sometimes a dream is just a dream. REALLY.
I have said that the holidays went fairly well, and for the most part, they did. I could only think of a couple of times that I wanted to smack my mother-in-law. And since her husband had just died, I've really tried to be tolerant. But then....
But then there are times.....
like this morning. When I come back to work after a relatively restful few days off, to find messages on my work answering machine that strike me much like nails on a chalkboard.
I've transcribed the message here, just... because. Because it is in part amusing, and because it's one of those things that gives me *proof* that I'm really not exaggerating when I record Mother-in-Law Horror Stories. So word for word, I present this morning's voice mail message:
"Hi Jennifer, this is Cristina, and I hope you've had time to rest and unwind, um... you know it's amazing what sleep can do to the general well-being of a person. And uh... But anyway, I had a dream, about popcorn and Sarah. And, ummm, I don't know, it just was like, it said 'Feed her popcorn,' and um, they sell some very tender, crisp, delicious popcorn at the store, unless you want to fix it yourself, it, you know, just 1/4 cup... 1/4 cup of popcorn into some hot Wesson oil or whatever. But um, maybe that'll help her digestion and her, ah, elimination. It's a.... I used to eat it like... everything, and I still like it. And pecans and walnuts and almonds are great... to keep the weight good. Um, I... I just thought I'd give you some hints. I know you - you already have read and researched, but... She's looking beautiful, but....But I can't live without pecans and walnuts and walnuts are feel-good, the same thing that Prozac has, it's in a healthy form in walnuts and helps the [here I can't make the word out: lymphs? limbs?] Well, have a good day, dear, get some rest, and, uh, everybody looked real good, and may God continue to bless you. OK, bye."
Now, here's the thing: Had my daughter's digestion or her weight or her elimination been the topic of discussion at any point over the holidays... had I been musing over a solution or concerned or any such thing, then this call would make sense and be appreciated. But it was COMPLETELY RANDOM. It wasn't based on "Oh, hey, my daughter in law was wondering about these things, and here's what I found out, so I'll call her." It was: "I had a dream and I must share its wisdom." Yes, Virginia, there are some dreams that bear sharing, their wisdom/oddness/humor whatever imparted. Perhaps I'm alone in this, but I hardly think a dream about popcorn warrants a minute and a half voice mail filled with parental "hints."
Like I said, I'm trying to be tolerant. The woman's husband just died. A piece of me wants to blame this aimless chatter on the fact that she's a lonely recent-widow. But the thing is, for my mother in law, this kind of totally unrelated sililoquy is *entirely normal*. In fact, its absence was one of the reasons I knew something was really wrong when she called to tell me her husband was dying.
I guess on the one hand it's good to see her getting back to her self, as nerve-grating as that is for me. On the other hand, it seems since Leon's death that she's been calling me in particular quite a bit more, and it it continues like this, it's gonna get more than a bit touchy.
Seriously??? Sometime a cigar is JUST a cigar. Go eat some more walnuts and find something to do.
But then there are times.....
like this morning. When I come back to work after a relatively restful few days off, to find messages on my work answering machine that strike me much like nails on a chalkboard.
I've transcribed the message here, just... because. Because it is in part amusing, and because it's one of those things that gives me *proof* that I'm really not exaggerating when I record Mother-in-Law Horror Stories. So word for word, I present this morning's voice mail message:
"Hi Jennifer, this is Cristina, and I hope you've had time to rest and unwind, um... you know it's amazing what sleep can do to the general well-being of a person. And uh... But anyway, I had a dream, about popcorn and Sarah. And, ummm, I don't know, it just was like, it said 'Feed her popcorn,' and um, they sell some very tender, crisp, delicious popcorn at the store, unless you want to fix it yourself, it, you know, just 1/4 cup... 1/4 cup of popcorn into some hot Wesson oil or whatever. But um, maybe that'll help her digestion and her, ah, elimination. It's a.... I used to eat it like... everything, and I still like it. And pecans and walnuts and almonds are great... to keep the weight good. Um, I... I just thought I'd give you some hints. I know you - you already have read and researched, but... She's looking beautiful, but....But I can't live without pecans and walnuts and walnuts are feel-good, the same thing that Prozac has, it's in a healthy form in walnuts and helps the [here I can't make the word out: lymphs? limbs?] Well, have a good day, dear, get some rest, and, uh, everybody looked real good, and may God continue to bless you. OK, bye."
Now, here's the thing: Had my daughter's digestion or her weight or her elimination been the topic of discussion at any point over the holidays... had I been musing over a solution or concerned or any such thing, then this call would make sense and be appreciated. But it was COMPLETELY RANDOM. It wasn't based on "Oh, hey, my daughter in law was wondering about these things, and here's what I found out, so I'll call her." It was: "I had a dream and I must share its wisdom." Yes, Virginia, there are some dreams that bear sharing, their wisdom/oddness/humor whatever imparted. Perhaps I'm alone in this, but I hardly think a dream about popcorn warrants a minute and a half voice mail filled with parental "hints."
Like I said, I'm trying to be tolerant. The woman's husband just died. A piece of me wants to blame this aimless chatter on the fact that she's a lonely recent-widow. But the thing is, for my mother in law, this kind of totally unrelated sililoquy is *entirely normal*. In fact, its absence was one of the reasons I knew something was really wrong when she called to tell me her husband was dying.
I guess on the one hand it's good to see her getting back to her self, as nerve-grating as that is for me. On the other hand, it seems since Leon's death that she's been calling me in particular quite a bit more, and it it continues like this, it's gonna get more than a bit touchy.
Seriously??? Sometime a cigar is JUST a cigar. Go eat some more walnuts and find something to do.