Last year for Christmas, H bought MIL a laptop. Installed windows on it, loaded it with everything she would need to start a work from home job she just had to have because her regular job was "killing her." She went on about how she needed a laptop to do this job for moooonths, so he bought one.
She bitched about it. He put on the "wrong" windows version, she couldn't use this one, it's too hard. And said she probably wasn't going to take that job anyway, she changed her mind. We were both miffed, but whatever, she has a laptop now.
This year, we ask what she needs. She answers money is tight this year, so she'd appreciate grocery store gift cards, cash, and her roof needs work, but she knows H is short on time right now. Oh but don't spend a lot of money on me either. Passive aggressive MIL code for I'm going to whine about my roof until you rescue me by fixing it. She did this about her oven, dishwasher, and garbage disposal, refusing to allow us or SIL to pay someone to fix it or put in a new one, H had to come fix it. We have spent close to 20k over the past 5 years on H's knees and spine, like hell is he getting up on your roof, lady!
Had she said she needed help getting her roof fixed, could we help her by paying for part of it? Cool. But expecting H to do it when that's not what he does? He's a programmer for God's sake. No, crazycakes. Ugh.