I had long forgotten about the ‘Mother-in-Law’ doorstep until I conducted the ‘Dandy Line’ cross island tour of Newfoundland & Labrador in June of last year. In fact, I laughed aloud when a couple of the ‘bad’ girls in the back of the coach asked about them, reminding me of a time when we would joke about the number of finished homes whose front door hung suspended, high above the ground – with no stair or veranda to step out on.
“She (the Mother-in-Law) might have gained entrance through the back door, but if she doesn’t behave, we’ll show her out through the front.”
Shocking, I know.
Obviously, times have changed because I had a most difficult time finding an example of a ‘Mother-in-Law’ doorstep to show our guests. Either we have better excavating equipment and are able to set our houses lower in the ground or our recent prosperity allows us to budget for a complete exterior package. Newfoundland was not like the other maritime provinces who would intentionally leave the doorstep off the home for tax purposes; using a loophole that suggested a home wasn’t complete until the front step was in place. Rather, Newfoundland’s ‘Mother-in-Law’ doorstep was simply a function of practicality and affordability. We don’t lock our doors, we don’t knock before entering and we always make our entrance, like every other family member, through the back or side door of the home. So why would you bother?
Besides, no one around here would intentionally harm their mother-in-law, knowing full well she’d only be back to haunt you tomorrow. Ha!
Needless to say, I’ve been on the lookout for examples ever since and now have these photos to share.
