To think that if you invite guests round you should turn off the tv?

[MogwaiTheGremlin]

We were invited round to dh's mate's house for afternoon tea with the kids. We arrived at the appointed hour to find him sat on the sofa watching rugby. He made us tea then resumed watching and basically didn't move for the 2 hours we were there even though the kids were playing in the large open plan kitchen where all the toys are.
His wife and I spent the whole time hovering between the two rooms trying to keep an eye on the children whilst attempting to have a conversation with dh and his mate.
Dh loves sport but if there was a particular match he wanted to see he would record it not watch it while we had guests! Or not suggest that time in the first place?
Ds had a lovely time playing with their children but the adults really didn't have a chance to catch up and we only see them a few times a year.
I think it's really rude but maybe I'm expecting too much ceremony?!

I think it's a cultural thing in my corner of the UK. If you're very middle class, you wouldn't dream of it. If you're very traditional/rural, you also wouldn't dream of it. If you're working/lower middle class, you have it on as standard because it acts as an ice-breaker. It's not seen as rude and it would seem odd to have it off and just be looking at each other in silence. So my level of offence would depend on who had invited me round. Tea and cake sounds a bit posh and definitely not a few beers....so I'd go with rude. And it's always rude for men to sit back and leave the childcare/tea-making to the women folk (unless you're traditional/rural...)

Limited as I said we live away from family so 'tedious' 30 second videos are all we get to see of our new nieces and nephews.

But good on you for being a snidey fucker

Whatever you'd say oldraver

Yes. It's grease on the oils of conversation!

Wouldn't be something that would bother me tbh, unless you were over for dinner, then that would be strange.