Aib a knob or would you be annoyed?

[BatteredBreadedOrSouthernFried]

I keep in touch with a former colleague meeting up for coffee or lunch every now and then. Haven’t seen her in a while but bumped into her last weekend and she suggested we go for drinks in a local bar this weekend. I’m a lone parent and DCs dad isn’t involved so I said I would ask if my mum could babysit and let her know. Mum said yes so I let friend know and she replied that she had an appointment in the morning so we could meet for coffee afterwards. I was a bit confused as she definitely said drinks and named the bar but anyway my DCs have a hobby they attend on Saturdays at lunchtime so I said I could meet at 1. She said great we could have lunch. Then she text later asking to change the venue to another town as her friend has a stall at a craft fair and we could have lunch then look around the fair. I checked with my mum if she could collect Dc from hobby which was fine and confirmed with friend and Said I would be there about 1.15 as was travelling from where Dc club is. Then tonight she text asking if I could come at 12 as she had forgotten she had arranged to see another friend at 2. I said I couldn’t as no-one to take DC earlier and she said ok she could order for me and we could eat quickly. I’ve never been to the place we are going so have no idea of the menu. Have looked online and they don’t have it on their website or Facebook page. I don’t really fancy eating what someone else thinks I’ll like or eating it quickly. I was looking forward to seeing her but now it all feels very rushed and not the relaxing catch up I was hoping for. I feel like saying I can’t make it and rearranging for another time.

There is no time that must be avoided as parents cannot make it

Well how about evenings for low-income single parents?

'Sorry Friend, I cannot justify a babysitter for you to 'slot me in' and keep changing the time for that, please let me know when you have time for me'

She is clearly an arse who thinks you should constantly change your plans around what she wants to do with no regard for you. You don’t see her much so not a really good friend anyway. Just cancel and say to her sorry I can’t mess Mum around more and it’s sounds like it’s probably not the best day for you, let me know when you next have more free time. And hope she never does!

The witching hour for me is that time when you can't get an evening babysitter to come before, and that someone doing you a favour after school can't do beyond, so 5-7 ish. Sometimes doable, but sometimes not

I agree, thats the hardest time to get childcare, and my DCs primary school for some reason used to have lots of events at that time, including sessions to explain how they taught maths (so we could help at home using the same methods and terminology).
I vividly remember a teacher refusing to tell me what something meant, because I 'should have bothered to come to the evening on that'. I had tried everyone I knew, but no one could have 2 extra kids over teatime, or come babysit :-(. (BTW, I tried looking on the internet, but found nothing on the term, I reckon she'd made it up!).

She sounds a bit nuts but if you still want to see her, why don't you suggest meeting for a coffee at 1.15pm (and then have an early lunch) or meeting to just go round the markets (if you like the idea of this).