Things my DH has found to do while we are trying to leave for Christmas

[Bluebells81]

6hr car journey to PiL today. Thought it would be good to leave in morning. Stop for lunch etc So got everyone packed and ready yesterday, or so I thought...

So far DH has filled the morning with:

1. Buying special fuel for garden tool.
2. Filling said tool with fuel on allotment.
3. Buying Xmas present for child that I could have bought yesterday if I'd known he hadn't done this.
4. Vacuuming (he never vacuums under normal circumstances)
5. Winding DCs up with playfighting to the point that everyone got sent to separate rooms.
6. Buying (separate shopping trip) extra food for pet and present for next door neighbour.
7. washing and drying a load of laundry.

I can't even pack the car because he keeps using it for his errands.

There is no end in sight to this sudden domesticity. Nearly 1pm... still a 6hr journey ahead.

I would be raging!

So what has he said when you have said it’s time to go??

I'd go without him frankly!

Does he think you are going tomorrow?

Does he have a difficult relationship with his parents? Sounds like he's doing anything he can to put off going.

He doesn’t want to go, does he?

Or wants to arrive very late for some reason. It’s his parents - you must know what or who he’s avoiding?

You seem very complacent.

Change your plans and don't go.

Then send him out to buy all the Christmas food that you will need.

I wouldn’t go today, on the grounds he’s being an idiot and clearly doesn’t want to go.

I would book myself into a hotel, turn my phone off and let him fuck about on his own time, what a grade A twat.

Mine memorably decided to clean all the windows the day we went on holiday, one year. You have my sympathy, OP.

My hubby does this too 😂

How bizarre. Are PIL expecting you for dinner?

Did you agree a time to leave?

I'm terrible for suddenly feeling the need to clean the fridge when we're going way or a couple of days but I'd still be ready on tie.

Oh no! I think I would have thrown the 'special fuel at him'!
Absolutely not on but you sound very passive about all this. What actually stopped you getting the kids coats on, suitcases in the car and just basically being ready to go?
You do have to take some responsibility here, do you drive? I would have set off without him tbh🤷‍♀️

Put your feet up with a glass of wine! I wouldn’t be going at all now.

Go tomorrow. Staying with ILs as early as the 22nd is madness anyway, surely cutting it by a day is better for all?! Is it an unconscious act on his part to delay arrival? Any backstory?!

My DH does this so often DC and I joke about it with one another saying things like “well it is time to go but first we’ll wait for Dad to make his coffee, do his hour long poo, complete a James Joyce novel, tackle world poverty…”

I think he does it every time we need to go anywhere to be honest. It’s got so bad I have to start coercing him to leave an hour early. Sometimes I have been really tempted to drive off without him. No advice really, just know that I feel your pain.

Oh dear. I sympathise because I suspect I am a bit like this.
I have a need to finish things off before going away and leave the house clean and tidy. My DH has commented that he's never known someone take so long to leave the house.
Hope you have a safe journey and a nice Christmas (when you get there)

O feel sorry for your PILs here... they've been busy preparing for guests but silly stuff is more important

Does he not want to go?

Tell him to stop fucking around and cancel on his parents if he's that bothered and stay home.

Or get your jarmies on and tell him he can go by himself. It'll put a rocket up his arse.

I have a tendency to do this too - because I know the journey will be hellish so put off setting off for as long as possible.
I know it makes no sense to delay it, but.......
The difference between me and your DH though is I'm not holding anyone else up.

Didn't you agree a time to leave? Why don't you just get the children in the car and go?

Because he keeps fucking off with the car?

It does not sound like he really wants to go, does he? Unless he is always like this when going away, and if that is the case, then that is obviously just the way he operates.

I am told again and again ‘Don’t rush me’. This is code for DH delaying and delaying so he doesn’t have to use a public toilet on the journey.

I go sit in the car with the kids.

We left 1 hour and 15 minutes after we should have the other day. I blamed his bowel movements as soon as we arrived. I’m sick of being late due to his behaviour.