AIBU? It's just always a mission

[WinkyWinkola]

I'm having a friend's 3 children and her mother for supper tonight after school.

I'm also dog sitting 2 dogs so that's 4 dogs in the house. All fine and manageable.

All fine but then my friend (I say friend but I've distanced myself a lot from her as I feel she takes advantage of people, getting them to do stuff for her all the time) had now asked if I can pick her up from my station after she's had her meeting in London.

She and her mother are driving into London so her mother can get her hair done and drive back. Friend will stay in London. Friend would normally park car at station and have it when she gets back on the train.

So now, she wants me to do a 30 minute round trip to pick her up from the station leaving her mother with six children (I would take baby in the car with me) and four dogs in my house.

AIBU to be cheesed off that it's always extra with her and never just straightforward - there has to be something more?

Yanbu. Why doesn't her mother pick her up? Or she needs to get a taxi. She sounds quite rude.

Her mother is unfamiliar with the area that's why.

I'm irritated because yet again she pushes for more. I'm only having her dcs because they are friends with my dcs.

Bump

So tell her to get a taxi.

Say no! YANBU. Tell her that you don't think it's fair to leave her mother with 6 children + dogs. You're doing enough. Let her get a taxi if she doesn't want to drive. Does she live very close to you? How will she (plus mum + kids + dogs) get home afterwards?

Her mum will have the car to take them all home afterwards.

Definitely tell her no. That's beyond unreasonable.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, but we can't manage that. There's a mini cab office at .... or, you can catch the ... bus."

Just because she asks, doesn't mean you have to say "yes".

No, you are already doing her a favour. She needs to figure out an alternative.

It's ok to say no.

Can her mother read a map? Listen to a GPS?

Her mother is unfamiliar with the area that's why.

Tough. Either she can drive or she can't. And if she's one of those useless drivers that need special preparation to turn right, that's her and her daughter's problem, not yours.

Also, distance yourself more. Learn to say no.

No ! You're doing enough, you sound like a lovely friend, but she's taking the piss !!

Just say no! Give her the number of a local minivan firm.

I've said no. She's pee'd off.

Has told all about the plans required to get her from her original station to my house.

I have been distancing myself massively but our dcs are friends.

Every arrangement has been broken for something better or there has to be some extra convolution.

Now I feel guilty for not 'helping' when she has to go to work.

You are helping.

I know but because I wouldn't fit into her carefully laid plans, she is annoyed.

She's one of those parents at school who deeply popular and is used to people accommodating at their whim.

I used to do that but I soon found she was taking advantage if me.

So no longer.