Went to a party over the weekend (a bbq. luckily was dry). The party was for a group who are doing a workshop, so about 25 kids aged 13 - 18. The workshop takes place in a reasonably major city, surrounded by villages.
The party was in a village about a 1/2 hour drive away from the major city.
Parents were also invited, but it was for the kids, really.
My DD is dong this annual event for the first time, there are people there who've been going for years (this workshop has been running for 10 - 12 years), and parents have older siblings, so been going for a while.
Although gorgeous, the party was held in quite a small garden, with about enough chairs for half the adults.
We arrive fashionably late, and there are two chairs together which DH and I take.
After about 3/4 of an hour, the food is ready, so after letting the majority of the kids fill their boots, DH and I get up to get some food. DH leaves his jumper on his chair and I leave my handbag on mine.
After getting food, his chair is free, mine is taken by another parent.
Was I U to save a chair when there weren't enough to go round?
She'd pushed by bag backwards, so it was against the back of the chair.
What we did was leave it, and after uncomfortably eating standing up, I sat on DH's chair and after 10 mins said to the person sitting on "my" chair (now I feel like one of the 3 bears!) "excuse me, could I get my handbag?". At which point she apologised and sat on the floor.
My DH and I being new to this didn't know other parents and were quite shy, so were grateful to bag a space and talk to each other (and eventually the parent next to me, and eventually more widely, but we were shy at this event, with much posher - most at private school - and richer [we have struggled to pay for this event] parents. Of course they seem more confident than us - it always looks like that when you're on the outside, doesn't it!
Quite soon after this, all the kids piss off to the local park, and the parents mingle more freely. Much later on, talked to the woman who'd pinched my chair, and she was lovely. But I spent the conversation sat down, and didn't offer her a turn!
Was I rude to save a chair when spaces are limited? And was she to sit on my chair?
I hope this woman isn't on MN!!!!!!