Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

Original poster

Things friends can do, following on from DH thread

12 replies

hiptobeasquare · 05/01/2022 05:57

Following on from a thread about things your DH can do I wanted to start a thread about friends. My friends are some of the most lovely women ever. One of them has taught me how to knit this year, one of them painted me a beautiful Christmas tree decoration, they have picked me up and supported me. I am eternally grateful that they listen to me when I complain/despair about my kids, especially the ones who don't have kids themselves- they listen with such patience and also reassure me I'm a good Mam.

I love my DH and everything he does, but I also love my pals. I am lucky to have found so many good ones.

Are there positive things about your friends that you want to talk about?

OP posts:

SunshineOnKeith · 05/01/2022 06:24

Mine are wonderful at being there when I need them but allowing me space when I'm slammed with work deadlines. They don't get huffy or demanding when I'm unavailable, and when I need them they're incredibly supportive. I appreciate them very much

Footprintsinthegrass · 05/01/2022 06:35

One of my friends seems to have endless time in the day. She does so much but is always happy to take time to help anyone and I just can't work out how she has it all together

Original poster

hiptobeasquare · 05/01/2022 06:59

It's lovely to hear that people have such lovely supportive friends.

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Christmas

heidbuttsupper · 05/01/2022 07:26

My maths has always been awful. Recently was given a new task to complete at work which involved percentages my lovely friend who works full time and is also training to be an accountant spent hours going over it with me, sometimes going over the same thing multiple times. She's great

Original poster

hiptobeasquare · 05/01/2022 07:37

@heidbuttsupper She sounds really supportive.

OP posts:

onedayoranother · 05/01/2022 13:16

I have a friend I know would be the one who would come at 2am in a crisis. That had t happened, but she's there to pick me up when I've taken the car to the garage etc. She is a much nicer person than me - I'd do the same for her but she was also making lunches for a friend's son the mum was busy (not that busy and the kid was 18 - see I told you she was nicer than me)!
I do have a cousin who has been there in a crisis. When my father had a stroke while abroad she dropped everything and came down at 1am to look after my kids so I could catch a 6am flight.
But I don't have any friends who could help in a practical 'I'll help you build those shelves' way. But I'm pretty handy anyway!

SylviaTrench · 05/01/2022 13:42

I'm on a diet at the moment and two of my friends have been amazing cheerleaders.
I know I can text them anytime for encouragement or advice, they're so supportive.

Sn0tnose · 05/01/2022 15:30

I’m very lucky with mine. Without exception, they are all strong, capable, confident funny women. And they’re all organisers. You could have any problem, practical or emotional, and within minutes, they’ve formulated the perfect plan to deal with it and will stand by your side while you carry it out. All of them have picked me up off the floor on more than one occasion and I could call any of them at 2am. I have absolutely no idea why they wanted to be friends with me (I am a flakey, grumpy introvert) but I’m eternally grateful for them.

I have two who would help me dispose of a body without panicking if I ever needed them to. One could walk into a room of grumpy introverts who all hated each other and within 20 minutes, she’d have them up, dancing and making holiday plans with each other. And she is funny. Knicker wettingly funny. She’s always got that brilliant comeback ready.

The other is my best friend who I’ve known since I was 11. She is never happier than when she has an hour’s notice that 3 vegans, 4 fussy eaters, 2 glucose intolerant and one person who is allergic to everything are coming for a three course meal. And her food is amazing. She can also drive a tractor, play the saxophone and has a huge selection of 50s style dresses that she looks fabulous in.

Annaghgloor · 05/01/2022 15:43

I just find mine interesting. I don't choose my friends based on who would come out at 2 am in an emergency or help me bury a body -- I just like having people around who lead full, interesting lives and are absorbing to talk to.

I like that, when we went to the pub just before Christmas, the conversation encompassed the techniques of forensic archaeology used to identify the body of a wrongly-executed and recently-pardoned man from a prison yard, the Mother and Baby Homes report, superstitions and art and the problem of trying to make a big mixed-media piece, running a post office in a part of the city with a gang problem, lighthouses, worms, and the relationship with a family member who donated the egg that became your child.

evilharpy · 05/01/2022 15:53

One of my friends back home who is really far more like family has let us stay with her on countless occasions to save having to book and pay for accommodation, has picked us up from the airport, has volunteered to raise my child if my husband and I both die, and is my daughter's favourite person in the whole wide world. She's also phoned my elderly mum to check in with her on countless occasions, set up her new router when we changed her broadband provider, sorted out stupid problems with her tablet, given her lifts to places etc etc.

Another friend is so much like family that she was at the hospital with me and other immediate family to hold my hand when my dad was dying.

Both of these friends live in a different country but if either of them needed me for anything I'd be on the next flight, or would give them the last penny in my pocket.

Sn0tnose · 05/01/2022 16:00

🙄 Nobody chooses their friends on those things Anna. They are simply figures of speech. But you know that.

Annaghgloor · 05/01/2022 16:23

@Sn0tnose

🙄 Nobody chooses their friends on those things Anna. They are simply figures of speech. But you know that.

Well, it's pretty much a truism on here that you know who your real friends are when you are in an emergency, or need help at an awkward time, and there are large numbers of posts on a regular basis from people who say they are a good friend because they help out in emergencies, or complaining about friends who didn't help them when they needed it.

It's great that people will help out in a crisis, obviously, but for me it's not any kind of ultimate judgement on whether people are 'true friends' or not.

Flip