Pool parties lead to pilfered property
This does bother you, and it should bother you because this is not about towels and blankets, but about boundaries and respect.
I cannot imagine actually enjoying an "open house" policy to the extent that you come home from work and find people lounging around your pool. Casting liability issues aside, do you really want people having free rein to your home?
This would be fairly easy to fix but you would have to be willing to pitch a few fits, and basically declare that when people come to your home, they are expected to bring their own clothes and towels. You might set up a "lost and found" basket system, where anything in the basket is fair game -- otherwise -- hands off. And for goodness sake, get your blanket back.
The next time one of your sisters-in-law asks to borrow something, say, "Well, I'm still waiting for you to return the things I lent you last time, so when you return those things, I'd be happy to lend you something else."
Dear Amy: My husband passed away last year. He wrote his own obituary.
We discussed what he wanted many times. He did not want the names of his children from his first marriage in his obituary.
Neither child had anything to do with my husband for more than 20 years because of their mother.
He always told the kids that our door was open, but he never heard from them. He didn't even know where they lived.
His obituary had my name, our sons, their wives and our grandchildren. It was very short and just the way he wanted it. We both knew I'd take flak for it.
I was told I should have changed it and that I'm to blame for how it was written.
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