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AIBU?

A mean spirited surprise

112 replies

Barfuckinghumbug · 27/11/2015 22:08

Right long time lurker, fully prepared to be told AIBU. Bit of long one but dont want to drip feed. DH works away mon-fri, washing machine has been playing up for a couple of weeks , this week decides to pack up completely, anyway DH comes home tonight , I have a bit if a moan about said washing machine and DH shows me a washing machine he's purchased online coming on sunday, was going to be surprise but he said I was obviously getting stressed about it so he'll tell me now. All good, please bear with me, it is relevant.

We then eat dinner had a chat as we always do on a Friday night, I asked about his work christmas party, he told me what date, it happens to be my birthday. He tells me what they're doing very mater of factly like its any other day, so I plaster on a fake smile thinking i'll be alone on my birthday evening ( no family near by and i'm alone during the week so can't go out with friends) please don't get me wrong if he wasn't able to come home early that's one of those things, i'm well aware he works away and may not be able to get the day off, but he seemed quite blasé about it, like oh well never mind just another day, then he walks out of the kitchen asking if I'd like to come and sit down, I don't, so say i need to tidy up, he then comes back into the kitchen , ask me if I'm okay and do i have the hump, i then say its upsetting as I'll be alone on my birthday, when last year he came home for my birthday and made a point of telling me he'd never let me spend my birthday evening alone so clearly the same didn't apply this year.

Anyhow I now come to my AIBU point, he then tells me I've ruined the surprise and I also ruined the washing machine surprise, he's not going to the christmas party he is coming home on my birthday but me"moaning" has meant he's had to tell me . I think both are shit surprises, why is letting me think I'm going to the launderette next week better than don't worry, new machine coming Sunday and why on earth is letting someone think they will be alone on their birthday evening worth the eventual surprise of taa- daa i'm hereon the night.

So AIBU, we are now not speaking.

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amarmai · 28/11/2015 16:49

we have mind readers on Mn now?

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Gruntfuttock · 28/11/2015 13:34

amarmai You'll be saying LTB next.

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Wagglebees · 28/11/2015 13:21

Christ on a bike. Have a brief scan of a thread at least before replying. It takes all of 2 minutes, if that.

Bar Glad he realised he was being a dick and you're happy with his apology. Good to get things sorted. I hope you have a really nice birthday. Wine

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Lweji · 28/11/2015 11:34

Good news, OP.

Hopefully he will have learnt his lesson.

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amarmai · 28/11/2015 11:34

yanbu op. your h's behaviour is worrying me. feels like disguised abuse.

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Jux · 28/11/2015 11:23

They are shit surprises. I think the works night out surprise ta-daa was a last minute save the day decision when he saw you were upset (he'd forgotten it was your birthday - my dh does this too. Last year, when he'd arranged to go off doing something and said "I forgot it was your birthday", I reminded him that it was the same date every year. He did remember this year).

I think buying a washing machine was a nice idea, but my brother replaced mine a few years ago. It was a lovely surprise, but, a) I had no part in choosing it, b) the drum is far too small so I can't wash duvets in it and the dry cleaner has closed and the nearest is now 20 miles away and I don't drive, c) it takes an hour and half to do a quick wash etc etc. I'd much rather have the old one Blush

A unilateral decision by the person who uses an important piece of household equipment the least is often a hiding to nothing. I understand your upset.

Try to be nice about it though, as I think the washing machine thing was meant to be nice, but I hope he realises that large pieces of equipment like that need to be joint decisions, and you don't experience this again.

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pictish · 28/11/2015 11:05

You might want to read the thread.

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Hatethis22 · 28/11/2015 11:04

If it were a grey import Miele, that would be a nice surprise.

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WeAllHaveWings · 28/11/2015 11:02

I'd be telling my dh to go and enjoy his works Christmas party and we'd celebrate my birthday the next day. Cant believe a grown woman would be upset not having her dh at home on their birthday when he's got an unmovable event.

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MargotLovedTom · 28/11/2015 10:55

X post.

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abbieanders · 28/11/2015 10:55

Have a lovely birthday, OP. Glad it's all sorted!

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MargotLovedTom · 28/11/2015 10:55

To everyone breezily declaiming that they'd go out with friends on their birthday if they were in in the OP's situation - the OP clearly states she has no family nearby and is on her own through the week so can't go out with friends.

He's been a nob OP. YANBU.

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Barfuckinghumbug · 28/11/2015 10:54

dickosity- loving that word!

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APlaceOnTheCouch · 28/11/2015 10:53

I'm glad he apologised and you feel he understands why they were rubbish 'surprises'.

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pictish · 28/11/2015 10:51

Lol...absolutely. Keep being assertive you fab woman. He needs that and I suspect he knows it.

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IwishIwasinNewYork · 28/11/2015 10:50

I'm glad he's apologised and that you feel he's generally a good guy. That's good to hear.

Just remember to stay fierce and hold on to those boundaries as he clearly has slightly dickish tendencies Wink

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pictish · 28/11/2015 10:50

Well thank god. That's good he has accepted his dickosity and apologised.

If it had carried on through to the weekend I'd have been seriously concerned it it were me. Allowing a dispute to be slept on is no bad thing imo. Glad he came good.
Enjoy your weekend. x

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Barfuckinghumbug · 28/11/2015 10:47

Thank you for all your replies, I honestly didn't expect so many.

Well I got an apology this morning. I think he knows he's been a dick. I think I threw him asking if and when there was a party and instead if saying- yes its on your birthday so I won't be going he decided on the "surprise" and the washing well I've made clear that It was a truly shit surprise.

The grand surprises are usually highly impractical christmas gifts not usually household items.

He's not manipulative, i can see why OP think he might be as that's all you know about him iyswim. You don't come online to vent about the good stuff.

Thanks for all your input

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pictish · 28/11/2015 10:46

I'd be all for him arranging for a new washing machine to be delivered. I don't care about washing machines...if it washes clothes it's a good one.
As a birthday treat? Unless he spends his time at work in a cave, he knows that's not a birthday surprise, it's an appliance. Bit like him getting a boiler for his.

If it was genuinely misguided but well-intentioned, he'd have backed down and put it right straight away.
The fact that he's using this as an opportunity to insist that the OP should be grateful and being nasty when she isn't, tells all.

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noddingoff · 28/11/2015 10:42

If it turns out that the washing machine is your birthday and Christmas present rolled into one, for a little surprise I'd wash some of his favourite clothes in it at 90 degrees with something new, red and non colourfast.

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diddl · 28/11/2015 10:38

"I prefer to have a say in the major purchases for our house."

I can see that as well & yes, it does sound as though that didn't happen in this case.

For me I'd be quite happy to say "same/similar to what needs replacing/make sure it has X function" & then sit back & let it happen.

But yes that is having input, as you say.

We recently needed a new oven & hob & I was happy for husband & son to go off & deal with it, but I knew that they'd be getting something similar.

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abbieanders · 28/11/2015 10:31

I can't see a problem with him arranging it though.

Personally, I prefer to have a say in the major purchases for our house. I live here too, I'm an adult, I get a say unless we've agreed otherwise.

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MidnightVelvetthe4th · 28/11/2015 10:28

What if you had gone out on your birthday last minutes & he arrived home to an empty house, what would he have done then? Or had you said 'OK no worries I'm going out with friends then'. It was fairly badly planned regardless of his motives.

If you have been with him 16 years OP & he is otherwise considerate then just write it off. If he likes to manipulate you for example he says that he didn't say something when you knew he did, or you are forced to be grateful to him for basic relationship needs then rethink.

Tell him either way that you don't like surprises, I'm the same, dp surprised me once with a weekend away in a hotel which was wonderful but because I didn't know, I couldn't anticipate it or bring my swimming costume for the pool. I like looking forward to things :)

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MrsMolesworth · 28/11/2015 10:24

So you reacted as anyone would, by being disappointed he couldn't be around on your birthday and he's hacked off because it was a lie and he can? How did he expect you to react to disappointing news you didn't know was untrue?

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manana21 · 28/11/2015 10:22

The washing machine i'm on the fence about but the planning to say he was prioritizing the work party then mysteriously appearing and expecting you to be grateful for is weird. He's setting you up to be pee'd off before he comes and you're supposed to then get all chuffed? Bizarre....most people would instead tell you they were going to be there and you'd plan something nice together.

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