A polite exchange

It's been a while, not because of a lack of anything to write about -- I couldn't figure out what my password was for this account. I finally took some time tonight to go through the myriad of email addresses and passwords that use for various sites. Why tonight? I have a story that's hot off the presses.

This email exchange with my dear MIL transpired just tonight.

From her: Hi, hope you are all well. i left a message at your home regarding "Cars sheets" for XXX, i have finally found them and i wanted to make sure that you are ok with me sending them to XXX. i did talk to XXX about this but wanted to check with you. thanks for letting me know. MIL

From me: hi MIL, sorry to get back to you so late on this. we appreciate the time you took to find him some car sheets, but i think we'll pass on them. he has enough linens for his bed now and we don't really have space to store anything extra. thank you anyway! sunny

From her: Hi XXX, I am sorry too, it is so sad that the simplest things we want to do for XXX seem to be denied. Don't you have old sheets for XXX that could be replaced? He was so excited to hear about Car sheets. MIL

I know I'm a big bitch for saying 'no' to Cars sheets for XXX, and I will be the first to admit that it is the bitchier of the two options (the other being to lie and say "great, send them up"). If XXX had mentioned Cars sheets to me, even once, I probably would have relented, but the last thing we need in this house is more crap that he doesn't give a shit about.

But frankly, it's more on principle than anything else. She emailed me to ask if it was okay and I answered honestly, and believe I told her 'thanks but no thanks' in the nicest way possible.

In addition, I looked online and I found two different versions, both of which are super ugly and are a cotton/poly blend (yuck!).

She pulls this shit all the time. She'll tell XXX she is going to mail him some cookies and then asks me if it's okay. At that point, what can I say? Then she sends up three dozen crappy cookies, of which we only give Lucas one or two, eat some and throw the rest away.

I'm crafting up my response now. Here are my options.

Polite: I'm sorry, you should have told me what the right answer was.

Not-so-polite: I guess I misunderstood your email. I thought you were asking me if it was okay and I gave you an honest answer. But if you're going to send them anyway, please shut your piehole and stop "asking" me.

What I really want to say: Actually, I think it's so sad that I can't answer a question from you honestly. If you don't want my opinion, don't waste my time by making me read an email if you're just going to do what you want anyway. This makes it so clear to me that you are a sick woman and need some serious therapy.

I'm sure I will end up sending something similar to the "not-so-polite" version. The good thing about this is that it will probably delay a visit from the beast.

If you have suggestions on how to respond, please let me know. If you think I'm a total bitch for not acting thrilled and asking her to send them up, you shouldn't be reading this blog.