I survived Long Island (and the inlaws!)

[Doran]

We left Saturday around 2:00 and arrived at my inlaws about 8:00 pm. I never cease to be amazed at how many cars there are on the road at any given time, especially "up there". We were bumper to bumper more than once, and barely avoided being broadsided by some young buck who was trying to speedily change lanes in the midst of a mass of slow moving traffic. Looking back over his shoulder while still moving forward, he was. Pity when the person in front of him stopped suddenly (as happens in stop-start traffic) while he was looking at the lane behind him! Thank goodness for dh's quick reaction time, and my strong heart. Yeesh!

 

With apologies to those of you who live there, I could not for all the tea in China make a life in the central part of L.I.. Manhattan, maybe. Maybe! I could take the train out of the city and take the train home, and the subway to work. Cars would not be necessary. The east end, sure. If I didn't ever have to leave. We lived for a time in Greenport and found it idyllic. Sadly, we had to manipulate the whole length of the island anytime we had to get anywhere. Ick, ick, ick! We are just wired differently than many, I suppose. Even dh agrees, and he grew up there.

 

Then there were the inlaws. My FIL telling my 11 year old that he should get her a pole for her birthday so she could learn to pole dance. :001_huh::glare: (barfing smiley added thanks to a suggestion from Nicole *smile*). My passive-aggressive SIL. My MIL asking me pointed questions about why on earth I thought it was a good idea to let my hair go gray. Good Lord!

 

I think I'm a bohemian wannabe. Or maybe I'm just traveling to the wrong places. But, I always very much enjoy coming HOME.

[sdWTMer]

I'm so glad you survived! And :eek: about the pole dancing! Oh.My.Word.

[WTMindy]

Good to have you back! I think your gray hair is great!!

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

We left Saturday around 2:00 and arrived at my inlaws about 8:00 pm. I never cease to be amazed at how many cars there are on the road at any given time, especially "up there". We were bumper to bumper more than once, and barely avoided being broadsided by some young buck who was trying to speedily change lanes in the midst of a mass of slow moving traffic. Looking back over his shoulder while still moving forward, he was. Pity when the person in front of him stopped suddenly (as happens in stop-start traffic) while he was looking at the lane behind him! Thank goodness for dh's quick reaction time, and my strong heart. Yeesh!

 

With apologies to those of you who live there, I could not for all the tea in China make a life in the central part of L.I. Manhattan, maybe. Maybe! I could take the train out of the city and take the train home, and the subway to work. Cars would not be necessary. The east end, sure. If I didn't ever have to leave. We lived for a time in Greenport and found it idyllic. Sadly, we had to manipulate the whole length of the island anytime we had to get anywhere. Ick, ick, ick! We are just wired differently than many, I suppose. Even dh agrees, and he grew up there.

 

Then there were the inlaws. My FIL telling my 11 year old that he should get her a pole for her birthday so she could learn to pole dance. :001_huh::glare: My passive-aggressive SIL. My MIL asking me pointed questions about why on earth I thought it was a good idea to let my hair go gray. Good Lord!

 

I think I'm a bohemian wannabe. Or maybe I'm just traveling to the wrong places. But, I always very much enjoy coming HOME.

 

OH MY. Welcome home, Ms. D.

 

Congrats for letting your fil live. This time.

[Nicole M]

Pole dancing. (I wish there was a little barfing emoticon. I would put it here.) My father says sh*t like that to my son, but obviously in the other direction. Think Little Miss Sunshine, "gotta get yourself some of that young stuff" but not nearly as funny. So. Right there with you in the gross out department.

 

I almost emailed you today, asking about where and how you were. I've sure been thinking about you. Big hug, missie.

 

Oh. And I adore your hair. Bohemian is totally in, hon. You're babalicious with that hair, trust me.

[Plaid Dad]

I think if anyone mentioned pole dancing in connection with my dd, I'd knock him down. Not that I'm recommending that response, mind. I'm just saying.

 

Glad you survived the Island. You're braver than I; I haven't been back in almost 20 years. ;)

[Doran]

OH MY. Welcome home, Ms. D.

 

Congrats for letting your fil live. This time.

 

 

No kidding. Let's just say we live two states away with intention.

 

We lived with these people for a year and a half. Moved in shortly after we were married. It was supposed to be a short stay and turned out to be something so different. SO different. There was one bathroom, seven full time adults, two kids, a puppy, and a brother and fiance who stayed over every weekend. This weekend "they" were calling me a prude because, back then, I got all ripped up about my FIL coming into our room to take pictures while I was getting dressed. Okay, so I was in a slip, with a towel on my head. But, the man is beyond strange. Everyone, including his wife and kids, agrees. Nevertheless, I was a "prude". See what I mean about the passive aggressive carp? It's really a wonder I can stand to go at all. A 36 hour stay is about all I can manage. I can't quite figure how dh turned out so wonderfully. :confused:

[Kathleen in VA]

Glad to have you back in one piece. Your fil sounds like my father. I'm so glad he lives 5000 miles away:). Neither of us can afford to visit the other. Is there a "wiping the brow, whew!" smilie?

 

Anyway, you're home safe and that's what counts. I was wonderin' where you'd gone off to.:grouphug:

[Doran]

Glad to have you back in one piece. Your fil sounds like my father. I'm so glad he lives 5000 miles away:). Neither of us can afford to visit the other. Is there a "wiping the brow, whew!" smilie?

 

Anyway, you're home safe and that's what counts. I was wonderin' where you'd gone off to.:grouphug:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kathy in MD]

Ok, what's pole dancing?

[Kathleen in VA]

Ok, what's pole dancing?

 

Probably not something we can discuss at length on a classical homeschooling forum:D. Perhaps you could google it when there are no little eyes in the room. Or not.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Ok, what's pole dancing?

 

No, don't google it! In short, it is the kind of dancing that scantily clad females do for money in certain night "clubs"- using the pole as a prop. Not a wholesome thing to suggest to any young lady.

[WTMCassandra]

:grouphug: Doran. 36 hours? I don't think I would last 3.6 MINUTES in that situation. Holy Guacamole, Batman!

[sleepy]

Wow, that traffic sounds like a bear. And your FIL...

 

So glad you're back. :D

[newlifemom]

Doran,

 

Next time let me know in advance where you have to go on LI. We just moved from there 3000 miles(what a culture shock). I just love it when people talk about traffic. :D Anyway we have lots of 'fairly' normal homeschool friends all over the island. We will get you set up in no time :tongue_smilie:.

[Amy in Orlando]

Welcome back, Doran! I have a similar FIL (fortunately I have no daughters so pole dancing has never been discussed) ... It's oogy and horrible and there's a reason we have not seen them in four years. I admire your restraint.

[Doran]

Welcome back, Doran! I have a similar FIL (fortunately I have no daughters so pole dancing has never been discussed) ... It's oogy and horrible and there's a reason we have not seen them in four years. I admire your restraint.

 

 

I told him that he really should stop making such implications as I was sure, were my daughter to ever actually take up pole dancing, he'd be among the first to want to annihilate her for it. (And, we wonder why our kids are mixed up as teens?! :cursing:) What I wanted to tell him was exactly where he could stick that pole. But the bizarre thing is, then I'd have been the bad guy. It's so screwy. My MIL, thankfully, despite her gray hair remarks, gets the sainthood nomination in my book. She has a huge heart (she'd have to to live with my FIL all these years!) and generally stops short of getting on my very last nerve. She's the only reason we go visit.

[Doran]

Doran,

 

Next time let me know in advance where you have to go on LI. We just moved from there 3000 miles(what a culture shock). I just love it when people talk about traffic. :D Anyway we have lots of 'fairly' normal homeschool friends all over the island. We will get you set up in no time :tongue_smilie:.

 

 

I can't imagine there's anywhere in Oregon with traffic to match Long Island! You must find yourself saying, "Oh, people, you don't have a clue!" when they go to complain.:lol:

 

Funny you mention homeschoolers on the island. We stopped for bagels (one very good thing about NY is their bagels! ;)) on our way out of town. There was a mother there with three children in tow. Just the way they acted, this mother/child group, and...okay...what they were wearing (just way more organic looking than what I normally see there - no denim jumpers, I promise!)...I was convinced they were homeschoolers. I almost asked them, but I thought twice about it and when I looked again, they were gone.

[Lizzie in Ma]

The pole comment kind of staggers the imagination doesn't it?

Whew!

[gardenschooler]

Glad you got out over there alive, Doran! So you're good for another 10 years or so? :D

[newlifemom]

I can't imagine there's anywhere in Oregon with traffic to match Long Island! You must find yourself saying, "Oh, people, you don't have a clue!" when they go to complain.:lol:

 

Funny you mention homeschoolers on the island. We stopped for bagels (one very good thing about NY is their bagels! ;)) on our way out of town. There was a mother there with three children in tow. Just the way they acted, this mother/child group, and...okay...what they were wearing (just way more organic looking than what I normally see there - no denim jumpers, I promise!)...I was convinced they were homeschoolers. I almost asked them, but I thought twice about it and when I looked again, they were gone.

 

Trust me, we miss the bagels! As for hsers. Not many/any denim jumpers there. Very different kind of hsing but still very good:D.

[dragons in the flower bed]

I think I'm a bohemian wannabe. Or maybe I'm just traveling to the wrong places. But, I always very much enjoy coming HOME.

 

Honestly, LI would make anyone yearn for bohemia. So glad you traversed the expressway safely. Did you at least get a bagel, a deli sub or a Greek salad while you were there?

[Carol in Cal.]

I told him that he really should stop making such implications as I was sure, were my daughter to ever actually take up pole dancing, he'd be among the first to want to annihilate her for it. (And, we wonder why our kids are mixed up as teens?! :cursing:) What I wanted to tell him was exactly where he could stick that pole. But the bizarre thing is, then I'd have been the bad guy. It's so screwy. My MIL, thankfully, despite her gray hair remarks, gets the sainthood nomination in my book. She has a huge heart (she'd have to to live with my FIL all these years!) and generally stops short of getting on my very last nerve. She's the only reason we go visit.

 

Can't stand DOM. Especially when they think that they are cute.

[Jenny in Atl]

Welcome back! Wishing family could be a good thing, but so often it's just hard.

[Doran]

Honestly, LI would make anyone yearn for bohemia. So glad you traversed the expressway safely. Did you at least get a bagel, a deli sub or a Greek salad while you were there?

 

 

Made a special point of stopping for a dozen bagels the morning we left town, and we ate one for breakfast and lunch that day. Nutrition be darned! ;) I've never found anything that comes remotely close to a NY bagel anywhere else! :D