First Impressions

Since we celebrated my in-laws 50th Wedding Anniversary yesterday, I've been thinking about the first time I met them.  I've been thinking about how a lot of time has passed, but it doesn't feel that way.  When you hear the number of years that has passed, you think, "Doggone!  That's a lot of time." Except, we're just not that old.  When you look at the cousins and see that they're starting high school now, yep a lot of time has passed!  I remember when they were born, or when their mom and dad got married!! That only happened a few years ago.  But then, I look in the mirror, and I know not that much time has passed.  (Well- the only explanation for those kids starting high school is that they ate chicken with steroids in it, and now they're maturing crazy fast. It has nothing to do with the fact us adults are getting older.)

I met Doug's parents maybe 2 months after we started dating?  I'm thinking it was in October some time.  They were building a barn for my sister-in-laws horse (hahaha- funny story about that.  Doug swore, after that barn building, his kids would NEVER get into horses.  Alexa is starting riding lessons in a few weeks.  Funny how that stuff comes round to bite you in the rear.)  Anyway, that was quite a new experience for me.  I was a bit of a city slicker.  His parents teased me about being a city girl, which made me laugh because Spartanburg, SC is not exactly a city.  It doesn't have mass transit. My neighborhood didn't have side-walks.  Of course, it was a neighborhood though.  Doug's parents lived 10 miles away (give or take) from the nearest grocery store.  They didn't get trash service! I drank the most delicious fresh chocolate milk- every time we went there.

Anyway- they were building a barn.  The weekend I was there, they got a hay delivery.  I was throwing hay.  Not like a pro.  They enjoyed teasing me about how sometimes snakes come out of those hay bales. I can't imagine the impression I was making.
First- I got a song stuck in my head.  I kept singing 1 random line, over and over, and over, and over, and . . . well you get it.
Second- I was amazed by all that they were doing.  My dad hates doing projects.  He talks Doug into coming down and doing stuff for him.  He lures him by renting equipment, or finding trees for Doug to cut down.  While my dad did stuff when I was young, as I grew up, he gradually convinced my mother, he stunk at projects and they should get someone more qualified.
Third- my mother in law blew my mind and made homemade pudding.  I didn't even know such a thing was possible.  I thought pudding came from a box.  It turns out with some flour, sugar, and milk and other stuff, you can make legit pudding!  And . . . it's DELICIOUS!!!!!  Especially with bananas, Nilla Wafers, and a meringue topping. (FYI my mother was embarrassed that I didn't know that.  Sorry mom.)
Fourth- I bled all over my mother in law's dinner plate, and mine.  Her water glass had turned pink from my blood.
We had gone to eat at a restaurant.  It was super crowded on Saturday night.  The server had not returned to refill Doug's tea glass in awhile, and he was getting really impatient.  To be funny, he started banging his fork and knife on the table (I promise he was joking!!!  He's not that rude!), I tried to grab the serrated knife from his hand, and dragged my right thumb up the blade.  I don't recommend doing that- by the way.  It hurts.  But we did get faster service.  Suddenly our plates were getting cleared, drinks were being refilled, and I was getting more napkins.  I was bleeding like a stuck pig.  All over everywhere.

So, to wrap up- I sang an annoying song all weekend, I was amazed by homemade pudding, and I leaked bodily fluids on dinner plates- after grabbing a knife.  Wow- good thing I've hung around for 19 years to improve that impression, and that they let keep coming around.