confabulator. Good word! Sympathies OP.
I was toying with the idea of starting my own thread about this! Instead i too will get it off my chest here if that's ok :)
The best way i can explain this is that my mum invents conversations she's had with people, and relays them to me word for word, with the intention of getting some point across.
In the main these convo's that she invents and then relays to me are meant to have been between her and my youngest DD when they've been alone together. It's funny, sometimes, but mostly infuriating. She's always been a manipulative person, but as she's getting older it's getting ridiculous what she thinks she can get away with without everybody noticing what she's up to. My DD hates it with a passion. It's got to the stage that once i've spoken to my mum for the 1st time after she's been with DD, DD will ask - 'OK, so what does nan say i said/we talked about this time?' Does my mum not think i actually talk to my DDs for goodness sake?
Example. (We'll call DD Elizabeth).
Mum (in her 'posh voice')
"I was chatting with little Elizabeth yesterday and she said she was worried that Mummy and Daddy would stay out late again this weekend. She said gets a bit lonely at home when her sisters are out and her mummy and daddy are out and she's there alone ......."
For info: Elizabeth is 15 next month, and does not say mummy and daddy anymore, she doesn't mind that me and DH go out once in a blue moon and actaully LOVES those couple of hours with the house to herself!
It can be about anything. Most recent invented convo's have had the intention of: probing into what my older DDs are up to, guilt tripping me into making sure i don't sell certain bits of furniture when i inherit them (! yes, i know), and of course making the above inference that me and DH spend too much time enjoying ourselves partying and orgying and are neglecting the children!
aaarrrggghhh. I mean why?
Does anyone else get this??