Anyone remember the anal PIL thread? Share your anal PIL under lockdown stories!

[BabyofMine]

So earlier today I organised all my toiletries and sundries. I created a station on an unused bookcase with different baskets for different kinds of toiletries etc.

And then, I went a bit mad, found a notebook, and WROTE AN INVENTORY OF ALL MY TOILETRIES. And it made me remember one of my very favourite threads on Mumsnet - the anal PIL thread. It makes me chuckle so much because my parents are so similar to a lot of the posts in that thread.

So I was wondering, for those that remember or have anal parents/ILs, how is their pernickertiness faring in the current clime?

(This is meant as a lighthearted thread about anal retentive habits, not a mean thread about horrible parents/ILs).

(Note - I meant to disable voting I’m sorry!)

This is not what I thought this would be about

“ This is not what I thought this would be about”

I’m sorry to disappoint

Taking the anal pill really helped with my low libido problem.

Original thread that I’m referring to!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_classics/1651633-Omg-such-anality-from-pil-Come-and-share-your-anal-behaviour-stories-lighthearted

I made an inventory of all the food in our kitchen then created a spreadsheet with meal plans where I could tick off the food as we ate it.

I have a newborn and a 12 year old, neither of which need much entertaining and am SO bored but the house has never been cleaner.

Place marking. I need cheering up!

I made a shopping list as we ran out of stuff, then gleefully ticked off what I bought! So sad! But then you have to grab what you can on a supermarket trip.

then gleefully ticked off what I bought!
It wasn’t you getting the pen out and ticking each item off the list as you put in the trolley was it? My ice cream was melting by the time I got to the till, what with having to socially distance and not able to get by!

OP thanks for the link, I’ve started reading through. DH should consider himself lucky

Oh I remember that thread. It was the first major thread to be posted after I joined mn.

When I first retired, I sorted all my hair rollers by colour. The next day I resorted them by size. I did not make an inventory of them though?

As we go not wk4 of not going out, I’m worried that I may be developing some of the habits in that original thread. Odd what happens when you have a lot of time on your hands!
Anyway, my MIL is anal about alcohol; she doesn’t drink it and can’t imagine that anyone else might ever want to either. We go and stay about once a month as we are in the area for DS’s sports training. This involves an hour and a half’s drive, sitting through 2 hours of training before we go there. Always on a Saturday night. We collect fish and chips or Chinese (always the same for them) by way of saying thank you. I’d really like a glass of wine or something with dinner. FIL has his glass of red poured when we arrive. We get an orange squash.
Last time, DH took a bottle of wine (chilled as the car was cold) and handed it over “to go with dinner”. Nope, MIL took it away declaring that no-one would want it and FIL already had a glass.
Next time, I’ll take a can of premixed G&T.

I’m gradually sorting my wardrobe by colour. It’s very satisfying, apart from the angst about whether a top is more teal-blue or teal-green. Pinky-red or pinky-purple? Should a black and grey jumper go with the grey stuff or the black stuff?

For a change, going to start on the Christmas decs tomorrow...

Somehow the no wine with Chinese after a long busy Saturday is giving me the feels. Especially cos Fil gets one!

I pity you.

I remember that thread, I loved it!

My ILs are anal too, but no more now than they were. They have strict routines and even my DDs now roll their eyes when they hear about stuff. It's not so much the routines that drive me mad it, it's the way they're shocked and treat you like a second class citizen because you don't do things exactly the same as they do.

My DH bought a car from someone my FIL knew and my FIL picked it up for him and had it outside their house... they live about an hour away from us.... my DH got the train across one evening after work to pick this car up.... when he got there MIL wouldnt give him the keys for it because it was starting to get dark and she didnt want him driving in the dark... she absolutely would not give him the keys and he had to come home again on the train without the car lmao!

My DH is 47 by the way..

If I was staying with anybody that anal I'd flee in the night.

I just could not bear it.

I loved that thread!

The toaster at my PIL lives in a cupboard. Not for lack of space on the counters but because they don’t want dust to go inside and break the elements. Every morning FIL takes the toaster out of the cupboard unwraps the cord, plugs it in and makes toast. As soon as he has finished his toast he leaps up to see if the toaster is cold. Cold not warm. As soon as it is deemed cold enough the crumb tray is removed washed and dried. The toaster is held upside over the sink and given a good shake to make sure there are no crumbs lurking. The outside is wiped down with a cloth. The cord rewrapped around the toaster in just the right way and the toaster put back in the cupboard.
Every.single.day!
MIL has cereal because she can’t be arsed with the faff

Oh wow I actually come on here expecting to see a load of people sharing their anal lockdown sex stories from this title 😳

This is making me wonder about how MIL is faring now... A few months ago (pre-lock down) she told me she hoovers every single day, and cleans out her pet chickens every other day. Solved the mystery of why she was always so 'busy' haha. She also gives the dog these silly rope toys that he shreds everywhere in seconds, and literally follows him round picking up the bits

Mine are anal about parking. If you mention you’re going anywhere, they’ll give you lengthy descriptions of where to park. If they’re not sure, they will call a neighbour. If the neighbour(s) aren’t sure, they will use the google.

My mil is adorable, but every time we stopped overnight on the way to my parents-she’s halfway between us and them-she’d get out the map and discuss options, junctions. Bonkers. Still, it kept her happy.

My DP are very anal about watching a particular programme at 4pm. I’d just had to put down my beloved dog, had him 16 years, my parents adored him and looked after him when we were on holiday. I phoned without checking the time, they were watching their programme and told me they’d talk later. Epic fallout, first time I think I’ve ever sworn whilst speaking to them.

It wasn’t you getting the pen out and ticking each item off the list as you put in the trolley was it? My ice cream was melting by the time I got to the till, what with having to socially distance and not able to get by!

Nope, the list was at home but I have a weird memory and was mentally going through it, remembered everything then physically ticked it off when I got home. The supermarket was virtually empty. I have great timing! 🍦Ice cream? Why did this not occur to me?!

At PILs, partly used packets in the kitchen (e.g rice, flour etc) must always be sealed with a clothes peg, then put into a sealable clear plastic bag...THEN put into a plastic storage tub with a lid.

Oh and they have a doormat under their doormat outside their front door. Then the next step you take into their hallway is into another mat, which is on top of an offcut of carpet...on the carpet itself.

My late PILs used to visit 4 different supermarkets and price check before buying anything. They would always set off at 8am and complain about how busy the roads were.The amount of fuel they got through to save a couple of pence here and there was crazy.

The icing on the cake was the weekly rundown of which supermarket was the cheapest for each item. Accompanied by how the price had changed from the previous week. A bit like the old Top 40 countdown for anal shoppers. "Honey from Tesco is £1.20, that's 5p down this week. Coffee from Asda is still £3.50, it's not changed for 3 weeks" etc, etc.