The battle of the kettle

[cybermule]

I meant to post about my in-laws before, but never got around to it.

This isn't a bitch about them - I actually quite like them, I've always got along with my partner's families, and indeed I make it a policy to do so regardless as it just makes life easier for everyone.

I only really have two problems - they stress the fuck out of my boyfriend, and they're obsessed with stuff I regard as weird. The first one is just something I can help with, and I realise that I'm not a shining example of getting along with my mum. The second is more difficult.

An example of which is that they hate my kettle. Because it looks scuzzy. It works fine, but they really really painfully wish that I'd replace it with a prettier one. The important thing about my kettle to me is that it works, and that I bought it for a fiver 12 years ago and it's soldiered on ever since. It was my first ever kettle, and being a soppy git, that means a lot to me. An ex once told me you can tell a lot about people by how they treat the weak and inanimate. He talked a lot of shit, but that bit's been useful to me.

When they visited at the weekend, they tried to throw my kettle away when I was asleep. Luckily my boyfriend stopped them before they committed such an act of war. And interestingly, they didn't have the guts to bring it up with me directly.

I hate to sound priggish and self-righteous, but they're too obsessed with things and money. And I'm sure they're not underneath all that. So why?

Meh.

Comments

[scarybex.livejournal.com]

I'd go mad if a partners parets attempted to change my home in any way. Bad enough when they come and feel they have to clean floors you've already cleaned.

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

That's pretty annoying too. I'd like that even less, as I'd feel sub-standard, rather than just righteously angry.

[psilobabe.livejournal.com]

why would they be at all bothered about an inanimate object such as a kettle when there is such an adorable new face to gaze at instead? *confusion reigns*

[gwyn-hwyfar.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that too!

[gwyn-hwyfar.livejournal.com]

they tried to throw my kettle away when I was asleep.

=:O !!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, the horror!.....hopefully they will learn to be more diplomatic and love you for what they see as your 'quirks' :D

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

That's probably the problem - they don't actually know me all that well, so they probably have no idea of what would really aggravate me, anf what my motivations are.

[apel.livejournal.com]

Umm, you do not throw away another person's things without asking first. In recovery we call that basic boundaries, but it's also simple manners.

I could somewhat understand their problem if the kettle was dirty and full of limescale but that could perhaps excuse giving you a new one, not throwing away the old one. It's yours.

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

They're not good with boundaries. Thank you for confirming that for me - I have problems noticing when my boundaries have been broken. I just get angry.

[surrey-sucks.livejournal.com]

Why are they so obsessed about such an insignificant thing? They need to learn to pick their battles.

[r-is-for-rachel.livejournal.com]

Andys Mum sent us a package recently, including a huge gaudy white purse accompanied by a note stating 'a new purse for Rachel to use instead of a handbag when going out'.

This was because when we visited her and we went out to the pub i took my handbag - which she thought was strange...

:S

families are weird

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

LOL - I mostly use my handbag. That's the point of them, isn't it?

[ninneviane.livejournal.com]

I thought everyone used a hand-bag! :)

[ninneviane.livejournal.com]

Y'know...if you wanted to clop them over the head with the kettle, you could probably get away with on account of your hormones and all ;)

I understand how you feel...that *is* a bit much and it's a very silly thing to be so concerned about when a) it's not theirs, they don't like there and don't have to use or look at it, and b) as others have only too rightly said, they have a beautiful grandson to coo over.

I can't believe they tried to throw it away - and it's not silly to be sentimental over a kettle...well maybe I'm the wrong person to be the judge of that given I'm the one with sentimental saucepans, kitchen scales, knives, duvet sets and towels :)

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I just got really annoyed with it all, as I found the rug they don't like outside behind the bike, too :|

[ninneviane.livejournal.com]

No way! That's terrible :/

[amiga500.livejournal.com]

We had to buy my father-in-law a new kettle, since he'd been using a saucepan to boil water for tea for months. I'm honestly not sure he realised he could just go out and buy one, since both of his wives had done all the shopping. Still, I think there's a big difference between feeling bad that someone's dipping their mug in boiling water just because they want tea, and throwing stuff out. Maybe they feel a baby shouldn't be exposed to such a disreputable vessel?

[weemadharold.livejournal.com]

A twelve year old slightly scuzzy looking kettle. That sounds cool. I want one. Seriously! Even mass produced tat develops character as it gets old, and character is exactly what this world needs more of.

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

Hah - feel free to come and meet it if you're ever in the area. To be fair, it does look a bit like a diseased tooth. But I'm absolutely incapable of throwing away an object that works just because it doesn't look good.

[belladonna-9.livejournal.com]

MY Parent wouldnt even dare to do something like that, let alone a mere inlaw...