Sorry if this is a bit tedious but am at a loss what to do. Relations with our neighbours have always been fairly good if a bit erratic. We wave across the road and see each other a few times a year (New Year, parties at the village hall etc). For the past few years Mrs has looked after our cat when we go on holiday.
Now we are due to go away in October and I just don't know if I should ask them again. They have been a bit iffy. First I asked their dd to my ds's birthday party and said I would pick her up. I phoned about half an hour before we were due to leave and the dd answered the phone and said "we are going away I can't come" (Mrs never came on the phone). Well thanks for letting me know I think but I let it drop.
Mr said he'd fix ds's bike but never did and I kept going across and they usually weren't in. ds got quite upset about this. Iphoned and Mrs said he was quite busy - I got someone else to fix it.
A few other trivial things I wont bore you with but finally we had a big party at the beginning of this month. I give them an invite - they don't reply to it. I see Mr as he borrows a ladder from us and ask to borrow their BBQ. No problem and yes they can come to the party. I hear nothing and phone a few days before to organise pick up of the BBQ. Leave a message. No one phones back. Finally the day before I phone again. Their dd answers. "dad is going away in a few minutes" (taxi is waiting) I just want an answer about the BBQ not to chat! I run across and he's getting his bags ready and just says "not now I am going away" Big brush off.
I think how rude but I suppose understandable maybe. I don;t want to phone yet again so I just organise a BBQ from someone else. Then one hour before hte party starts and I am just about to walk out the door Mrs phones and says "oh you can have hte BBQ its sitting here" I tell her we've got anohter, don't want to bother her and she seems Ok about this and says she'll come to the party.
She doesn't of course. I see her dd at the school and she said she wasn't well and that they have a card for us. Since then nothing. No card or popping over to say hello. I am just sick of chasing after them and feel like getting someone else to cat sit but if they find out they may be miffed and don't want to spoil relations totally.
So what would you do? Sorry its so long.