She has sent off documents to help her folks get visas. But it's been 10 days and they have not received them yet. They were hoping for a Nov. 10th arrival in LA when we're going there for the cousin's baby's birth. Now it turns out another cousin is getting married in Hawaii in May. So Mrs. Lee thinks that'd be the right time for her folks to go back home, as it's on the way. I'll definitely be headed to Europe alone for my own vacation if they end up here for several mos.

Better book those vacation tickets now.:p

I no longer work from home and I'm pretty busy at night and on weekends with band stuff. So it won't be as bad now as it would have been. I won't see them much, but it will still grate on my soul after about a month.

My inlaws coming to visit annoys me after 24 hours tops, and I like them. That's without a language or cultural barrier. Having people stay for an extended period of time simply sucks, even without extenuating circumstances.

Yeah, I'm not looking forward to it, but it is something that has to happen in some form or another. My folks are coming for Xmas and there's a chance the in-laws could be here then too. That will be a fun pajama party.

Sounds like an ideal time for your vacation.

My wife can't stand her mother after about half an hour. Maybe you'll be lucky & Mrs. Lee will feel the same after they actually arrive and that will cause an early exit on their part.

If they come here with the intention of going to the wedding in HI on the way back home, there's just about no chance of them leaving early. That kind of worries me. I sort of doubt this will all come together before Xmas. Her folks, once they receive the stuff Mrs. Lee mailed them, then have to set up an interview at our consulate in Shanghai. I doubt that's a next day kind of thing, more like weeks or months of waiting. Then Mrs. Lee can only buy their tix after their visas are finalized and that's gonna need to be a few weeks or a month in advance too.

Give it a chance Rick. It may not be as bad as you expect.

Rick, I think the Visa folks and government workers are closed for the shutdown.
See there is some good to the government shutdown!

UPDATE

Plane tickets and visas are in in-laws' hands. They arrive on 03/25/14. It's not going to be too bad. A cousin in-law is having a destination wedding in Hawaii on 06/01/14 and Mrs. Lee figures that's the best time for her folks to go home, as HI is halfway there. Yes! I'm skipping the wedding, as I want to go to Europe for vacation and don't care much for this cousin. So I figure they'll all leave here around Memorial Day Weekend. I can survive two months. Better yet, a family friend of theirs who lives in MI is coming here to pick them up and drive them all around the west coast, which I figure will be a good two weeks or more.

Wow, long thread and lots of interesting stuff.

We have lived with our in-laws a few times over the course of the years. But they have a giant house, and it is possible to go DAYS without seeing them. Plus, they are about the nicest people I have ever met. I am very lucky to have married inot this family, for sure.

Rick, I hope it all works out for you. Less than three months doesn't sound so terrible.

Last weekend Mrs. Lee was on the phone with her mom for a while and then told me there is drama coming. I never knew this, but the MIL severely dislikes bride-to-be's mom. We've all stayed at their house in Shanghai before and I didn't detect any animosity. Anyway, this aunt is arranging and paying for a few days of tourist stuff in HI after the wedding. MIL says she will refuse to go on that tour.

Gee, I'm so sorry to be missing all this fun.

I suggested to Mrs. Lee that they all head to HI a few days early and do their own touring around. It won't be prohibitively expensive and they'll get to set their own itinerary and eat wherever they want. That gets them out of here even sooner!

I'm sitting in with a buddy's band a few days after the in-laws arrive and will have at least six gigs while they're here, which means I'll be practicing at least two hrs. a day. I'm sure they'll be itching to leave after a week of that.

I'll be out in late May, planned on seeing you, Joe and Oddjob if he is available...I'll take the in-laws for dinner. I'll need an interpreter, but I have a lot of questions after reading, 'Wild Swans", a book about three generations of Chinese women.

No kidding, be my treat.

Oh man, I have just the restaurant. We went there a few weeks ago and closed the place. The boss invited us over to the staff table, the cigarettes and beer came out and we had a second feast after paying our tab for the first one. Smoking in a restaurant was a freedom that reminded me of the real China.

Let's do it: The Divine Mrs. Morgan will be there as well.

i read nearly all of this thread. very entertaining. and no, i would never live with the in-laws for any amount of time. and i really like my in-laws.

It has begun.

Serenity now.

Might I suggest the Rick Lee Pelican tour? Rick can tour the USA, shacking up on our couches and drinking our beer. Seems like the least we could do.......