How Would You Feel About this??

[California]

Hwin708 your post cracked me up- I’m very close to my siblings and SIL and can imagine us having similar conversations 😁

[StantonHyde]

Hwin708--yep, my brother and I totally have had those conversations. FWIW, I am a clutter fiend and not neat at all. So if SIL is messier than me, that is saying something!!!! And just to be clear, I would totally be fine with someone staying in my house when I am not here as long I knew they would take care of things. I have housesat for people before and it worked well for all concerned. So having someone in my house is not an issue for me.

I talked to DH last night and he just can't get past the not letting his sister stay in his home. He asked how I would feel if my brother said no to me. I replied that if he told me the situation, I would totally be fine with it. I told DH that we cannot ask the sitter to share the house, it is just too awkward. I asked him if he has told SIL that she will have a roommate. Well, no, because he still is not sure she is coming??? There is an 80% chance she is coming in my mind. She will consider her original text as informing him and then she will just show up. The have the worst communication. I did tell him that I asked a few women about this and they all said, no way, too awkward. That would be you awesome ladies He was swayed by this but baffled. I guess it wouldn't bother him to share a house with a complete stranger??????

He seemed flustered at my compromise, but agreed it was ok. So here is how it stands. SIL comes on a Saturday, we leave Sunday afternoon SIL leaves on Tuesday. So the sitter would come in on Monday after work and take care of things and then she can move in Tuesday afternoon. I will pay sitter for the full week at our regular rate. I will email SIL with dog care instructions and cc DH. Because he will just assume that SIL will do this and SIL will show up and not be expecting it. Happens with stuff all the time. They both just assume and then get huffy that their assumptions didn't pan out and then just say the other person is weird.

I am fine with the way this works out. The dog won't die or be irreparably harmed in 36 hours. (ok, I do admit to one evil thought of SIL letting him out in the morning and going back to sleep and him hanging out in the yard till noon barking his fool head off at every noise in the neighborhood and somebody complaining to the city. oops, DH--that's all yours buddy!) (we have never had this happen because I make sure the dog gets back in)

[doberbrat]

sounds like a workable plan. Do you have any close neighbors that you trust? Let them know SIL is staying and call DH if the dog is barking or anything seems 'off'?