in-law ramblings on a saturday morning

it's before 9, the kids are sleeping still (sort of... the boys are talking to each other, but they like to play for a while before i get them up for the day. there's probably a brisk trade in stuffed animals going on up there, since i hear alot of back & forth chatter. a bunny for your elephant? sure!)
i am sipping coffee & getting ready to tackle a turkey, since we're having our thanksgiving today. N's dad unexpectedly decided to join us this weekend to hunt, so we'll have all the grandparents with us today. the reasons for his trip are a bit muddled & confusing, but whatever. we're rolling with it & it's nice to see him without the drama that always accompanies a trip to the farm.

in odd & uniportant in-law related weirdness: i made up the spare bed in emma's room for him (all this involved was changing the sheets & replacing a blanket that had been cat-i-fied), & since em still sleeps with us, there was no room shuffling involved, it was very much not a big deal to have him stay there. nonetheless, last night we find N's dad has chosen our couch & battle with the cats all night long instead of a comfy bed, in order to avoid "putting me out". the man also complained about the "trouble" i was going to for our fake thanksgiving. (which is not trouble i'm going to on his behalf. dinner was planned long before he said he was coming.)
i love the guy, & i know he's just a grumpy old bugger, but i finally told him last night to just shut up & enjoy it.
i mean really... it's MORE trouble to have him snoring on our couch after i've already gotten the bed ready, & complaining about the dinner that's already in the works than it is for me to actually make the bed & cook the dinner. a little gratitude is alot nicer when some one has put effort in on your behalf than refusing to make use of any of the nice things that have been done for you.

(heaves sigh, rolls eyes, sets smile back in place....)

after 5 years with N's family, i'm starting to get used to the weirdness, & i know it's useless to play miss manners with FIL. so i am going to soldier on with our original plans & he chooses to be a grouch about it, it's his loss. now let there be turkey, dammit!!