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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:
MsEmmeline · 25/12/2021 21:00

My Mum is a sign reader / advert commentator / film narrator. And she disapproves of everything, as if it's something newfangled and unnecessary.

thecatsthecats · 25/12/2021 21:25

My parents live very rurally, and snow is forecast for tomorrow.

I wanted to move the car to an easier spot for driving at about 4. Nope, says my dad, shouldn't be necessary, leave it there.

At 8pm, I must move the car, NOW... And got my driving narrated. He even asked me if I put the £@&#&#&# handbrake on when I stopped.

Squirrel26 · 25/12/2021 21:34

My dad likes to stand behind me while I back into parking spaces, beckoning me in. One day I’m going to run him over. He also told me this morning that my car needs washing.

They’re currently narrating everything my dog’s doing. ‘Oh, he’s seen something’ ‘he’s stretching. Does he often stretch?’ ‘I didn’t know he could walk backwards’ ‘he hasn’t had any treats this afternoon, have you given him any treats? Why not?’ ‘He’s still running round the garden.’

He’s a fucking dog. He’s doing dog stuff. He’s not a giant panda starring in a wildlife documentary.

EverNapping · 25/12/2021 21:46

I talk to my work in the office & I narrate things to my dogs sometimes Blush

TheRemotePart · 25/12/2021 21:47

@Squirrel26 LOL Grin I would crack up

Dog stuff
Brilliant

Squirrel26 · 25/12/2021 21:52

The MOST excruciating part was them both standing over him narrating him humping the carpet. ‘What’s he doing?’ ‘Has he got something on his leg?’ ‘I hope nothing attacked him in the garden.’ Blush

I blame myself for not providing any grandchildren (although they’d probably narrate everything they did too.)

MrsGatsby99 · 26/12/2021 00:05

Feel your pain, op. Intermittent but regular talking to herself (MIL). I just ignore or sometimes when i can't bear it anymore, I make eyes at DH and he says, 'are you talking to yourself again, mum, or are we meant to respond?" This tends to work partially.
This is part of the reason i love him! He has a knack for calling people out on things when needed.

echt · 26/12/2021 03:43

This thread has made me laugh and remember my dear late MIL who would announce everything she saw from the car: For Sale...20 miles to wherever.....Macdonalds, etc.

Notjustabrunette · 26/12/2021 07:33

I have a friend with adhd who does this. I’m not saying that she has adhd though but it could be a way of helping her order her thoughts.

Heidipi · 26/12/2021 07:43

My mum does this and has for as long as I can remember. I wi see if it comes from being the adult who feels responsible for family conversation when kids are small - keeping chat going at the table, on a walk, in the car etc. if so I need to rein myself in before it’s too late - I’m it a big talker so sometimes have to improvise!

My DM drives me a bit crackers with it though, I’m gearing up for a few days of when she’s going to have her coffee/shower/go up and get that book on repeat. Also a sign reader, memorably “ooh simply pleasure dot com, that sounds nice, I wonder what that it, do you think it’s a cafe?” Mum, it’s a sex shop! Grin

Santasunderstudy · 26/12/2021 07:55

My mum does this. I have been here since christmas eve. I'm going home on Tuesday. She does it to the pets too. We don't have conversations she just talks at me about the most random crap. She has been worse since covid as she doesn't see many people. I've started to develop a twitch...

IcedAbstinente · 26/12/2021 08:01

@Heidipi

My mum does this and has for as long as I can remember. I wi see if it comes from being the adult who feels responsible for family conversation when kids are small - keeping chat going at the table, on a walk, in the car etc. if so I need to rein myself in before it’s too late - I’m it a big talker so sometimes have to improvise!

My DM drives me a bit crackers with it though, I’m gearing up for a few days of when she’s going to have her coffee/shower/go up and get that book on repeat. Also a sign reader, memorably “ooh simply pleasure dot com, that sounds nice, I wonder what that it, do you think it’s a cafe?” Mum, it’s a sex shop! Grin

Grin

Love this.

LouLou789 · 26/12/2021 08:12

My DH does this rather a lot. Sometimes I say it back to him in a Big Brother Geordie voice: “ Day 42. John is going to sweep the leaves from the drive then look in the garage for the green screwdriver” etc

Holly60 · 26/12/2021 08:18

Can you just tell her she is doing it and it’s driving you crazy? I’d want to know and I’d try to stop doing it

CharSiu · 26/12/2021 08:47

I chat to myself if I get stressed or sing hymns like your relative @lebkuchenforxmas.

I was baking cookies and making truffles on Christmas Eve morning as gifts and was stressed as it was my only chance with no one around. I chatted to the cat and described what was happening. I even gave her a second breakfast so she would stay.

WhatAHexIGotInto · 26/12/2021 08:48

My DH does this sometimes and has to be reminded that no one needs to hear his adventures of making a cup of tea.

watchingthedetectives · 26/12/2021 09:00

I occasionally share an office with someone who does this continuously. I want to slam my head against the wall.
She lives alone so probably does it all day. It is the most annoying thing ever. She is decent enough in other ways so I just have to seethe internally.

Overthebow · 26/12/2021 09:02

My DM does this too, it drives me crazy! She narrated everything, even what she’s eating and why, and what she’s not eating and why. And her stories are always twice as long as they should be as she repeats things and adds in extra detail no one cares about. She’s not particularly old and doesn’t live alone so no idea why but it’s sooo annoying.

RidingMyBike · 26/12/2021 09:11

My DM does this - it's SO annoying. Trouble is, she very occasionally says something important so you have to pay attention in case it is relevant. But it's so boring and frustrating. I try not to have her in the kitchen when I'm cooking - she'll appear offering to 'help' [she doesn't, she just wants to witter] - and cooking is when I want to concentrate and be on my own.

I'm a knitter so, if she's visiting or we're visiting her, I tend to just sit and knit and let her witter on, as at least it means I'm doing something. I've found going 'Mmmm' every so often also gives the impression I'm hanging onto every word.

CarbsAreNotMyFriend · 26/12/2021 09:14

I feel your pain! My (lovely) FIL sings, hums and whistles constantly. We were out for a walk, someone commented on a passing dog and he sang how much is that doggy in the window for the next 10 minutes 🤦🏻‍♀️ Another time he was watching a dolphin documentary with the kids, and so we were treated to the Flipper theme song for the rest of the afternoon. His noise levels are off the scale.

Forgothowmuchlhatehomeschoolin · 26/12/2021 09:21

My sister lives alone..is incapable of watching TV with talking all the way through so you can't hear anything at all.
Drives me mad

Smorgasborb · 26/12/2021 09:51

If feel your pain OP. Shes lovely but MIL does this too. She cannot abide a silence:

  • narrates everything she's doing ('now I'll use the middle shelf for the ham because otherwise it will burn..oh now did I get mustard .. yes I did because thats when I saw Norma in the CoOp')
  • comments on all adverts or signs ('ooh look at the Lindt chocolate factory isn't that lovely...20% off suites that's good isn't it John..Dove Shower Gel..mmmm...')
  • narrates films ('oh look at that, when he puts on his glasses no one knows he's super man! How funny!! Ooh he's using a phone box what if someone needed to use it to call someone well I suppose everyone's got mobile telephones these days haven't they I haven't seen a phone box in years but actually Mary called me from one a few years ago because she won't have one because of the radiation..') it just goes on and on and no one shuts her up as they are too polite
  • must hum along to songs even if she doesn't know the tune which is 99% of the time so it's just a tuneless droning sound. I once spent 10 hours in a car with her with the radio on and I was ready to smash the car up.
Talks endlessly about nothing while we sit and stare into space (' well Susans changed the rota at work, she's given herself Monday off but Katie's mad because her mum can't have the kids on a Tuesday ..oh no actually is that right? No it's the other way round yes thats right because her mum does her pottery class on Monday's you see and they are expensive if you do them at the sports centre and she hasn't got her oap bus pass yet..'
Roundeartheratchriatmas · 26/12/2021 10:21

My mum does this. Running commentary on everything she’s doing. She lives with my poor dad - who has been selectively deaf for years.

It drives me insane.

Ozgirl75 · 26/12/2021 11:07

I had a boyfriend once whose Dad did this, but through the medium of song. He was so lovely and jolly and played in a band but it meant you’d get “ooooohh, she’s makin’ a tea now” etc. Sometimes he’d sing an appropriate song but change the words a bit “splish splash she was takin’ a bath, on about a Friday night” etc
I remember my boyfriend once warbling in response “splish splash he was taking a dump, on about a Sunday night”
It was a fun and happy house and he was a great guy though so I didn’t mind feeling like I was in a musical at times.

onedayoranother · 26/12/2021 11:34

My cousins partner's mum did this - not narrate life but she literally never stopped talking. She would stay with them for several days over the holidays and would talk about anything and everything, even if they had settled down to watch tv. In the end she was just ignored. Sad as she did live alone and was probably just missing interacting.