The BIL is gone. Yay! Ended up not staying with us because of the blanket pillow requirement (chose to stay in his friend's empty house instead). He did, however, insist that he wanted to take us to the most expensive restaurant in town because he wanted take us out (despite our protesting for more modest fare). He then stuck us with most of the bill. Nice. My DH has got to get better about telling him no - I can with my family, there's only so much I can do with him. The fact that his training plan is wrecked because said brother insisted on going and lifting (this is his current "fitness") and he didn't say no might help teach him a lesson. Thankfully with no long lasting damage.

On the phone issue - I definitely hear you all. I detest talking on the phone. If I don't recognize the number, I won't answer. We're in the process of getting rid of our home number, so right now it forwards to both of our cell phones. My mom will call my cell phone, call the home phone, call my cell phone again, and never leave a message. She then gets irritated when I don't automatically call her back based on the missed calls. She knows it rings the same phone. She always wants to talk at someone (I can say 10 words in a 30 minute conversation) when she's in the car. She hangs up when she gets to her destination, and never has time to talk to anyone when she would otherwise have to interrupt her life. I've gotten very good at not answering the phone - otherwise it's 30-45 minutes a day of her complaining. I feel for my grandmother - she starts and ends every day with my mother's calls, but won't not answer because she feels it would be rude. She doesn't enjoy the calls.