My mother runs errands and drops in to see an elderly lady she's known for years who lives nearby in sheltered accommodation. She's 98. In the past year she's had a bad fall and pneumonia. Her son and daughter in law used to live round the corner and see her all the time. Earlier this year they moved thirty miles away (still not far, good roads trains etc). They have seen her ONCE since she had pneumonia, but promised to get a hotel room nearby for xmas eve - boxing day and come up and see her a couple of times between then and the New Year.
My mother has just rung me asking if we can set an extra plate for lunch tomorrow because the couple have just called her said can we take the elderly lady because they won't make the journey. All they have said is that they "don't really feel like it". Trains are running with only minor delays, motorways gritted etc. (They are only in their late fifties, do a lot of sport etc and general good health).
Of course it's fine to have her over. But my mother's spoken to her and she's devastated. She's been looking forward to this visit for WEEKS and it's just been snatched from her at the last minute without an explanation.
AIBU to think that her son and daughter in law are being really selfish and horrible? And not "because it's Christmas" but because they had promised something to a frail and lonely old lady who dotes on them. I understand people who don't get on with their parents etc but they haven't cut ties, just lost interest. They have seen her ONCE in the past three months and frankly, she isn't going to last much longer.