Wasabi Awards of 2008

There perhaps is no greater minefield in the world than the relationship between a woman and a mother’s son. Mother-in-laws get a bad rap in television, in movies and in story books. The Evil step-mother, the Wicked Queen, it doesn’t matter where you turn, if there is a mother and a son and a third person enters the picture—a female, there is friction.

Nominees for the Wasabi-in-law of 2008 are as follows. For those who don't venture into the world of Sushi, it is a horseradish based garnish that has a sharp acrid taste and I presume is used to avoid tasting the rawness of the fish.



The following are snippets from various friends over the years who have given actual MIL stories that in many cases, were more intense than I describe. Living life that sharp seems neither real nor possible. In all cases, names have been changed to protect if not the innocent, the related.

Sue of Carol County, MD, MIL cut her picture out of a family shot of her and the kids in a photo album. “Where is my head?” Sue asked. MIL: “Well, it wasn’t a good shot of you…your eyes were red and you looked really tired.” Sue had been recovering from recent surgery. Finding the cut head in the wastebasket, they glue-sticked it back into place. No word on how the subsequent Easter Dinner went has been available.

Lisa of Oneida, New York, MIL sat down at the table at dinner. Food had been placed in a buffet style on the island. When Lisa brought her own plate to the table filled with food, MIL took the plate from her and proceeded to eat. When Lisa started to protest, MIL explained, “You were up.”

Kathy of Santa Clara, CA, MIL gave her a vacuum for Christmas. She also keeps a picture of her son’s ex on the mantle at her home and once sent a beautiful silver framed picture of her son and his former wife as a birthday present to her son. When asked about it, she said, “It’s a good picture of him. He looks so happy.”


There is still time to put in your nominee for the Wasabi Award for MIL. They’ll be collected and submitted to the Wordtree press to see if we can create a Your Chicken Soup isn’t as Good as Mom’s type book for the Soul.

I will conceed that one day, God willing, people will want to marry my offspring. I fully expect to be a nominee in at least three if not five of the subsequent award years following nuptials. If not, clearly I am falling down on the job.

*Author’s Disclaimer: My mother-in-law is wonderful. She adores our children, she’s nice to me and in no way inspired any of this post. My husband says my Mom rocks too!