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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To feel really bloody disappointed (DH)

124 replies

Mayorhumdinger19 · 18/02/2022 08:28

Never go out (know that's the same for lots though especially recently). Can't even remember last time I went out even for coffe and cake, let alone dinner and drinks (7 months ago and that was first time since 2nd Dec 2019!) We've been floored with childhood illness after illness, plus COVID, bday scaled back as I was recovering from Noro, no Christmas drinks/ socialising due to Omi.

So took advantage of my parents being here for half term booked a really nice restaurant that I've been desperate to try. I never really ask for much from DH in terms of presents/grand gestures but one thing I love is a really great dinner and drinks....I'm happy to organise and always make sure it's somewhere he wants to eat also, all I want is for him to turn up and have a nice time.

Now I know a Thurs booking is a slight risk but DH is self emp so can be a little more relaxed.

Scheduled my hair colour app specially, did my nails, took my time doing, my hair and make up, bought new not exactly inexpensive earrings and was really excited. Told loads of people I was going out.

It was one of the flattest evenings I've had in a living memory. DH was clearly knackered. I'd really wanted us to try something which is to share, he'd normally love but he was sneery about it, said it'd be too much food and made me feel embarrassed for wanting to choose it, he wouldn't normally be like that. Instead chose something smaller/simpler and I felt I had to follow suite. He had to be coaxed to choose a drink when we got there, even the waiter looked at bit awkward at his ambivalence/bad mood. Anyway strange eve chat strained. But, I was so determined to have a nice time and a few drinks, they had my favourite cocktail which I had after dinner, it was delicious so ordered another. DH made a point of saying he was sticking with the water (so not like him). And made me feel embarrassed for ordering another then as the waiter left huffed and rolled his eyes....I was so taken aback, he's never done that to me and it had been such a strange eve I burst into tears. He apologised and just said he was really, really tired and thought we were going home - it was 21.05!!

Of course he's tired, we've got kids that don't sleep well and always give us their germs. DH was extra tired though because he'd been at a funeral (which I didn't know about - it was a school friend's grandma.) And then obviously to the wake in the afternoon and to be able to do that he'd gotten up extra early to do work he would be missing in the afternoon. Much of the chat in the evening between him stifling yawns was him telling me what a nice time he'd had catching up with Tom, dick and Harry and Harry's aunties cousin etc. So of course he cba and wasn't particularly hungry by the time we went out, he'd been up at the crack of dawn and spent all afternoon (3 hrs nearly) socialising/drinking/eating buffet food. Now I clearly don't begrudge him going to the funeral at all - but it isn't our family or someone he's seen in years, it was to support his pal and clearly don't begrudge that either...but that supporting also involved 3hrs socialising at the expense of an evening we'd had planned for nearly two months and something nice we never get to do any more. I just feel really, shit, shit because I suspect I am being a bit unreasonable re the wake (but I can't help it) and sht and embaressed that I spent time effort and money and he couldn't be bothered and I had a terrible time. He hasn't even bothered to say he'll try make it up to me as he knows realistically he can't until my parents are next here. I'm also fcking starving to boot as I thought we would really go for it food wise so had barely anything to eat all day yesterday either!!

OP posts:
BulletTrain · 18/02/2022 09:44

@Cherrysoup

Rolling his eyes, huffing, making the waiter hang round and making disparaging comments about you having a second drink? Is he Kevin the teenager? Bloody man child, I’d be furious. Why didn’t he mention the funeral? That’s really weird.
I'd be furious too.

Thing is, I know partners are supposed to be a safe space where you can be yourself, but sometimes the nice thing to do is to shove a smile on and make something the other person is looking forward to more pleasant.

My ex as a teenager used to do this - I'd come over expecting to go out and he'd only start the yawning and "I'm so tired" after I arrived because he didn't want to make the effort but did want my "company". Ha.

TooWicked · 18/02/2022 09:46

He sounds like an ignorant prick. And it would be really strange in my relationship that DH didn’t mention he was going to a funeral this week until after the event.

The only thing I’m with him on, is the food. My DH does this sometimes… “let’s order X, Y and Z to share” and what he means is he wants XYZ but knows it’s too much to order just for him, so he’d quite like to try and dictate what I eat to suit him. No.

Forgothowmuchlhatehomeschoolin · 18/02/2022 09:49

@ThackeryBinks

Have to say your post has made my spider senses flare. If you keep noticing a change in attitude towards you then start digging.
I got this vibe too.
Rewritethestars1 · 18/02/2022 09:53

Maybe I'm cynical from years of being on here but as pp have said my spidey senses are also tingling. Why would you not know about this funeral. How likely is it that he would suddenly decide to go support 'an old school friend'. Is there proof this is where he actually was.
Even if he was tied that does not mean he can be rude. Its not a normal reaction to being tired unless you are an overtired toddler.
If its completely out if character too id be even more suspicious.

Stressedout1009 · 18/02/2022 09:55

@RedHelenB

Women doing it again, just stop being a martyr and order whatever food and drink you like! If he just wants water and a small.meal fine but why let that mean you go home hungry?
Agree with this again. If you behave like a martyr, then you really can't complain. You spent the day pampering up while he worked and attended a funeral, and you can understand that he was just not into it. Your entire first part was about how this behaviour is so not like him so surely you know that it's a one off. I understand your disappointment though, sometimes these things happen.
ShallWeTalkAboutBruno · 18/02/2022 09:56

Surely, as an adult, even if you’re tired you can control yourself enough to not behave like an absolute twat?
I have severe insomnia and a toddler with special needs who doesn’t sleep. If I behaved like a petulant arsehole whenever I was tired, I wouldn’t have any friends left.

maxelly · 18/02/2022 10:00

@ShallWeTalkAboutBruno

Surely, as an adult, even if you’re tired you can control yourself enough to not behave like an absolute twat? I have severe insomnia and a toddler with special needs who doesn’t sleep. If I behaved like a petulant arsehole whenever I was tired, I wouldn’t have any friends left.
Yes, this. Or if you can't manage that, to say to your significant other, ideally before you've reached the restaurant, 'I'm so sorry darling, I've overbooked myself and I'm exhausted, please could we postpone tonight, I know you've been looking forward to it and I'll make it up to you another time'? OP doesn't sound like the kind of person that would have insisted they still go after that kind of conversation. But obviously because that's a hard conversation to have he's thought he could power through and epically failed...
Querty123456 · 18/02/2022 10:01

Next time I’d leave him looking after the kids and go with a friend instead

SartresSoul · 18/02/2022 10:04

Strange he didn’t tell you about the funeral. A bit odd to attend an old school friend’s Grandmother’s funeral too? Unless he was particularly close to their Grandmother…

He was tired but that doesn’t necessarily mean he had to be a total prick and ruin the highly anticipated night out. Next time I’d order whatever the hell you want though, don’t let him make you feel guilty.

burnoutbabe · 18/02/2022 10:04

I mean i WOULD order say nachos to share if i really wanted nachos and they only did a larger portion (and be happy to leave some). Or potentually a sharer dessert :D

but if its say Steak for 2, then no, i'd not order that and leave 50%. Would be odd/wasteful. Or the Seafood platter type thing.

diddl · 18/02/2022 10:11

I'm guessing that you didn't know that he would be up earlier than usual before booking?

I do think he was very rude.

If he was that tired wouldn't it have been better to cancel?

Clairems87 · 18/02/2022 10:13

@RedHelenB

Women doing it again, just stop being a martyr and order whatever food and drink you like! If he just wants water and a small.meal fine but why let that mean you go home hungry?
Yep, I second this. No need to go without...although I’m sure the atmosphere was so icy and you were so gutted that ordering large dinners wasn’t on your mind. I would be very upset that he hadn’t told me about the funeral...I think that’s a strange thing to keep quiet about- especially when it affected your planned night out x
LittleSnakes · 18/02/2022 10:16

Why didn’t you know he’d been to a funeral? And why did you change your order to match his? Fuck that shit. Order what you want. He shouldn’t have been rude and huffy and you shouldn’t have been a martyr.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 18/02/2022 10:17

Sorry but you sound really hard work.

You can't remember the last time you went out but it was exactly 7 months ago?

He'd been to a funeral!

And who has their hair dyed to go out for dinner? Are you Joan Collins?

BoodleBug51 · 18/02/2022 10:17

Why on earth didn't he say to you that he was too tired?

NalPolishRemover · 18/02/2022 10:18

I think people are missing the point too saying stuff like go with a friend next time. The OP clearly craves one to one adult time with her dh & was looking forward to getting dressed up, making an effort & going out to a nice restaurant for good food, cocktails, reconnecting & flirting & basically remembering how you came to be married to this person sitting across from you!
It's absolutely not the same to go out with a pal while dh is at home with the kids

SoupDragon · 18/02/2022 10:19

If he was that tired wouldn't it have been better to cancel?

The OP would still be pissed off if he'd done that.

GreenClock · 18/02/2022 10:21

He shouldn’t have eaten much at the wake, knowing that he was out in the evening.

His behaviour at the venue sounds pathetic.

Try to find more time for yourself OP. Source a local babysitter too. I felt sorry for you when I read how much time and headspace you invested in this one evening - going out to dinner with your husband at a local place shouldn’t be that much of a big deal.

PegasusReturns · 18/02/2022 10:26

You’re not be unreasonable at all and certainly not “hard work” Hmm

I also don’t understand pp questions about culture of eating less. Presumably anyone who has every been out to dinner anywhere can appreciate that if you’re expecting a four course blow out meal and your dining companion decides they’ll just have the salad and tap water it puts a higher dampener on the shared experience of enjoying food.

If the restaurant was tapas or famous for its seafood platters to share all the worse.

Op are you Irish/in ireland? I think if you view funeral attendance through that lens then it’s even less likely you’re being unreasonable.

Clairems87 · 18/02/2022 10:34

@GreenFingersWouldBeHandy

Sorry but you sound really hard work.

You can't remember the last time you went out but it was exactly 7 months ago?

He'd been to a funeral!

And who has their hair dyed to go out for dinner? Are you Joan Collins?

That’s such a judgemental horrible comment to make. OP wanted to look and feel nice for her date night...and what about the OPs post makes her sound like hard work?? Her anticipation and excitement for her evening meal with her husband? Her feeling shattered because of colds and children? Or her disappointment that her husband couldn’t have even pretended to be a bit happy on that evening? The funeral excuse was wrong...if he had been cut up about that then why not tell OP? To sit there like a cross child just because he’d already eaten his dinner was disgusting, that’s no reflection on OP.
Stressedout1009 · 18/02/2022 10:35

Did you not notice he was up at the crack of dawn and ask him why?

SEcretsand · 18/02/2022 10:44

Yanbu op. I would be upset and pissed off as well. He was rude and spoiled your night.

CallMeDaddy58 · 18/02/2022 10:53

@DetailMouse

Actually if this is really out of character and he's in a foul mood after a great day with old friends, I might be wondering who exactly was there....
I’d hardly call a funeral a “great day out with old friends” Hmm
RedRec · 18/02/2022 10:57

Sorry to hear you had a shit time, OP. Especially when you had gone to so much effort.
But more concerning is the funeral and long drawn out wake he never thought to tell you about beforehand. Are you sure that is what he was doing?

LottyD32 · 18/02/2022 11:01

He's incredibly rude.

I'd wonder if he'd rather be there with someone else, with behaviour like that.

Go out, leave him with the kids and have a nice time with your friends.

Fuck him.