Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

No my house is not Downton Abbey and you are taking the piss!

194 replies

Cubanito · 30/09/2017 10:57

A friend of mine is moving overseas for 2 years on Monday. She is following her DH due to his job relocation. She's not thrilled about it because she has had to give up her job, but the money was too good to turn down. Her DH has already gone a couple of weeks back and she has been organising getting things shipped out and the house ready for rental. Since yesterday she has been staying with us with her 5 year old son. I was happy to help her out.

Yesterday I picked up her son (7) from school before getting my own 7 year old from her school. My friend was supervising cleaners etc in her house. He son is not really one for boundaries e.g. he just opens cupboards in our house and helps himself to biscuits. Anyway, my friend came back at 6.30, DH also came home a bit early and I made lasagne for everyone (we have 3 DC). Apparently her son only eats pesto pasta so I made that for him. Then he was refusing to sit at the table and wanted to eat in the living room to watch TV. My friend said (loudly), "No you can't eat in the living room at Downton Abbey." Hmm Anyway, I let it go but then she let him run off upstairs and not eat anything. DH was Hmm but said nothing. I found it very rude tbh. Then she was drinking wine while I was clearing up. If it was the other way round, I would have helped. At 9pm she asked if her son could could have toast.

There were shenanigans in the night because her son was up at 4.30, downstairs with the TV on. I get that he might be unsettled by the move. I took him back bed (sharing with my DS who is 9), but he got up again so I left him to it. This morning he appeared to have eaten most of a box of Cherrios (dry) and made a mess in the sofa. My kids are not allowed to eat in the living room.

I made a cooked breakfast for everyone which we ate while her son was in the back garden, kicking bushes. DH was not looking massively impressed but said nothing. At about 10am, my friend left to go and finish off at her house. As she was leaving she said this to her son - "Be good today because you're going to the museum with Don Draper" (DH has offered to take the kids to the Science Museum). I asked her what she meant and she said I really should watch Netflix (she always takes the piss that I don't know who is who on TV). So I googled this name and it's a character from a show about an office and who has serial affairs with all the women in the office! What the hell does she mean by that?

I feel like she lets her son run riot and she is taking the piss out of me in my own home. I'm doing dinner for mutual friends tonight as a kind of "farewell", but I kind of feel as if I'm fuming. AIBU or should I just let it go as she's at a tricky time with the move?

OP posts:
littlemisscomper · 01/10/2017 20:31

What a total weirdo!

PumpkinSpicexx · 01/10/2017 20:39

Hepzibar - did not have time to read the whole thread but thanks for filling me in. I will sleep easier tonight!

Katherine2626 · 01/10/2017 20:42

You have been very kind and helpful to an entitled, rude woman with a child who is watching and learning - fast. I think she is jealous too - you really don't need a 'friend' like this. .

Cubanito · 01/10/2017 20:57

Thankyou everyone is so kind on here. She's been super-chatty with DH tonight, telling him to take some time for himself and also she told him some of his banking friends are wankers "because it's that kind of industry but its not your fault" and he should take a step back from them Confused. DH just looks non-plussed tbh.

I should say my kids definitely have their moments, for sure! I don't want to give off the impression they're different to other kids at all. I don't think many kids just help themselves from other people's cupboards and get up in the night to watch tv though. I've never come across this. She is leaving at 10am - taxi sorted! Thanks so much again. (Fizzy - That would be a good one Grin ).

OP posts:
bollandbear · 01/10/2017 21:02

The actor Jon Hamm who plays Don Draper apparently has a MASSIVE peen ....so....eh...tell her yes he is similar in that respect!Wink

jojosmitty · 02/10/2017 07:43

You should start referring to her as 'Peggy', that's the mum from Married with Children (Peggy Bundy) who just sits on her arse, sniping at people & drinking while her kids run riot. See how she likes 'in jokes'. I wish you well.

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 02/10/2017 08:04

OP I think she is really unhappy , a bit (a lot) jealous and is is very stressed

Not excusing her but actually she has committed the crime of having an annoying kid and being a cheeky house guest

Just don't throw the baby with the bath water as friends can be annoying and maybe this is a one off as she is so unhappy ?

bingolittle · 02/10/2017 08:07

I've never met this woman and even I am counting the minutes till she's out of the country!

LaContessaDiPlump · 02/10/2017 10:11

Has she gone yet? Has she gone yet? Has she gone yet?

PenelopeFlintstone · 02/10/2017 10:22

I agree. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Cubanito · 02/10/2017 10:28

She is gone - just waved them off. Good luck San Francisco!!
I think she has felt in limbo these last few weeks and struggled a lot. She doesn't want to go and uproot her DS from school and she knows she can't work over there. Even so, I just feel quite let down by her treatment of me in these last few days. It's a shame.
Thanks so much for keeping me sane on MN!

OP posts:
ItsNachoCheese · 02/10/2017 10:33

cubanito HURRAH! to getting your peace back. Your so called friend sounds dreadful but on the upside shes on the other side of the atlantic 😉

Kezza8 · 02/10/2017 10:58

Don Draper was one of the fittest men on TV (IMO) so maybe she just thinks your husband is really fit! But I HATE people who stay with you and never even offer to help!

TooSleepyToCare · 02/10/2017 19:23

Hope the peace has been deafening in your house today cuban. You sound like a very good friend. Shame she couldn't see that

helsinkihelen · 02/10/2017 19:47

I was hoping that you were going to post that she bought you a lovely big bunch of flowers and chocolates and told you how much she appreciated staying. Seriously taking people for granted.

elfies · 03/10/2017 08:57

You're a saint ! Flowers

VanillaSugar · 03/10/2017 10:31

I hope you drank lots of champagne and tom your DS that this experience is a lesson on how NOT to behave Grin😁😁😀🍸🍹🍷

houghtonk76 · 05/10/2017 08:21

Of course you're a SAHM OP, you live in Dowton Abbey, why would you need to work???? ☺

Agree with other posters - she sounds like awful friend & total b*h!! If she's going soon, put up & break ties "naturally" when she moves (she may find friends she prefers there anyway). If she's staying for a while, remind her of the following:

  1. the house rules for her & son
  2. guests who are having a favour done for them help with the chores - that's friendship
  3. You prefer not to have your DH referred to as Don D & house as Dowton Abbey, as actually has she considered, especially as she's a guest there, it might be rude / offensive?

I don't really understand why she can't stay at her own place while getting it ready for rentals - is there some other issue you haven't said??

houghtonk76 · 05/10/2017 08:29

Just saw she's gone - fantastic news!! Indeed, good luck San Fran!!

If u notice similar style warning bells with new friends of this sort again - remember this woman & say "sorry you're having poo time & need somewhere to stay, but Dowton is full right now - in laws staying" or whatever.

Hopefully though she is one-off-a-kind.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page