Am I being a terrible snob?

[GirlOnATrainToShite]

SMIL and FIL coming to stay for week soon which is an annual event. They are in all lovely and no trouble apart from the fact they watch every single soap going .

I admit I am not great with guests and I struggle having people in my space for long periods. We are also a large blended family so the house will be full (not relevant).

SMIL is a lovely northern lady who lives in an area where everyone is in and out of each other's houses, everyone knows that each other and it's a small area we live down south in a big area and very much keep to ourselves - we know most of our neighbours and are friendly but that's about it. I hate people turning up "unannounced".

We have no front garden (Victorian semi) just a very narrow path at the front of the house and a low wall dividing it from the pavement.

We do however have a (small) back garden which gets plenty of sun.

SMIL insists on taking a dining room chair and sitting on the front "path" and resting her legs on the wall with the front door wide open saying hello to anyone who walks past.

I know there are bigger things going on right now but AIBU to really hate her doing this as it's seems a bit "common" and prefer her to use the back which is private? I know she's not hurting anyone but I hate having my front door wide open (I will be at work some of the time). I need to chill out don't I?

I dislike that stupid "pearl clutching" comment.

I don't think it's 'common' at all. A bit eccentric but there are plenty of posh eccentric people.

nina2b

You are a bit of a GF.

Yeah it is and it's a very important skill and a good qualification to have but that's not my job role although is a major part of it.

I'm picturing this

Live and let live as long as she doesn't leave said chair for long periods to make tea / chat / visit loo and leave door wide open ...

I was picturing more this

Watch out op, by the time she leaves, your neighbors will know everything about you.

I'm Northern and have been known to sit on my doorstep reading or whatever if It's nice.

I think leave her to it. It's not 'common' It's just her way of doing things. Let the neighbours gossip if that's what amuses them.

Hmm nice

My late grandma used to get upset about my grandpa going out in the garden in his slippers in case the neighbours saw. They lived in council bungalow, in Ashtead...I found her reaction funny, but in an endearing way. People have their little hang ups whatever walk of life they are from

Can't even quote you without being deleted myself, LordBeefCurtain. Your insults are uncalled for.

And life does continue, even the trivial stuff. There are still threads on potty training, what's for dinner, how to park and school reports. Just like people in RL still put makeup on, fed children, took the bin down and filed reports about student performance at work.

Are you very drunk, LordBeefCurtain? This is the most insulting personal attack I have ever read on MN.

Not that I should really dignify your comments with a reply.

I brought up my three kids alone - and worked my arse off to pay for my house.

Lived in the Netherlands for a while and would often see people of all ages sitting on chairs on the cobbled street, sometimes on their sofas which they dragged out in fine weather. Snobbery (or the thing to be snobby about) is geographically relative which kind of robs it of its power, IMO. Just dismiss it as quirky and next time you see your neighbours you can wryly ask if they met your mil the other day.

Your MIL sounds adorable. Your neighbours might love her, too, and who knows what might come of this? Improved community relations? Street party? Rotating Christmas cocktails?

I do a paper round (a little exercise to counteract my computer-bound day job), and I love it when residents are outside and talk to me. I even made a new friend this way. She fills me up with freshly baked biscuits on a Sunday morning and gives me the news of her street

Those are disgusting comments lordbeefcurtains as well as being an absolutely ridiculous comparison Hope you don't think you've gained the moral high ground in any way, because you most certainly haven't.

Taxi for Lordbeefcurtains

Also don't understand what being from the North has anything to do with it??? I'm from the "common" north and have never done this!!

Many years ago a Canadian friend was in London for a few years as her husband was a diplomat at their High Commission. He was quite senior and the allocated flat reflected that - large redbrick mansion block in Knightsbridge, many prestigious residents and visitors (including Princess Di).

Massive flat but no outside space - on a sunny day she took to sitting on the entrance steps to read the newspaper along with a mug of tea!

The mice thing makes no sense

Field mice (coming in from outside)would not want to live in your house, it's a different type of mouse altogether.

For rats or (house) mice you can call your council pest control unit

Totally agree that the mice thing is silly. If mice want to come hang out in your house, theyre not waiting around politely for an open door. Evil little ninjas are much more resourceful than that.

This thread is a really good example of the need to rtft. The first and last pages do not bear enough resemblance to one another for me to have a clue what's gone on here!