Rude? Stayed for less than an hour for a meal

[doorss]

I am looking after a neighbour’s dog whilst she is away. I saw my other neighbours and said Happy New Year to them. As took
the dog out Said were being picked up by SIL for NYD meal. They live about 10 min drive from here.

Went back about an hour and a quarter later, taking dog back to its home to see the other neighbours being dropped off by the SIL. They said they had a meal with DD and family.

This means that they spent less than an hour. Literally sat to the table then left when last mouthful was finished. That seems rude and rushed

Why is it your business? I’m confused…

Maybe they just had a quick sandwich and hurried back for the football. Maybe their relatives weren't feeling well and cut the day short. Maybe they had a massive row and stormed out.
But why does it matter?

Looking at my own spreadsheet 'Neighbours Comings and Goings' it does seem below average, especially for NYE.

Although Doris' outings rarely exceed an hour, but then she has to use a mobility scooter and I know she is restriced, as it really needs a new battery.

Tom's outings correspond, unsurprisingly, with the pubs opening hours.

Dolores rarely goes out but does have a lot of visitors, they tend to be at hourly intevals.

Mr and Mrs Redacted go out frequently as they have a dog.

There are others but I can't detail them now as I must get back to my window.

I think someone's trying to wind us up 🤣

I'd imagine given that sil was picking and dropping off they were dependent on what they were doing. SIL and family may have after dinner plans etc. Or sadly it may just be a duty dinner.TBH it is not something I would give much thought to.

😄

It doesn’t take us an hour to eat dinner here. 🤷🏻‍♀️ If I was having a dear much loved guest over who I only see twice a year, sure, I’d (maybe) want to chat with them before and after.

But if this is just a family member who feeds them once or twice a week, an hour is a perfectly reasonable length of time for eating.

You must be bored.....as am I clearly wasting my time reading this.

Wish all our guest left so promptly!

When I read about how small some people's lives are on here, it makes me want to weep. I mean, you don't have to have some relentless pillar-to-post existence, but at least take up reading or watching classic films or something.

Nice try OP 🤣

Sounds rum.

Maybe they lied to you about where they were going because you're obviously incredibly nosey. They might have been going for a quick foursome in a local car park or beauty spot x

That's my dream guest. Come for a bite to eat, then feck off after an hour! 😆

Some people are different though. I went to a party of an ex colleague (Louise) some 20 years ago - just a 'pre-Christmas nibbles and snacks - and bring your own booze' thing, in early December. (She left my workplace 3-4 months earlier...) 40 people invited. 7.30pm til 'late.'

We got there at 7.35pm, and we were the first people there! Even by 9.00pm there was only 10 people! We were like We had drunk the bottle of wine we took, and DH had 2 beers too. We ate some of the 'nibbles.' By 10pm there were 12 people there. She (the host) heard from someone she knew that most people would be along around 10.15pm to 10.30pm, when the pubs turfed people out.

By 10.30pm, still only 15 people, and none of them talking to me and DH as they didn't know us.The host and her partner were the only ones we knew! And we only knew him vaguely. We tried to chat to others but they weren't very talkative and only wanted to talk to people they knew!

We were so bored we called a taxi. It came within 10 minutes. (It came at 10.40pm.) We thanked her for inviting us, and went to get our coats. She frowned and said 'where are you going?' We said 'well..., home..' She said 'fucking hell it's only half ten! The party will be on til about 2am. A load more are coming at around 11pm' We said, 'yeah but we'll be off anyway... we've been here 3 hours now.' She said 'well fuck off then!' then turned her back on us.

I wonder if she was so rude and nasty to the people who couldn't be fucked to turn up til 11pm? Three and a half HOURS after the start time? Never saw her or spoke to her again. Nasty cow. Her friend who lived near her saw me in the shops shortly after, and said 'you missed a great party, leaving early like you did.' I said 'really? it started at 7.30pm and 25 of the 40 people hadn't got there by 10.30pm!'

She said 'they came not long after you went, and you missed loads of fun.' I said 'Louise was really rude when we said we were going, she told us to fuck off.' Louise's friend said 'can you blame her? She was really offended at you leaving early.' (So 20 minutes to 11 was 'early' when we had been there over 3 hours?!)

I just walked off at that point, and never spoke to either of them again. Thankfully, I only saw this friend once or twice in passing and managed to avoid her, and never saw 'Louise'again!

tl;dr, some people get really snitty when you have the audacity to leave before they think you should! Really odd. YABU @doorss

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There are many things I do which I know would look quite peculiar to outsiders who didn't know what was going on.

I also know that if they were aware of all the circumstances they would see what I did or what happened as perfectly normal.

You have an incomplete picture so honestly can't judge at all.

@doorss This means that they spent less than an hour. Literally sat to the table then left when last mouthful was finished. That seems rude and rushed

If true, that means they went in, had their food, then left once they had finished.

Which is what we would all do if we acted normally.

Instead, sitting at a table for 20 minutes after the meal is finished is one of those weird things that people do for no reason.

How is it your business?

In any case, it seems to involve close family, not a formal dinner, so 'party manners' don;t really apply.

If it was known to begin with, then that seems fine to me.

This!

or in an alternative universe, maybe they had ordered a takeaway and picked it up on the way.

dish up and eat, about 15mins? Help load plates into the dishwasher and bin the containers, stay and chat for another 45 mins.

that scenario get you less up in arms, o/p?

I think OP is using the dog as a cover to case out the neighbours' houses. She is disappointed to discover that "going to SIL's for a meal" only gives her scarcely over an hour of time.

If only they were going to Paris for the holidays there would be much more opportunity.

@doorss or its a cover story ? that said sometimes i do cuppa and dash or dinner and dash etc

How is it anything to do with you?

Gosh, do you often start completely pointless threads that have nothing to do with you and you know nothing about?

Mind blowing 🤣🤣

Just a thought OP but maybe spend some time this year getting a hobby that doesn't involve curtain twitching on your neighbour's.

Not your concern.