Big hugs, Shannon!

Shannon-big hugs to you. This is a lot to handle. You are a the glass is half full kind of girl. Don't let her change that.

Hugs...hugs...hugs.... So much good advice from everyone here. Just know that we are here and try to take care of yourself through all of this.

more {{{hugs}}}

Life can be SO hard sometimes, and you ARE a glass-half-full girl. It just doesn't feel like it right now. . .

I'm sorry to hear your MIL is back to her old ways That 18-month wait is probably just an estimate? It might be sooner (I figure they can only project their 'turnover' rate)?

Good that you got the vacuum taken care of. One thing down.

We went through a spell a few years ago. No people problems, but everything in the house seemed to be breaking down simultaneously: garage door, water heater, dishwasher, doors, lawn mower, light switches. One day he said he was afraid to call me from work to hear what the latest problem was, and he dreaded pulling into the driveway knowing he'd spend the evening working on *something*

Wow...though I am not suppose to giggle, I did...because I loved how you took solace in standing upright and drinking. You are my kinda gal.

I am sorry about all that ....and it IS "all that". I do want to strongly urge you and your husband to try to do something about the smoking, it is a health issue for you and your husband and son. Could she try a cessation program ? Do you have a fan in the bathroom ? Could she smoke there with the fan on ? Or in the kitchen by a stove fan ?

The past couple of days I have been reading Zen Habits. And all I could think of was, " YEAH, but YOU don't have elderly parents and a disabled sister and kids and your wife does all the cleaning...easy to be ZEN at that point. " I was cranky. Imagine ? Getting pissy with a ZEN master ? LOL ! Life is overwhelming sometimes. Period.

We LOVE you Shannon !!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry to hear about the MIL issues. Hopefully the 18 month wait will be shorter - will a squeaky wheel help with that? Sending positive thoughts your way!

Big hugs, Shannon. The situation with your MIL sounds really tough, I don't know how you deal with it. I don't really think there are any easy solutions if she's not willing to change but I do agree with the suggestion above to look into getting a HEPA filter or similar for your son's sake.

Late here but sending you a hug, Shannon. Your MIL is sending me between anger and pity....

Mm, Shannon. I think your week has gone beyond the break down and cry stage. I think we're talking break down and laugh, here. Drink more wine.

All these positive thoughts will SURELY do some good Shannon!
What do they say, that a problem shared is a problem halved?

I always admire your positive attitude, Shannon, and of course we all need to vent and cry and share when life gets rough. And what a rough week (and months) you have had-((
I'm glad to hear the vacuum problem has been solved. Hopefully the garage will be fixed soon as well.
Now if only we could help you convince your MIL...

I am thinking of you, Shannon, and we are always here for you.

Hang to dry is also a great & environmentally friendly way to circulate more moisture in your house in the winter
Sometimes I think the luckiest elders are also the most entitled. She can afford to act this way because she knows you won't kick her out on the street. Sigh.

Thank you all so , so much for your lovely thoughts and offers of alcoholic beverages!

We got our garage electricity repaired and you're never gonna believe how it happened. I have to share...I traded some housecleaning for our electrician. Yep - you heard me right.

Our neighbour across the back lane from us is a licensed electrician with the City Department. Nice guy - we've been neighbours for years. His wife died suddenly last February and he has been struggling on his own (kids are grown and moved away to other provinces). While shovelling snow Sunday morning we got chatting and he said he'd noticed we were having to manually come out and lift up the garage door to get our car in and out and wasn't our opener working. So I told how none of the electricity in the garage was working and we needed to get someone out, etc. So he said he'd come and have a look - which he did - and it turned out to be a few issues. He said he could fix the problems for us and when I asked how much and that I wasn't sure we could do it all at once, he said he had a unique suggestion.

He needed his house cleaned. Said he "cleaned like a man" and that he wasn't keeping up with it. He said he missed how clean and beautiful his home looked when his wife cleaned it. Would I be willing to trade some cleaning skills for his electrical skills? Absolutely I replied!

So I came back into the house and got my cleaning bucket that holds all my cleaning agents, sponges and scrubbers, my mop and off I went. I spent the next three hours sweeping, washing floors, scrubbing his bathroom, wiping out the fridge and stove, washing all the kitchen countertops, making his bed, and generally tidying up. While I was doing that, he was rewiring the faulty part of the garage.

When we were both done, we hugged in the back lane and came back to our respective homes. We were both extremely pleased and neither one of us was out a dime.

You just never know do you?

You bartered most excellently, Shannon! Brilliant!

(The sad thing is, I would not be able to take on that offer...or if I did, it would probably take 10 hours for me to do the same job. You are a gem! And you helped out this helpless guy.)

Brilliant solution! Neighbors being neighborly.

Just beautiful! I know it was just a bartering situation, but something about it is so heartwarming. I think it's what he said about his wife that's get me all *verklempt.* Thank you for sharing!

Awesome!

That's so cool, Shannon!

A perfect solution! Shannon, I think you bring out the best in people.

What a great solution to both problems! And you made a friend in the process!

Brilliant!! And you got active recovery while you did it!!!

That is brilliant! I am doing a case pro bono for a disabled client and her brother on his own has been plowing our driveway (it's his business). I hadn't asked but he said it was the least they could do. Better than getting paid, in some ways!

Aww, that brought a tear to my eye.

Shannon, that's fantastic! Win-win!!!

I'm so glad to get to the bottom of this thread, which I just got around to reading, at a time when at least one of your biggest problems has been so beautifully, heartwarmingly sorted, Shannon. You clearly really do bring out the best in people and circumstances by being the 'glass-half-full' girl!

Really sorry to hear about the rest of the roller-coaster --- and had to agree with Rachy that it sounds like Break Down and Giggle Hysterically Week over there. (I can slightly relate---we're having a Break Down and Feel Zen-like quarter here ::waves at Isabel in MA::)

Here's hoping that serendipity finds you some more electronic solutions, the office stops simmering by spring and MIL finds a place sooner rather than later for everyone's sanity and health. Most of all, hoping your son --- and touch wood that he's been fine! --- stays in the pink of health, as do you, in the meanwhile. Keep those endorphins and that pretty chin up!

Shannon, I adore you for your openness and honesty, and it IS your "glass half full" that is and always will pull you through. Yes, take each item/issue separately and handle them one at a time. That way the overwhelming nature of life slowly melts and disappears. Hugs to you and hope your MIL gets her new digs very soon so you can breathe easier. XO

That is so great !! My fantasy , minimalist self ( wearing lots of accessories ) LOVES that story. How wonderful on so many levels.

I love the implication that three hours of cleaning = three hours of electrician - that cleaning is skilled labor.

Oh Shannon what a wonderful and heart warming story! Kudos to you.

What a great story! How wonderful that your neighbor suggested a win-win solution.