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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Inlaws threw away my kettle

158 replies

ZenGardener · 25/05/2013 09:45

I had to go away for work so my inlaws came to stay to watch the kids which was very nice of them BUT I came back and they have bought a new kettle and toaster. I'm not bothered about the toaster but I'm fucking fuming about the kettle. They have taken the old ones away with them.

There was nothing wrong with my kettle, it was old but perfectly fine. They bought a fancy smancy one. I don't need a fancy kettle, I just need something to boil water.

I appreciate I'm tired, pregnant and have a headache but isn't that really rude?

OP posts:
SarahAndFuck · 25/05/2013 11:09

OP these might be the mugs for you! Grin

LisaMed · 25/05/2013 11:17

Once found a slug in my kettle - after it had been boiled.

The breville kettle has a little iron mesh over the spout so I use that as my default these days.

OP - Was it a necessity or was it a comment on your taste?

GoblinGranny · 25/05/2013 11:17

'Last week I found a china mug with a picture of a cute Yorkshire terrier in with the rest of my mugs. It can only have originated from one place. '

Donate it to a charity shop and fill the void in someone else's life.

thebody · 25/05/2013 11:19

'Sold the dog'!!!! Jesus no words. Mental.

QueenStromba · 25/05/2013 11:29

I can't believe the cheek of some people. My in laws are lovely so would never do anything like on this thread.

macreturnofthe · 25/05/2013 11:29

my MIL changes the order of the cutlery in the drawer when she comes to stay to the same way it is in her house.

We find it really funny after the initial confusion

Original poster
ZenGardener · 25/05/2013 11:35

Naice wooden pegs? Are you kidding?

Of course they are plastic and pastel coloured.

Yes, they are Japanese so they think their way is the best way.

They have no taste!

OP posts:
Viviennemary · 25/05/2013 11:40

They were trying to be nice. But I would feel the same in your position. I'd hate to have any of my possessions (even a kettle) thrown away. They overstepped the mark in my opinion. Buy a new kettle very kind but not get rid of the old one.

Saski · 25/05/2013 11:44

Bwah, ZenGardener, I'm so sorry for your frustration but it has made me laugh quite heartily this morning!

Floral towels! Catch the afterbirth with them!

ZZZenagain · 25/05/2013 11:52

Have they thrown out your pegs and towels too?

I would put the towels, pegs and kettle away in a box, treat yourself to the kettle you want and say nothing about it. When they come next time, they will notice the disappearances. I wouldn't want a 6 button kettle either.

diddl · 25/05/2013 11:52

In what way were they trying to be nice?

They replaced what didn't need/want replacing & took away what OP still wanted.

RiffyWammal · 25/05/2013 11:52

Some of these tales are mental! They put my meddling DM in the shade. She only went in our bedroom to get DH's work clothes and washed them (emptied his pockets and left his payslips etc in a little bag), stripped our bed and put her old mattress topper on it, put her unwanted out of date food in our fridge, cleared out and reorganized our cupboards and pantry and GLUED sucker cups to the kitchen window so the fairy lights I didn't want would stay up. Oh and after I complained that her habit of constantly bringing me mugs meant my cupboard was full, she put a mug tree in my kitchen. With more mugs on it.

I know they mean well, but why do people think this is ok? I wouldn't dream of meddling with the way someone runs their home! It's like they are saying 'poor you, you are not doing things as well as me, I will help you by letting you have this bit of my perfectness'.

HotSoupDumpling · 25/05/2013 11:56

riffy, it's the MIL version of a dog peeing on a lamp-post. They are marking their territory, in the name of 'good intentions'.

DontMeanToBeRudeBut · 25/05/2013 11:59

This thread is brilliant.

MIL often brings me cleaning supplies. I like it.

Original poster
ZenGardener · 25/05/2013 12:10

So, I was putting the washing away and I got a strange creepy feeling. When I checked it wasn't just the clothes pegs they replaced it was the washing line too.

I might have cut it down with a pair of scissors.

I know, I know! Pregnancy hormones!!

Did I mention the towels are microfiber? I don't do microfiber. It gives me the heebie jeebies.

The old pegs and towels are still here. We just have loads now.

OP posts:
NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 25/05/2013 12:10

YABU it's a kettle not your sofa or something. My MIL also bought me weird towels but I appreciated it because good towels are expensive. My MIL reorganises my cupboards too....I don't give a bugger...she's better at cupboard arrangements than me!

RiffyWammal · 25/05/2013 12:12

That's so true HotSoup. I would feel so uncomfortable encroaching on someone's territory. I must be perceived as a submissive pack member! Next time she does it I'm going to bite her. Just a little nip, to show her who's in charge here. Smile

Saski · 25/05/2013 12:13

I would fly into a murderous rage if my MIL rearranged my cupboards.

HeffalumpTheFlump · 25/05/2013 12:14

The only thing my MIL has ever given me was a manky old electric can opener (circa 1970). And in her words it was because 'she had got a much better one'.

However if she took away my matching purple kettle and toaster I would be livid, no matter how many buttons/settings the new one had.

WafflyVersatile · 25/05/2013 12:17

But microfibre is new technology and therefore better in every way! and so must be used to make every object imaginable.

I'm a bit confused with the current love affair with microfibre. It's like some ad exec said 'microfibre is just better. believe me. do not think, just buy' and everyone just blindly accepted his word.

My house doesn't seem any shinier or cleaner or drier since I let microfibre into the house. Hmm

ScrambledSmegs · 25/05/2013 12:20

Ooh, it's getting rather creepy now. What does your DH think?

One thing though - your poor old toaster Sad. Won't anyone think of the toasters, unwanted, unloved?

miffybun73 · 25/05/2013 12:21

I agree that it's really weird and control freakery.

What were they thinking of?

DryCounty79 · 25/05/2013 12:23

YANBU It was generous of them to buy new stuff for you, but to go ahead and replace the 'old' stuff and take that away was stepping over the line ime.

I got really unreasonably upset when my then-boyfriend bought me an iron. It was on my list of things to buy and he was trying to be helpful, and that side of it I appreciated. But I wanted to choose the iron myself, and what I really wanted him to get me (and many, many blatant hints were dropped) was the Lady Gaga album!

Original poster
ZenGardener · 25/05/2013 12:26

To be honest I was starting to worry the toaster was turning into a fire hazed. The new one has temperature settings which I hate. I like simple things in my kitchen!

Dh thought it was so kind and wonderful of his parents to buy all this stuff but is aware I'm not happy especially when I asked where the old kettle was.

He is staying out of the way and not mentioning it all.

Did someone say expensive towels? They won't be expensive. They will be cheap shite that falls apart after the first wash. We have been gifted towels by them before.

I really want to buy a new kettle but I think it will be too petty of me.

OP posts:
LisaMed · 25/05/2013 12:29

I luffs microfibre. All my towels are microfibre and they make a huge difference to drying up plates. I take them on holiday. Wouldn't inflict them on anyone else without express and explicit permission.

It's all about control