Am I a laughing stock?

[CovidHeadache]

I jokingly call my house “surname towers” so for example if my surname was Jackson, my house would be called Jackson Towers. I’ve called it this for years, it’s very very lighthearted as I’m sure everyone knows. We host a lot of social events and I use the name in invites for example “birthday party, Jackson towers”, “Strictly finale party, Jackson towers” etc
In Christmas/birthday cards “love from A, L and all at Jackson towers”

All my friends and family know I call the house this and some call it this name too either in replies or just in general.

Anyway, last night I’d popped to my mums and my sister was there, we were talking about taking the kids to a Halloween event tonight and I said “why don’t you bring them back to the towers afterward and we can have a little party?”

My sister then said “I’m sorry but can we stop with this towers bullshit, it’s so cringy”. I said “It’s a joke! And you’ve never complained before!” My mum then said “not to your face maybe”. They both started laughing and my sister then said “no I’m sorry, someone needs to say something, people have been ripping the piss out of you for years for it, just give it a rest now”.

so to cut a long story short, turns out almost my entire family have been slagging me off for it for years and my sister hinted that my friends have too.

When I got home I rang my friend and asked her if the towers name annoys her and she said “no course not” so I asked if she knew if it annoyed anyone else to which she hesitated and then said “not annoy as such”. She wouldn’t elaborate further.

Now I’m pretty thick skinned and can mostly laugh it off if I’ve been a dick but this time I’m a bit upset, I keep trying to tell myself I’m not bothered but I can’t stop thinking about it. Have I been a laughing stock for years? If so AIBU to think someone might have mentioned it before now?

@DeedlessIndeed that story about lemonade is hilarious! I can totally see why it's no longer funny for you though.

I think it's sweet and harmless OP, and lovely that you take such pride (even tongue-in-cheek) in your Towers!!! Long may your happiness there continue!!! Maybe they're jealous...

This is a really harsh reaction to a silly, ironic joke. I guessed people are pissed off and don't get it. Sorry OP, you don't deserve the excessive bashing from your friends and family.

Honestly people be kind! You obviously are a generous hostess with a kind heart and quirky humour. Why are people so judgy and spiteful. Keep doing you and ignore the Debbie Downers!

I know loads of people who say things like this, ive got one friend who has a surname thats a name of a bird (eg Robyns but not that) and jokingly calls their home the Robyns nest. Chez taylor or casa benson etc. Ive got a very salt of the earth mate who occasionally refers to their home as "hudson manor" (changed surname) or even "the manor" (its a 3 bed semi )

it wouldn't bother me at all, especially if you live in a very ordinary house and its very clearly a bit of a joke.

It's cringey but I bet you're generally quite a cringey person in the nicest possible way and say things like Crimbo and biccie. I think your sister sounds mean spirited.

Oh OP you sound like lots of fun to be around. I detect a hint of jealousy. For what it’s worth my friendship group does this! None of us are aspiring to be posh or anything of the sort. Never even occurred to us. It’s simply a silly lighthearted joke taken in good spirit. Next time we meet up we will however raise a glass and toast the fact that by mumsnet standards we are cringeworthy, irritating, batshit crazy planks 😂😂 quite an achievement. Carry on being the lovely person you are at Jackson Towers. If anyone has made you feel a laughing stock then shame on them. Sounds like you are having way more fun than they are and they can’t handle it.

Leftie Manor??
Surely it’s Chez Commune ?

I made a huge innocent mistake of judgement this evening and I have shamed and embarrassed my kids and husband and am now a laughing stock in my community. I wish I was dead

I’m well aware of that jeez !

OP you sound very generous with the hosting; I think it's mean to react like that after you've invited your sister round for a party. Most people don't host these days for whatever reason you sound good to know. Carry on calling your house what you want.

Oh bugger I call mine that too sometimes! I heard it off Chris Evans radio I think, he called his house that and I laughed.

oh poke them and your wonderful generous ott, I’d laugh it off and say well you can laugh away my generousity its round yours next time!

mots a bit unkind to say it this blatant, and I imagine they’re not slagging you off as your sister says. If they are balls to them.

I frequently refer to my bedroom (I live in a one bed apartment) as the east wing. I guess we have a similar sense of humor.

Well I think its funny. Of course it’s tongue in cheek. It’s nothing like Keeping up Appearances because Hyacinth Bucket actually wants to live that lifestyle and actually strived to be a cut above everyone else.

Keep going op, life is often dreary and the people I love best in life are those with imagination and a spark. I also adored my DDad always referring to distructions rather than instructions. I find wordplay like that forms a bond within a family or group. My adult children also love the little miss pronounced words, and family phrases that we used when they were growing up and have continued to use them with their family units.

Same here, I also talk about surveying my land when I walk round my very modest garden.

Or Farty Towels.

ha! Husband invites me to take a turn round the estate meaning a stroll round the garden with mug of tea.

Are you American? Cos that's sure as heck not how we spell "wanky"

Ok.

Can I ask, first off, why do you call it that?

Bless you, it’s harmless but I would cringe everytime you made reference to it.

Do you write this in all your invites and Xmas and birthday cards to people though? And invite people to come and ‘survey your land’ and refer to it as such whenever you mention going in your garden to friends and family every day, day in, day out for years?

I think there’s a bit of a difference between having cute names for things or saying certain phrases every so often. And then there’s making a point of saying it to everyone all the time and dragging everyone else into it, to the point you’re writing it in Xmas cards and invites for years and years to come.
And I think this is the point that a lot of people are making - it’s ok in small doses but when used too much and over and over again, it starts to wear a bit thin.

Honestly don’t beat yourself up over it. You and your sister are being overly critical of you

Omg op - im with you. We call out house surname towers as a joke. We even have a sign in the garden that says it. Its a normal house & a joke. Goodness don’t ppl have a sense of humour any more.
We love hosting parties too btw.

Style it out. Rename it Jackson Palace. Don’t worry about it OP, it sounds like a light-hearted joke to me, and if I knew you I’d join in. Years ago I read a poem, which was actually about a messy house but I think it would work here too, and the final lines were: “People who mind seldom matter, and people who matter don’t mind” YANBU

I’m so sorry, but your family knew for years that you’ve slagged for this and never said anything. Ok. I don’t know what to say. I’d be very upset. Terrible people to not let you know that. Actually, I’d tell them to fuck off and then forgive them. I’m sorry you’re embarrassed.. that’s on them. I hope you get over this for you