My MiL used to constantly repeat the same four or five stories about her family members, most of whom I hardly knew, every single time we went to stay. Nothing would head her off, her conversation was always the same. My DH and FiL would disappear behind newspapers and completely ignore her, and I was left as the sole listener, over and over again. She smoked like a furnace and had chest problems due to that, so each tale was constantly interrupted by hacking coughing fits. I dreaded going to stay, and had to wash all out clothes, even the unused ones, when we came home.