Weekend at my mother in law's

We were invited this weekend over at my mother in law's with my bf's brother, and his girlfriend. It was supposed to be just a little get together before we move to Berlin, which is a good 6 hour drive from here. Oh, and at the same time on sunday my bf and his brother could help just move the big furniture out of the living room because it was being re-carpeted and re-painted on monday and tuesday. yeah right.

Weel, we got there on saturday afternoon. You have to picture it, this is a small appartment, with a kitchen, 2 small bedrooms and a living room/dining room. I expected the living/dining room to be almost empty ( you know, crystal and silver packed, furniture empty, just the basic necessities so that we can have a pleasant dinner and maybe manage to eat breakfast the next day.) Well, absolutely NOTHING had been done. My mother in law really wanted us to go play tennis (even though that we were 5) so I'm thinking, since she gets up so much earlier than all of us she'll pack up and prepare everything tomorrow morning. So we go on and play tennis, it was fun, came back home, barbecued, went to bed. Sunday morning we get up... She had one, I repeat one box packed. I am not that all familiar with my mother in law, since we've been living in Canada for the past 4 years, and quite frankly I just don't know her that well yet. She had decided that we, the girls, could pack up all her stuff for her, that it would go faster. Umm, okay, would have been nice to have been asked first, but ok. Man. SO MUCH JUNK. THe furniture was dusty and she hadn't even had a look in the stuff! I found an old kleenex in her stuff. When we asked "where should we put these boxes now?" SHE HAD NO IDEA! But wait, then my bf asked exactly where the heavy furniture pieces ( 4 pieces) should go, she hadn't thought of it!!!!!! SHe just said " well actually I have no idea, it's quite difficult with my small appartment, but I'm sure you guys will figure it out." WTF?!?!?

She THEN started to order us all around like children who still live under her roof ( my bf has never lived with his mom, he was raised by his dad). I start taking pictures off the wall, and take them to one of the bedrooms. The pictures are so dusty I can't help but sneeze. At this point, we've been working for a couple of hours and I'm starting to feel insulted that she's making me do all this for her ( she is no old lady!) and then she sees me with the painting in my hands and says " well, can't you see that it's dirty?? you can go in the kitchen and wash it" (no please)

and NO, it's not over. We get a phone call from Berlin. You see, we know 2 people in Berlin: our friend Alex and his roommate. They were going to help us move in. Guess what? One broke his foot and the other hurt his back, is on bedrest and might have to be operated! Now THAT is bad luck! It really sucks for them , and we felt really bad for them, but at the same time I started panickin. We have some pretty heavy furniture and I'm not sure I can do it alone with my bf. Bf's brother, so sweet, offers right away to come with us to Berlin on Wednesday, so that he can help us unpack. Then the mother hears it. And here we go again. She claims he said he would help her move back in the furniture on wednesday. We say, well then maybe he can move back her stuff in on thursday or friday? ( her appartment is still liveable, with access to kitchen bedroom and computer) She starts FREAKING OUT saying that it's our problem and that then we should reschedule our move to thursday (oh yeah, that's really simple: huge truck we've reserved, friends to move out the furniture from here, 6-7 hour drive, appointment in Berlin with the owner...) and that there is NO WAY That she will let the brother come with us on wednesday. MY GOD. I swear, this woman will drive me nuts. I was furious. Then she suggested we all come to her house on tuesday night and move back in her living/dinning room. I say that wouldn't work for us, we have to pack our stuff up. ( we have a complete kitchen , bedroom and living room) She answers " what? no, you don't have that much" OH REALLY? thanks for telling me, you know, maybe we rented a 5.2 ton truck for nothing! Then, I say, we also have a goodbye family dinner at my bf's dad, and since we've been living here free for 3 months now and they've planned this dinner for more than a week now, unfortunately we really have to be here for the dinner. Her answer? "Well, that's not important, you can have your little dinner later" LATER? when? over the phone from Berlin?

Well, we finally left on sunday at least 3 hours later that what we had planned on and I managed to not run away from her apartment screaming. Please tell me all not mother in laws are like this.