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Original poster

My MIL is narrating our Christmas Day

86 replies

LadyCampanulaTottington · 25/12/2021 17:49

Caveat before I begin, I love my MIL. Adore her. She’s wonderful, kind, caring and treats me like a daughter.

You know the saying, if you want to know me come and live with me …. She lives alone so I can only assume that she does this narration as a way to cope with feeling alone sometimes. But OMG I’m ready to stick forks in my ears to stop it. We’ve had a running commentary of the day.

What annoying habits are your loved ones driving you crazy with?

OP posts:
KaptainKaveman · 25/12/2021 17:54

Do you mean she describes things as they occur? How odd.

Somuddled · 25/12/2021 17:54

I need examples of how she is doing this.

PatriotCanes · 25/12/2021 17:55

My MIL used to phone one of her other children to narrate the day she was having with us. "We had sausages, John, for dinner, can you imagine!" "We're going for a walk now Karen, a walk, just around the fields." Never quite sure whether she was getting at us or at them.

Original poster
LadyCampanulaTottington · 25/12/2021 18:02

Ok example:

“Now, a coffee I think, I’ll heat the cup first because I just want a single espresso and it will go cold otherwise. Which capsule this time, the Lavazza Maestro I think”. Walks to the fridge. “Milk, ok here it is, I think I need to replace it soon it feels light” etc etc.

OP posts:
Papertrail392 · 25/12/2021 18:05

Bless her, I bet you're right and she does it at home.

Somuddled · 25/12/2021 18:05

Oh that's really sweet,though I imagine it would quickly turn annoying. My mother does that to a lesser extent. I feel it gets in the way of having actual conversation

Original poster
LadyCampanulaTottington · 25/12/2021 18:07

@Papertrail392

Bless her, I bet you're right and she does it at home.
Yes I think she does, its just habit. She is a very intelligent woman who only stopped working this year at 76 years old. I am not concerned about her but goodness its testing me Grin
OP posts:
JennieLee · 25/12/2021 18:07

My partner does quite a bit of thinking aloud like that.

I'll tend to say ' Oh are you talking to me or just talking to yourself?' I also point out that when he is talking to himself aloud, I tend to filter him out. So if he does actually switch and speak to me a bit further on, there's no way I'll be listening....

SendARavenToRiverRun · 25/12/2021 18:09

Are you me OP?!. My MIL is watching Santa Claus the movie (for the 1st time) with us. The kids are teenagers. Both me and DH have watched the film 100 times and are in our 40's. My dear mil is narrating everything that's happening on the film. Just like I didn't have eyes and ears and hadn't see it 10o times before.
I love her and generally get on really well. But it's driving me bonkers. She also narrates life as she goes along...
Roll on bed time. Sympathy OP.
(Disclaimer, I do love her, she's just exhausting. Discussing every aspect of Elfish and Santa life. I just want a snooze lol!)

BringBackCoffeeCreams · 25/12/2021 18:12

My nanna was the worst. She was one of those people who just droned on and on about absolutely nothing. We loved her to bits but she did our nuts in. We had to keep her entertained as my mum would down tools and refuse to cook if she got into the kitchen.

This was back in the 80s when after lunch you'd all sit down to watch the big movie on tv. One time my uncle cracked and screamed at her 'WILL YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP, WE'RE TRYING TO WATCH THE FILM'. She stopped talking and there was absolute silence for 30 seconds. Then she goes 'anyway, as I was saying ...''and carried on with her millionth retelling of how her iron blew up.

The following Christmas everyone was tasked with refilling her sherry glass when she wasn't looking. She was quite Hiacynth Bucket and would only allow herself one glass. So we kept refilling and she'd fall asleep after dinner and we'd get to watch the film in peace.

bobsholi · 25/12/2021 18:12

I do this all the time and thanks to DH and young children I'm never alone! I do it when guests are over because any silences make me nervous, but now I realise I'm probably just driving them mad.

Wankerchief · 25/12/2021 18:17

Shit. I think I do this.
I worked with young children for 7 years and it became a habit Blush

duvetdayforeveryone · 25/12/2021 18:20

If only it was your FIL and he happened to be either Morgan Freeman, Patrick Stewart, or David Attenborough.

lebkuchenforxmas · 25/12/2021 18:24

My grandmother did this for the exact same reason and, when she wasn't narrating, she's be singing hymns to herself in quite a warbly yet screechy voice.

britneyisfree · 25/12/2021 18:25

I think a lot of (older) women do this and get nagged at but they are in the habit of doing it as we are told that's how we teach children to speak!

I can see myself beginning to do it already BlushHmm

Howeverdoyouneedme · 25/12/2021 18:25

My MIL is doing this a bit at the moment. Everyone is content to play with their toys have a sit etc and she keeps asking or saying things she’s already said and I’ve hidden upstairs for a bit. Again, a very nice woman but can’t let there be silence.

DramaAlpaca · 25/12/2021 18:27

I'm sure I do this sometimes. It can only get worse and I'm going to be a thoroughly annoying MIL at some point. Ah well.

Borracha · 25/12/2021 18:28

My parents do this except with the TV. It’s a constant running commentary as if they’re watching with someone who is visually impaired (they’re not) or they’re auditioning for Googlebox.

The worst is when there happens to be sport on TV and it’s a sport they have no clue about. Yet suddenly they become a seasoned pundit. Drives me up the fucking wall.

WildRosie · 25/12/2021 18:32

Elderly couples often manage to supply a running commentary when they're on a bus. For example:

I see Harry's limp has come back again.

Number 23 is still for sale.

Those two cars are the same colour.

The roads are so busy these days.

The King's Head is closed again. It was a rotten pub anyway...blah blah.

And so on. There is nothing that doesn't arouse comment.

36degrees · 25/12/2021 18:32

My MIL did this, everything from explaining what time it was when we were all in full view of the same clock, to what we were watching on TV as we were watching it. It was not relaxing or pleasant in any way.

iguanadonna · 25/12/2021 18:34

Oh mine does this! Drives me loopy. 'I'm putting the glass down. Shall I put it on the right or left? Probably ok here.' Only not in English.

And then in exact the same light, wittering tone of voice she goes on to say important things. So you have to at least half listen ALL the time.

Sort of glad I'm not the only sufferer

diddl · 25/12/2021 18:35

That seems really strange to me.

I'd be quite worried about someone doing that!

Original poster
LadyCampanulaTottington · 25/12/2021 18:35

@lebkuchenforxmas

My grandmother did this for the exact same reason and, when she wasn't narrating, she's be singing hymns to herself in quite a warbly yet screechy voice.
Yes this too except she hums. To be fair to her, she’s in tune but its incredibly irritating Grin
OP posts:
110APiccadilly · 25/12/2021 18:35

I do this for the benefit of (one year old) DD. I do sometimes worry that it will stick and I'll be doing it for the rest of my life! Maybe that's what's happened here?!

Original poster
LadyCampanulaTottington · 25/12/2021 18:40

Could be @110APiccadilly but DH is 50 Grin

@diddl as I said already she’s completely compos mentis and we are not concerned because this is not new.

OP posts:
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