Command Performance.

Spent the weekend with the in-laws. They've been bugging for use to come see them. So we made the long drive up to Jersey to see them and their new house. There's good in that, and bad. Good is that a trip to the in-laws is as good an enforced rest as ever existed. Apart from doing dishes and munchkin minding I have no responsibilities. On the other hand the pixies, brownies or other house fairies did not visit my house in my absence to take care of my chores. So I'm relatively rested and terribly behind.

Hadn't realized it has been 10 months since we saw them, but I see that as entirely their fault. They retreated to FLA and only came back once in the spring. They were around for one evening (neices 8th grade graduation) and were pretty bent out of shape that we didn't attend - despite it being at 7pm on a school night. They left the next day because they had to see their doctors and how their house was coming along. That was it. They are retired and aren't broke. They skipped every holiday and several other family events which we attended. Somehow I just can't feel guilty about it.

So we visited. The new house is nice. I think they are absolutely insane for moving in before it was finished. I can imagine the last bits taking 2 or 3 times longer simply because they decided they had to move in. It's a nice design just a couple of head scratchers. They created the design so I don't understand why MIL keeps complaining about no pantry. It's pretty obvious that they could have used the space of the broom closet and one set of cabinets for one - but didn't. Not that she doesn't complain about it. They also did a 2 master bedroom layout. Pretty nice but the bigger bedroom has the better closet but not the better bathroom. The smaller of the two has a fairly small closet and the mother of all bathrooms with the shower and jacuzzi. Perfect for them but not optimal for resale. The powder room is also a head scratcher - it's convenient only to the laundry room and the garage. The bath for the guest rooms is accessible only through the guest rooms and the other 2 are through the master bedrooms. Basically there's no bathroom readily available to most of the common areas of the house. Definitely brought home when the 8 year old suddenly realized a need and when tearing through the house for the facilities.

They've got a pool in back. Since they aren't right on the beach anymore they figured no one would visit them without a pool. We swam, but it was WAY too cold for it. Definite Debsicle. Ideal layout too with the greatroom opening onto the deck from the front, the master bedrooms from each side and then just a step down to the pool deck.

The only other notable thing from the weekend was that the husband drove. Since the van is mine I have been doing the driving basically for the last 8 years or so. This time it was just a short trip so he drove. It nearly drove me nuts. I swear I need to buy him a hat to wear because he drives like a little old man. On cruise control two miles an hour over the speed limit in the left lane. He's the kind of driver I scream obscenities at. I slept when I could and spent the rest of the trip working to supress the urge to punch him in the head.