To not want to go out to dinner on a week night?

[Anna8888]

We get endless invitations to dinner parties on a week night. While we manage to fend many of them off, some people are so persistent that we end up having to accept. I don't want to go out at 8.15 pm, eat dinner between 9.30 and 11 pm and not get to bed until half past midnight on a week night when we have to get up for work/school at 7 am. It KILLS me, and the dinners are unbelievably tedious.

AIBU?

No it wouldn't Fio. It would just be very rude.

It is customary to show appreciation with flowers or chocolates. That's all.

When I have people round, I think it's nice to be appreciated for the effort I have gone to.

It's not that French to take something though is it? We always take wine if we are going to somebody's house for a meal. Though imagine wine might be a bit more controversial in France.

You have people round too?

well no wonder you get all the dinner invitations! Stop hosting fabulous soirees and your problem will be solved.

It is totally obligatoire to take something, and just as obligatoire for that something not to be alcoholic.

I have had zillions of people round but not on a week night

So liqueurs are out of le question?

I have yet another cunning plan
(just call my foxy)

Designate one week night as a weekend night eg Thursday

Anna, sounds like a lot of whinging to me.

I like CD's suggestion of your DH getting a socialising mistress......

And how does that help, CD?

No no here in Paris you go out with your husband/wife and stay in with your lover/mistress.

Anyway, I am the mistress .

And how does that work then countess? She just turns up at school with her DD at about 10.30, breezes in and says "oh it's its my additional weekend today".

Exactly, bozza...

Nobody every invites us out....

But CD, in France they have le weekend - it's not even their word! How do they know what it means?

Anna are you doin' Gordon Ramsay? Every mistress worth her salt here is.

Well Anna then you have answered your own problem. Send him to these dos with his ex-wife and spend the other evening at home with him. Or explain that you will not be going to dreary dinner parties until you have a ring on your finger.

LOL.

He did end up at the Bar Mitzvah of the younger son of the dreaded couple we are due to dine with ce soir with exW and the boys and DD but not me .

Do Tuesday nights like we do in BOrdeuax - no school weds. You can take them to pony trekking in Jardins de Lux/courntyr dancing/porcelain painting bleary eyed. Then go home and sleep.

We have the boys on Tuesday nights and it is mega-homework night (they have school at 8 am on Wednesdays). So we always have an excuse for Tuesdays .

Just go and make the nanny deal with the mornings.

Anna
you need to take a firm stance on this I feel

Just say
I DO NOT GO OUT ON WEEK NIGHTS

And follow it through

It's a bit like parenting - be firm and consistent and eventually they will get the message.

You could also imply that they were savages and that any civilised society wouldn't have this endless grind of empty social engagments