get to go to the concert last friday, actually. (Not "yelling" there, just clarifying. Hope nobody takes offense.) I actually spent the evening sick & feverish on the couch, watching movies. Scott took all those pics. My Father-in-law went on my ticket. That's ok. I really think I would have been miserable, and Scott said it was loud & so energetic and with a crazy light snow. Yeah. I don't think it would have been a good situation.

Sorry I didn't clarify the other day. Those pics weren't taken by me, enjoying the concert. They were the pics Scott took to share with me when he got home, except that he got home so late that I was all but asleep on the couch and promptly fell into bed in a sound sleep.

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Thanks for all the support on the penpal thing. I just hope Tay follows through better than I ever did. *wry smile* I could never find much to say, so I just didn't write more than 2 or 3 letters a year.

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Ok. I think that pretty well covers the last couple of days. I'm back to work today and not entirely looking forward to it. Still dealing with some stiffness and soreness, but otherwise feeling a lot better. But, to jump right back in with my longest day.... *sigh* Yeah. Still not looking forward to it.

Have a Blessed Day!