A funny In-Laws Story

American cheese slices today, because it fits with the silliness of the story. I can whip them into grilled cheese sandwiches if you'd rather. Bear with me....this story is worth it.

My BIL (Chris's brother) married a woman from a rather poor town in the middle of Wisconsin. She had her own graphics business downtown and lived in a 1980s vintage single-wide trailer home on a few acres of land her father had given her. Since BIL had no place of his own, he moved in with her.

Her business was failing and he didn't have a permenant job (floating around military temp positions), thus it was what they could afford. They decided to start breeding labs...in the cramped trailer. Yep, the puppies had to live in there for weeks after they were born. They also had several cats. They love entertaining friends, but we all hated going over to their cramped place.

Well, SIL moved her business into the trailer to get back on its feet. So then, it was REALLY cramped. It's a graphics business, so lots of printers and computer stuff. They also started doing vinyl signs and still had other large equipment to deal with, so they rented a semi trailer and parked it in the lawn. Next to the old, completely dead, ripped up convertible and three other vehicles. You get the picture. Well then they decided they needed TWO semi trailers to store all their personal stuff because it was cheaper than renting a storage space. Sigh.

Well now BIL has a military job making around $45K/year and their business probably brings in around $20K. Yet, they don't want anymore debt, so they continue to live like this. It bothers me because they always want everyone to come and hang out at their place. It's cramped, littered with crap and boring. I don't enjoy my stays there.

Recently SIL's brother built a standard door and decks on each of the semi trailers and she put patio sets out for their two employees to take breaks from their jobs in the semi trailers. SIL's business is now moved into this shed thing they put in the yard. It is probably the best looking thing there.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THEIR WORLD!
1. They are buying a big chunk of hunting land. Have no intention of putting a house there, just a $40K giant garage that will have a rustic living quarters for the hunters. *head tilt*

2. They made that $900 on the rummage sale and are buying exercise equipment. To put where you ask? Well, they've sold so much personal crap that they have room in that second semi trailer! They are going to insulate the trailer, run duct work between the two to heat them both, put an exercise room in the back and a woodworking shop in the front.

3. Why a woodworking shop? Well because of the rash of constant storms that runs through their area (you'd think this would prompt them to build a house with a basement), they had lots of downed oaks last year. They had a guy come with a portable saw mill and plane out oak planks for them. For wood flooring. Well, since they aren't building a house, they have all this wood. They went shopping for a dining room table this week (they don't have a dining room nor space for a table in any other room). They said it's all crap, so they are buying $2K worth of equipment for BIL to MAKE a dining room table.

Ahh, the fun never ends. I'm thinking about getting them dueling banjos for Christmas.