It’s Friday evening.  I’m heading west down I-80 in a minivan with the Somer family sans Tara.  The explanation for such a situation is probably fairly obvious.  The family and I are headed out to Park City for vacation/visiting Tara.  More of a vacation for them and job searching for me.  It is at some point during this car ride that I start to consider the in-law.  I think for the first year or our relationship, I was quite fond of Tara’s parents–probably mostly because I was happy to be accepted.  Now, however, with the wedding growing near, I must admit that I can now understand the discord between son/dauther in-law and mother/father in-law that is so commonly satired in sit-coms.  To be clear, I would not say that I dislike Tara’s parents in the slightest.  It’s just that more and more often I find myself wondering (Why?) in response to a statement or decision that has been made.  The way her mother says during meals: “I would have some more potatoes” instead of: “Please pass the potatoes”, or the way she ends every statment with “…and that”.  Then of course theres how she wants to make a wedding reception rule that all guests must be seated while drinking lest a drink be spilled down Tara’s dress.  For Christ’s sake! 

The other day Tara was telling her mother how they could just come visit us for their vacations in the future to save money on hotel/condos.  Perhaps feeling the wine already, I quickly said “Shh!”  Her mother laughed her ass off until she was red in the face.  I suppose these in-laws will be OK.