Staying at BIL's house, where MIL/FIL also live. BIL has three kids. BIL/wife wake up some time before noon and serve breakfast at 1pm. No food or snacks for anyone until "lunch" at 5pm. Dinner is around 10pm.

They also haven't vacuumed the house since god knows when, since they left the vacuum in their rental condo. So glad DS-2yo doesn't put random things in his mouth.

Staying in a 1600SF rancher with my in-laws. They have 5 TV that are on from the very moment they wake up until they go to sleep. Full volume, all day every day. If I am the only one in a room I turn the TV off but IL comes in right after to turn back on, then leaves the room with TV on. Sports, NCIS episodes, Westerns, 24 hours of A Christmas Story . . .

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Staying with MIL.

Everybody including adults must put a towel on their chair while eating at the kitchen table.

There is only bar soap in the entire house. Dishes are hand washed with a bar of Ivory soap.

There are decorative liquid soap dispensers in the bathroom but they are only for show. Decorative tissue box covers are also empty. She doesn't like for people to use the decorative hand towels but there aren't other towels to use.

The upstairs shower drain is clogged so you're basically standing in a bath by the time your shower is done. It's been this way for over 2 years. She doesn't think it's an issue.

Everyone is freezing but MIL won't turn the heat up.

Who the fu*k would wash dishes with bar soap?? And why wouldn't you check into a hotel?

This MIL is clearly having an issue with money and trying to keep up appearances. She's just not telling you.

Yes, she does have an issue with money but not having enough of it isn't the issue. DH oversees her finances and speaks regularly with her advisor and she's pretty well off in that department. -OP

Bring dishsoap, towels and bar soap next time?

You are missing the point. OP and others are not asking for help finding solutions. They are pondering the "Whys" of these strange situations, plus seeking commiseration from others with relatives who do bizarre things.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My MIL has no door handle on the ONE bathroom door. My husband went to Home Depot to fix it and she got all pissed off. She also does not believe in buying garbage bags. She just uses the small plastic grocery bags.

We checked into the local Marriott.

OMG. Are these depression era women determined to try to prove something? Besides the fact that they are batshit crazy?

I am 40 and do not have a kitchen garbage pail. I just use a brown paper bag on the floor. We're only two people and don't fill one bag up each day - more like every four days or so. And while there IS a handle on the bathroom door, the door is never closed. The shower stall is really dark so I hung a trouble light from the door to create more light in the shower. Thus, the bathroom door is never closed all the way.

Anonymous wrote:Nobody in this house washes their hands in the bathroom. They leave the bathroom and wash their hands in the kitchen. Why???

I do this a lot, especially in the winter. It takes forever for the hot water to come on in the bathroom (much much longer than it takes to wash my hands). It's like I'm conditioned by the icy water to go to the kitchen sink where the water is warm immediately.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Staying with MIL.

Everybody including adults must put a towel on their chair while eating at the kitchen table.

There is only bar soap in the entire house. Dishes are hand washed with a bar of Ivory soap.

There are decorative liquid soap dispensers in the bathroom but they are only for show. Decorative tissue box covers are also empty. She doesn't like for people to use the decorative hand towels but there aren't other towels to use.

The upstairs shower drain is clogged so you're basically standing in a bath by the time your shower is done. It's been this way for over 2 years. She doesn't think it's an issue.

Everyone is freezing but MIL won't turn the heat up.

Who the fu*k would wash dishes with bar soap?? And why wouldn't you check into a hotel?

This MIL is clearly having an issue with money and trying to keep up appearances. She's just not telling you.

Yes, she does have an issue with money but not having enough of it isn't the issue. DH oversees her finances and speaks regularly with her advisor and she's pretty well off in that department. -OP

Bring dishsoap, towels and bar soap next time?

Everyone stays awake til 3 or 4 in the morning. Tried to put my toddler to bed at 10:30 (way past her usual bedtime) and everyone called me a stick in the mud. She couldn't sleep anyway because everyone talks at the top of their voices over 2 or 3 TVs throughout the house.

First night waited for 5yo niece's disney movie to end at 1:00 so I could finally go to bed as I thought that's what everyone was waiting for, but then she got up and put another one in and no one blinked an eye. They say they want to make the most of our time together but then will sleep till 10 or 11. (I can't sleep in that late even if I've stayed up too late - I just wake up.)

I am so tired and crabby I can't even believe it. Nap on the couch in my office today.

Nobody in this house washes their hands in the bathroom. They leave the bathroom and wash their hands in the kitchen. Why???

I'm visiting dad in Florida. It's 80 degrees outside and the air conditioning is off and all the windows are closed tight. Ongoing battle as we open doors and windows and he complains that it is too cold and closes them. I'm love hot weather, but this is stuffy and uncomfortable! My poor kids and husband.

Oh... And this is just the tip of the weirdness in this house!

Anonymous wrote:Staying at my grandmother's house. It's her and my 57 year old aunt who is effectively retired as she hasn't worked since 2009. She mows grass, rakes leaves, checks on neighbors' pets/housesits. She has never moved out. My mom died 7 years ago, as did my grandfather, so I'm glad my grandmother isn't alone.

And I forgot, she has two dogs, one of whom barks LOUDLY and INCESSANTLY until she picks up the dog (toy breed). If the dogs are in the room and not crated, she has to hold them or the female dog won't stop barking.

Staying at my grandmother's house. It's her and my 57 year old aunt who is effectively retired as she hasn't worked since 2009. She mows grass, rakes leaves, checks on neighbors' pets/housesits. She has never moved out. My mom died 7 years ago, as did my grandfather, so I'm glad my grandmother isn't alone.

Where do I begin?
Staying at ILs tiny house (total of 4 adults, 3 little kids). We sleep on bunks, or the floor while MIL sleeps on the couch (her choice). So we have to be super quiet in the morning so as not to wake her. The house is old and drafty, and super dry with high heat. We all scratch from dry skin by the time we leave. They are hoarders, so every inch of the house is filled with stuff. We're not allowed to move anything to or down our suitcases, wet towels, etc.
Also, MIL has 1,000 chatkis (?) and refuses to put them away when we visit. We have 2 toddlers!
BIL built a big house down the road and they have kids (my kids' cousins). We have asked them if our kids can do a sleep over at least one night - and we have hinted we would love to stay with them - but no dice. They don't like to have people at their house.
Uf.

At in-laws house: upstairs bathroom with tub is not to be used (it works perfectly fine and is fancier decorated). We ALL must go to the unfinished basement to 1) use toilet and 2) take shower. All of us! Kids and toddlers included.
Also, no vegetables and no fruit, like the PPs.

Anonymous wrote:My MIL has no door handle on the ONE bathroom door. My husband went to Home Depot to fix it and she got all pissed off. She also does not believe in buying garbage bags. She just uses the small plastic grocery bags.

We checked into the local Marriott.

OMG. Are these depression era women determined to try to prove something? Besides the fact that they are batshit crazy?

Anonymous wrote:One bathroom here at my ILs'. On the back of the door hangs MIL's enema bag.

Omg!!! Barf!!!