Just an update... I decided not to send Emily to Brickton's party. We took the kids swimming for an hour instead, it was wholesome and absolutely no one wore camoflauge or made references to dead animals or soon-to-be-dead animals or animals they wanted to find and kill. Likewise for minorities or liberals. No references at all.

And as for my mother-in-law, we spoke on the phone for the obligatory "I've spoken with everyone else in your house, I suppose I should talk to you" conversation. It included plans for next weekend, when we're heading out her way so that we can visit my sister for her college graduation and then let Willem go on an all-day bachelor party with his idiot, er, I mean, fraternity buddies. Plans which she had just moments ago gone over with Willem, but repetition doth make the heart grow fonder, no? No.

I told her, "We'll be arriving late Friday night, and then on Saturday I'm planning on taking the kids to Niagara Falls for the day. They've never been, and I have a new camera to play with. I think we'll go on the Maid of the Mist boats, have a meal in the Skylon Tower, and just spend the day in the area. [AWKWARD PAUSE] You're welcome to join us if you want to."

"Oh, that would be great! Sounds fun! Oh, but we can't go on the Maid of the Mist, I get seasick. But we can go on the walking tour behind the Falls!"

Umm... I'm sorry. Maybe you misunderstood. This particular trip is for me and the kids, to plan what we would most enjoy. If you want to join, that's okay, but we're not going to avoid what would be the highlight of their day because you don't like boats. Join us another time or not at all. Something.

Ugh.

I can't put my finger on exactly why I am irritated about this, except that she is my mother-in-law and irritates me effortlessly. And I told Willem, she's like biological warfare - the bomb can literally fall in my lap, and it takes hours for me to figure out that something isn't quite right.