My mother-in-law

I'm writing this blog on the fly, that is to say with no particular subject in mind. However, a thought occured to me earlier while I was cleaning the dinner dishes, a feat I only barely managed to accomplish before my mother-in-law could step in and put a stop to such  nonsense (i.e. me not letting her serve me 24/7). Furthermore, I'm still in shock I managed to sneak out of dinner early to do the dishes, another miracle I can't believe I pulled, plauged as I am with my mother-in-law's sharp eyes monitoring my every bite, no doubt calculating exactly how much food I require to fill my belly.

But I digress.

Let me offer a word about her kitchen. It is, by far, the smallest room in the house. But what comes out of that kitchen twice a day (the two major meals) is only comparable to the amount of people in and out of that cramped space. And I suspect the company my mother-in-law keepswhile tending to her stove is not only because of her terrific cooking, it's because of her.

My mother-in-law is definitely the heart of this home, and since she's often to be found in the kitchen, so is everyone else. Her children are in and out to talk to her, huddled in a small stool in the corner or casually perched on the countertop, speaking often in hushed tones, conveying intimacies and confidences. Her grandchildren scamper at her feet, in every danger from the yummies cooking on the stove but there's hardly a sharp word. Indeed it's the youngsters' parents who are often reprimanding the children only to be told "Leave him/her." So leave them we do. Besides they'll probably be in there before long, whispering their own secrets and having a laugh with her.

That's the other thing. My mother-in-law is pretty funny. At least so much as I can tell based on our very limited conversation. She's always laughing and always good for a joke or a funny story. Suffice it to say, I wish I knew her better.