So, let me tell you whats been happening with my sister-in-law and this house businessits honestly just one big headache.
While we were up to our eyes in dust, knocking walls through and re-plastering everything in this old cottage, my sister-in-law was off having a grand time at her favourite holiday park, sipping gin and tonics all summer. And now, suddenly, she wants to move in and live in comfort!
See, wed suggested at the very beginning that we all chip in for the renovationus and my sister-in-law. She flat out refused, said she didnt need it and would rather not get involved. Fast forward a bit, and now shes asking if she can move in with us because her half of the house is basically unliveable. So, really, shes only got herself to blame.
The cottage belonged to my husbands nan, and after she passed, he and his sister inherited it. It was already showing its age, but we reckoned we could do it up and make it really lovely. The house had two front doorsperfect set up, so two families could live in without being on top of each other. The garden and the back were shared, and both sides had the same number of rooms.
The inheritance was all sorted back when we were already married. No falling out, no dramamy mother-in-law barely wanted a sniff of the countryside and immediately said the house should go to her son and daughter. Do what you like with it, she told them.
Anyway, my husband and his brother-in-law managed to scrape together enough for the basicsto fix the roof and shore up the foundations. We wanted to crack on with the rest, but my sister-in-law threw a right tantrum. She said she wasnt about to waste a penny on some shabby hut in the sticks. Her husband just hung his head and shuffled out; he never argues with her anyway.
Our plan was always to move in. The village is just outside the city, and we had a car, so commuting to work wouldnt have been a faff. Honestly, we were sick of being cramped in that tiny one-bedroom flat. Building something from scratch wouldve cost a fortune, so doing up the family cottage seemed like the right move.
As for my sister-in-law, she treated the place like a summer retreatsomewhere to pop down in July for a bit of a barbecue or lounging in the sun. She told us not to rely on her for anything.
Over the next four years, we completely redid our half. Sure, we took out a loan, but that wasnt the pointwe wanted to make it ours. We put in a bathroom, central heating, rewired the lot, changed out all the windows, even fitted a gorgeous conservatory. It was proper hard graft, honestly felt like a never-ending slog! But we stuck with it because it was our dream.
Meanwhile, my sister-in-law kept swanning off on her holidays, blissfully uninterested in the house or what we were doing with it. She just did her thing, not bothered in the slightest. Then she had a baby and went on maternity leave.
And, well, the constant trips away stopped, and her money got a bit tighter. Suddenly, she starts thinking about her half of the cottage and reckons itd be much better to let her toddler run wild in the garden all day. You just cant do that in a poky city flat.
By then, wed already moved in and even rented out our old flat. Wed never touched her side of the house, but, honestly, it was falling to piecesno heating, and the whole place was damp and freezing. Still, she turned up, suitcase in tow, and asked if she could stay with us just for a week, and what could I do but let her in.
Her little boy is loud as anything, just like his mum, who acted like she owned the place. She paid absolutely no attention to anyone else in the house. Since I work from home, it drove me up the wall, so I took refuge at a mates place for a whileshe was off travelling, so it actually suited her for me to keep an eye on her flat.
I ended up staying away for nearly a month. First with my friend, and then my mum got ill, so I went to look after her. I honestly forgot all about my sister-in-law, certain shed gone back home.
Imagine my shock when I came back and found her still making herself at home. I asked her, point blank, when she was planning on leaving.
Where am I supposed to go? she replied. Ive got a young childthings are comfy here.
Well, well run you back to the city tomorrow, I told her.
I dont want to go back to town.
Seeing as you havent even bothered tidying up in all this time, its probably best you dothis isnt a hotel.
You cant just throw me out! Its my house too!
Your house is through the other doorgo on, off you go, I replied.
She tried turning my husband against me, but he was just as fed up as I was and told her shed outstayed her welcome. She stormed off in a strop. Not long after, my mother-in-law was on the phone to me, outraged.
Youve no right chucking her outits her property!
She was always welcome in her half, my husband told her, She just never sorted it out. We offered to fix it all up together. She didnt want to know, so whys it our problem now?
We came up with another ideaoffered to buy her out, so she could have the cash and we could have the whole place. She gave us a price that honestly couldve nabbed her a castle in perfect condition, so we politely declined.
Now its all bickering and awkward silences. My mother-in-laws barely speaking to us, and my sister-in-law, oh, shes a real nuisance. They hardly ever come around, but when they do its like a hurricanenoisy get-togethers, messing up the garden, and breaking bits off the shed.
Weve decided to just build a proper fence and keep the gardens separate. No more trying to meet in the middle. My sister-in-law wanted it this wayshe can have it.
