to find this a funny way of dealing with party invites?

[Susystayathome]

I was recently quite excited to get an email from my SIL that seemed to be inviting my DH and me to a 40th birthday celebration dinner with our mutual group of friends. As most of us now have children we don't get together as couples too often nowadays, so I was really pleased. However, at the end was a sentence saying 'Susy, I'm not inviting you and DH as you are having tea with us, the in-laws and DCs one afternoon instead'. This breaks up our group of mutual friends, and makes me feel that as an in-law I am not fit to be seen in proper adult company. I feel really disappointed and wish that she'd found another way of telling me, instead of humiliating me in front of our friends by adding the note to an e-mail that went to everyone. I'm sure you'll be able to come up with some alternative ideas to help me put this in perspective.

[hmc]

Jeez, I'm afraid I can't put it in perspective. I think she has been grossly insensitive and I can't see why you aren't invited. What does you dh think?

[cookielove]

i would be very put out and embarrassed by that so clearly i have not helped, and i think you have every right to feel unhappy about it.

[civilfawlty]

blimey. hit reply all and decline both options. then make a separate plan with your mutual friends. what a cow

[LadyGlencoraSnape]

Clunk.
Did you hear that all the way through cyberspace? It was the sound of my jaw hitting the floor.
That is the most breathtakingly rude non-invitation I have ever heard of.
I don't know what you should answer but I am sure -wickeder-- cleverer MNers than I will come up with something dignified but cutting.

[hmc]

Don't brood on it - tackle it. Get dh to have a chat...

[hmc]

So cross on your behalf (helped by 3 glasses of cheap fizz)

[ToutFucker]

< picks up jaw from floor >

gawd, that is bloody awful

[SpaceNoodle]

I agree that this is a very strange way to do it. Why would she include you in the invitation to the dinner, only to exclude you right at the end?
I wouldn't be surprised if your mutual friends find this odd also. It sounds pretty thoughtless and quite harsh of her to me.

[ToutFucker]

snap ladyglen !!

[LightShinesInTheDarkness]

I am sure she must have made a mistake with her email, and sent the message intended for you to everyone instead.

Surely, surely?

No-one could be that insensitive - could they?

[Merrylegs]

No alternative ideas. No perspective.

Oh, except she is a loon.

Do not buy her a birthday present.

Ever.

[saggyhairyarse]

I think I would be clicking reply to all and asking is she meant to send the message in its draft format as you can't for one minute think she meant to send you the non-invite.

How rude!

[Greensleeves]

Awful. Is she usually dreadful?

Click "reply all" and say "no thanks, I prefer the copmany of my real friends"

[Firawla]

Yanbu, that is so rude!
why send you the email in the first place if you are not invited

[Greensleeves]

no need to spell it wrong though

[Fillyjonk]

that is quite astoundingly rude

do you think she was trying to be rude? IS she rude?

[LetThemEatCake]

Oh. My. God.

Unbelievable.

I am actually quite glad that all of your mutual friends would have seen her non-invitation to you. Now they will all know what a nutter she is!!

[Susystayathome]

DH is also ticked off - but she is his brother's wife, not his sister, so he's not in much of a position to tackle her either. This isn't the first time she done this sort of thing. Last time I 'discussed' my feelings with her, I was shot down in flames and made to feel that I was being insensitive for failing to understand what a wonderful, considerate person she was being - as she was only behaving like this for my own benefit .

[hophophippidtyhop]

you have to reply to the email with the other people included in it with something witty and scathing.How very rude and mean of her.

[Mintyy]

Oh good gawd. Doesn't anyone do proper invites in the post any more? How cheap and nasty to do it by email. Sounds like a low-rent kind of affair to me; so be pleased you aren't invited!

Seriously though, why not send your reply to SIL, expressing your pithy but slightly scathing thoughts about her methodology, to everyone on the original email list.

[bigstripeytiger]

Could you reply as if you think she was joking?

Something like "Ha Ha, as if anyone would be that rude, very funny, see you all at the dinner"

Maybe she was joking?

[Rachmumoftwo]

What a thoughtless cow. Someone will come up with a perfect reply soon to be sent to all!

[LadyGlencoraSnape]

Dear SIL
Thank you for your email. Do you know, this is an absolute first for me - nobody has ever sent me a non-invitation to a birthday party before. How original of you to think of it.
Your non-card and your non-present are in the post.
Best wishes
Susy.

[Greensleeves]

YES YES Glencora has it

Do it NOW