Derwood

Whether it was toward the original, and superior, Dick York's Darrin Stephens, or whether it was the lesser, but respectable, Dick Sargent's Darrin Stephens; Samantha's mother was consistently evil is her provocative shrewishness. Endora, the arching-blue-eye-shadowed semi-omnipotent disapproving matron of the black arts, was the nemesis, supernatural persecutor and ever-present harpy to poor Derwood through all eight seasons of Bewitched.

Endora was THE mother-in-law, but not just Darrin's mother-in-law. She was America's Mother-in-law, the embodiment of the popular 20th century archetype of all mothers-in-law. Know-it-all. Manipulator. Busy-body. Witch. Not only could she complain that her daughter married a good-for-nothing toad, she could actually turn her daughter's husband into a toad. Endora, a nightmare stereotype, based perhaps on grains of truth.

I, on the other hand, am not Darrin Stephens. Not only have I always been played by the same actor, but my mother-in-law is nothing whatsoever like Darrin's foe.

I came home from a long day at work on Wednesday, after my in-laws had driven in from Idaho, and what did I find waiting for me on my kitchen table? I'll show you what I found. This:

Note, that's not only my favorite gin. No, that's my favorite Scotch right next to it. Are you fucking kidding me?? I haven't had a treat like that since, well, longer than I can remember.

So, here's to the coolest in-laws ever! Wooo hooo! And after a four-day weekend, I still have some left. Yes!