Tuesday 3 June 2008

Busy, Busy, Busy!

I've been busy this last week. My dad and stepmother came over for a visit so it was days out at gardens and stately homes and nights spent playing card games. My son turns out to be a demon at poker. My stepmother is an astute card player, cardshark even. You have to be on your toes around her as she changes the rules to suit her needs. Except in poker, where my dad rules supreme.

We went to Lyme Park, where exteriors of the Pride and Prejudice series were shot. Ah, the pond from which Mr. Darcy emerged! Has Colin Firth's career since equalled those heights? I think not. My stepmother has watched the series so many times she can quote long snatches of dialogue. I bought three ferns from the garden shop. Hopefully, Jake will leave them alone.

We had a barbecue on Bank Holiday Monday that Frenemy railroaded me into. Nothing would deter her, not even my telling her that my dad and stepmother are super religious and pray before every meal. Frenemy arrived on time, immediately complained about the wine, made fun of the neighbour boy's accent ("That's why I send my children to private school!"), defended another boy who gatecrashed the party and was rude to my children (she would; he goes to private school), and openly discussed arrangements made by her daughter and the other girls for a sleepover
to which my daughter was not invited. Her husband PAPP (Pompous, Arrogant, Pretentious Prick) made no effort to speak to my husband or my father, but spent the entire time in the kitchen discussing a golfing weekend to which my husband is never invited with another invitee. When I not so tactfully suggested they talk to others and perhaps entertain another topic, he got very huffy. Another couple had said they weren't coming. My kids invited their kids anyway. When the daughter arrived, she informed me her parents would be along later.

I think these people need a remedial lesson in manners. And I need to learn to say no to them. From now on, though, either we only invite their kids or we invite other friends as well who actually talk to my husband. My dad and stepmother were not impressed.

Moving on, tomorrow is a very big day. My daughter has a ballet exam in Manchester and Jake has the second operation on his other hip. I hope he comes through OK. I'm not looking forward to his recovery.

6 comments:

Vi said...

Gad! I really don't know why you put up with these people! It's time you made new friends my dear!

Mean Mom said...

Sounds like you had a good week, apart from the day you saw frenemy. There seems to be some sort of pattern, here.

Hope your daughter's exam goes well and your dog's operation, of course.

Expat mum said...

Not very au fait with Frenemy's history but she sounds like a complete cow. And you're right, you put up with too much. I know because I do the same. This morning however, one of the trendy moms at school started saying something to me; along comes another trendy mom, stands right in front of me and began talking. Worse still, mom #1 didn't so much as try to let her know that we had been in the middle of a fairly important conversation. So what did I do? Actually decided not to put up with that crap any more and walked off. Not in a huffy way, but in an "OK, see you later" sort of way. I don't think she even noticed though.

wakeupandsmellthecoffee said...

vi: You're so right. Why do I put up with them? I've been asking myself that question ever since.Don't have a good enough answer yet.

mean mom: Thank you. We did have a good week (apart from that day).

expatmum: That very thing has happened to me too. I wish those people would just remain up each other's back side and leave the rest of us alone.

Kanga Jen said...

Oooh, pond scene in P&P.
I'm going to have to go pull my copy of the DVD out now.

Fire Byrd said...

wow these are your friends.... I'm with Vi.
Hope exam and op both went really well.
bbx