The silence can be grating, can't it? But then you get used to it just in time for some little thing to change again. Pretend like the bear is hibernating! He needs a lot of time in his own cave before he's able to interact with you in any real way. Maybe try some headphones and a podcast if you don't want to go out and it's bothering you? Or do something that will take your mind off of how silent it is and also distract you from dwelling on MIL (who, we know, doesn't have the full story). You know my go-to is baking, but it could be organizing or taking an online class in something you're interested in... have you tried the website Skillshare? They have a free trial period, and you can try out different classes. Hang in there!
He needs 