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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To expect another family to be more prepared on our daytrip out?

54 replies

DirtyDripSpout · 05/05/2014 21:07

Have name changed for this.

I bumped into a friend of mine who I haven't seen for a while. She suggested we meet up on the Bank Holiday, together with another mutual friend, and the three families could have a picnic lunch and a walk at a National Trust place.

On the Friday - all details are confirmed. We decide to meet up at mutual friends house and all leave together.

However today, an hour before the meetup time, she tells mutual friend she cannot make it - she has had a busy weekend, and needs some 'me time' - but will send her DH and kids to join in the walk. Her Dh and kids turn up 45 mins late - with no picnic - but 4 cornflake crispie cakes to share between 7 children Confused. Her DH announces that they didn't have time to go the shops or make sandwiches. So mutual friend kindly rustles up extra sandwiches etc, and luckily I have also brought a few extra. However neither of us have enough water or juice for old friend's DH and children. Then old friend's DH announces he has to first stop off at the petrol station. However he doesn't think to buy any extra food or drinks.

The delays mean that by the time we arrive at the National Trust place, it is almost lunchtime. So we have our picnic, sharing everything we have with old friend's Dh and kids. As there is not enough water, we end up having to buy extra from the local National Trust cafe. Old friend's DH announces he only has £3 and therefore cannot buy his own children ice creams and water. So we end up buying theirs too.

AIBU to think the old friend could have made an effort to be more organised - especially as she was spending the day having her much needed 'me-time' anyway, and as it was all her original idea too? AIBu to think her DH at the very least could have brought some cash or took the opportunity at the service station to buy some extra food and water?Mutual friend wants us all to go ski-ing together next year - but this whole event has put me right off the idea.

OP posts:
DenzelWashington · 05/05/2014 21:13

I think it could be them having a bad day, and being disorganised. But equally, it could be that you've been had, in the sense they are users and freeloaders who are happy to let others do all the organisation, buying etc. Don't know which. But until I was sure it wasn't the user/freeloader option, I would not be booking any holidays with them.

neighbourhoodwitch · 05/05/2014 21:14

yanbu. so irritating and outrageous to affect others like that. avoid 'planned' future events at all costs!

BobTheFly · 05/05/2014 21:17

Perhaps they were short of money?

DirtyDripSpout · 05/05/2014 21:19

I doubt they are short of money - they are both lawyers! They are quite disorganised. I'm just irritated as i don't think they realise their disorganisation can put other people out.

OP posts:
WipsGlitter · 05/05/2014 21:19

Hmmmm. As pp says they could be natural freeloaders. I'd want to do a lot more day trips and a weekend away before committing to a ski holiday.

PurpleCrazyHorse · 05/05/2014 21:22

Don't commit to going skiing with them until you've worked out if this was a one-off or a regular thing. I think they might just be so disorganised they're rubbish at the little things, but you don't want that in an expensive ski resort. It's one thing to buy a bottle of water or two at an NT place, it's another thing to sub them ski passes and equipment :)

SaucyJack · 05/05/2014 21:22

YABU to blame her. He was the one actually with the kids, and therefore the one who should've made sure they had juice/lunch etc.

wizzler · 05/05/2014 21:23

yanbu.. I would be really annoyed.

They made you late, he came without any money at all. It was your friends idea and yet she did not turn up

I would not go on holiday with them.. I am quite an organised person and I would self combust if I was with them for more than 30mins!

ExitPursuedByABear · 05/05/2014 21:24

What sort of grown man goes out with £3?

Surely he has cards?

Catsize · 05/05/2014 21:26

What saucy said, but a quick 'do you mind picking up some extra drinks in the shop please' might have been a good move.

PortofinoRevisited · 05/05/2014 21:27

They have 7 children?

missmagnum · 05/05/2014 21:27

Sounds to me like they've had an argument and her dh is just a bit thoughtless re picnic etc.

Annoying that you were all made late and had to pay for things. Yanbu.

Catsize · 05/05/2014 21:28

By the way, reading between the lines, it is possible they are having problems, hence her not coming and lateness. Would also explain lack of preparation and thought at petrol station etc.

SuperFlyHigh · 05/05/2014 21:28

That's awful. even near NT places (I was in Dulwich Village) today there are naice overpriced shops that sell picnic type stuff (quiche, cold stuffs, fruit etc). takes 5 mins to buy.

stingy sod.

matildasquared · 05/05/2014 21:28

Yeah, she opted out and told you. You don't know what was going on with her.

Her husband forgets sandwiches and its his wife's fault?

3littlefrogs · 05/05/2014 21:32

The last time this happened to me the family we were supposed to be having lunch with arrived minus the wife. The excuse given was that she had suddenly felt unwell.

They got divorced not long afterwards. I suppose they had been having problems for a while, and possibly a major upset on the morning of the lunch. Sad

WilsonFrickett · 05/05/2014 21:32

Of course it's not her fault that they didn't buy drinks and stuff - she wasn't there! And I agree with a pp, it sounds like they've had an argument. Maybe he's useless at organising stuff for the children so she decided to let him sink or swim with them - although as you then bailed him out, it probably didn't work!

I do 100% agree though that you shouldnt commit to a longer trip quite yet...

Blu · 05/05/2014 21:33

He could have used his card in the NT place café!

has Dulwich Village been taken over by the NT?

It wouldn't surprise me....

SuperFlyHigh · 05/05/2014 21:37

Blu no Dulwich Village hasn't been taken over by NT but as far as I know there's no Barclays cashpoint (a Barclays just no cashpoint), I don't think the naice village shop there has a cash machine but it's an example of a place to go for day out where you could have to pick up impromptu picnic stuff.

nearest Sainsburys 10-15 minute drive/walk

ihatethecold · 05/05/2014 21:39

Did he really bring 7 children?

Or have I got that wrong?

usualsuspectt · 05/05/2014 21:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WhereYouLeftIt · 05/05/2014 21:45

"Mutual friend wants us all to go ski-ing together next year - but this whole event has put me right off the idea."
God no, holidaying with this family would be awful! They'd either be freeloading off you and mutual friend, or you'd be the captive audience to passive-aggressive domestic warfare. No, no, no!

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 05/05/2014 21:47

Seriously. Why is this on her at all?

I bet you they had a huge row because she was resentful of always having to do everything, said fine you take them and organise it all. I'm staying home and having a well-deserved rest. So that is why he came alone with all the thousands of children (is it really seven?) and was completely useless...

LEMmingaround · 05/05/2014 21:47

If its completely out of character id worry there was a problem and be asking if she is ok.

BrianButterfield · 05/05/2014 21:49

Disorganised is one thing but even the shittest pertrol station has sandwiches/sausage rolls, crios and drinks - not naice maybe but kids don't notice! He's a piss-taker.

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