That friend should stop doing housework whilst I am on the phone to her?

[houseoflittlehorrors]

Whenever I ring my friend up for a chat she never just sits there and chats she is usually doing something else as well.

She is very house proud and has a strict routine everyday so she would not thnk to stop what she is doing and just chat on the phone.

She must put me on speaker phone as usually when I ring she is ironing,then I will hear her washing up or just generally tidying.

Her voice goes faint some of the time and it is really annoying and I just feel she's not really listening to what I am saying.
Even when we are discussing say serious issues from time to time she just carries on with her housework.

Is it rude or am I just being over sensitive?

Why don't you say "I can tell you're busy. Call me back when you have some time to chat".

I tend to potter around whe I'm on the phone - just mind numbing stuff that i don't have to think about. I don't use a speakerphone though because I find them a bit muffly as you say.
If you are discussing something serious or if it's been a while since you spoke, then it is better not to potter, bt if you speak regularly and are just chatting, then I think pottering is okay.

She is being a bit rude IMO. I'd stop what I was doing if someone calls, but then doesn't take much to sitract me from ironing.

You could always ask her when's a good time to call if you sense she isn't really listening.

sitract = distract

I nearly always get on and do stuff when on the phone. I wouldnt if it was a serious issue though for friend.

She's probably the MNer who suggested that people should tie the phone to their head with a pair of tights so that they can multi-task.

I always walk around doing stuff when I'm chatting on phone. It is called multi-tasking Don't use speaker phone though.

I sometimes have a poo when I'm on the phone to people but try not to flush or hope for a quiet splash so as not to give the game away.

She should take a leaf out of my book and carry on doing the housework but pretend to be listening.

I don't tie tights round my head btw I just stick phone between ear and shoulder. Very bad for posture, dontchya know.

I normally do the dishes/ironing when I am on the phone, it never occured to me that a friend could be offended by it. I would stop and sit down and listen properly if she were worried or upset about something.

I can't really justify just sitting chatting when there is always a mountain of housework to do so I am always doing stuff whilst on the phone and don't find I can't listen/concerntrate. I would never speak to my friends otherwise!!

I think YAB a little U but if it's an issue for you then just let her know.

I would not stop ironing to chat, in fact I often ring people for a chat while I do th ironing( does result in a stiff neck tbh)
I clean while on the phone too.And have been known to change nappies.I have a phone permantently attetched to my ear.
I must say though I am surprised she sounds so distracted as most of these jobs if done often become routine in the mind needing very little attention.

We don't talk that often,maybe once every 2 weeks.

It's usually just a catch up on what we have been doing and how the children are.

It's just when discussing issues about my SN DS or maybe problems with each others DH that I feel she should just listen instead of washing up at the sink with the taps running and pots clattering in the background.

The thing is she never seems to have to chat she is always finding something to do.

Oversensitive. I just don't have the time to sit down for a leasurly chat, but have long conversations to mates while I do the house work. Draw the line at doing it while hoovering

pmsl about having a poo. You can always tell even if you don't splash or flush: it sounds all echoey.

I often tidy up / hang washing up when I am on the telephone to my mother or sister... I don't think it's rude, though I don't do big jobs that would create a noise or distract me.

Gawd if I didn't do some housework while I was on the phone then nothing would ever get done I don't hoover though...for obvious reasons

Saying that, I do sit down with the phone if a friend needs to chat about something serious.

I thought everyone did stuff while they were on the phone!

Turkey, I don't go to the loo whilst on the phone but do often have to flush it after the DS's and then say 'that wasn't actually me going to the loo then'

Ooh Castles..tights around the head...now there's a good idea

I usually call friends in the evening when they are most likely to be sat down anyway.

I hate it when I phone my DH at work and I can here the keyboard going, I just know that he isn't listening properly as he really can't multi task.. and I don't phone to chat to him so when I do phone it is important!

My friend called the other day whilst I was cooking dinner and I found that the conversation just didn't flow properly, so I said I would call back later on that evening.

So I agree with you it would annoy me, I am important and what I have to say is important

Maybe I am more laid back with regards to housework.

Love the tights idea.

I just like to sit and chat feet up and be able to concentrate on what I am saying.

Am all for multi tasking but it makes you feel like you have constantly called at a bad time.

Surely the ironing can be put off,come to think about it I don't iron much at all much to DH's disgust.

My friend washes ,drys and irons straight away.

Don't think she goes to the loo whilst talking,will have to listen harder next time.

Incidently, does anyone know of a good alternative to the tights around the head scenario?

Do you get a headsfree thingy for using with a normal housephone?

It is a tad too warm here at the moment, I don't fancy running around with hosiery on my head. Although, saying that, they would keep the sweat out of my eyes.

Is there a chance she's hinting that you are blathering on for ages and she'd rather you took the hint and got off the phone?

I hang washing up and load/unload the dishwasher while I'm on the phone. Don't use speakerphone though - just do stuff one-handed.

But this AIBU could easily be the other way round - like this:

AIBU to think my friend ought not to mind that I do a bit of light dusting when she rings as she does go on a bit and I need to clean my house!

I have an extremely busy life - and if I had a friend who wanted me to sit down and pay full attention to her for ages when she rang at a time of her convenience, well, I would be getting caller ID.