I'm ranting about my parents! AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!

[PersonalClown]

The 11th was my mum's birthday. Nothing special as she probably went out and got plastered (as usual) at the weekend.
Here's the rant...
Me (and ds) were the only ones to remember apparently. One db is in Ayia Napa for the season, the other has a memory worse than the proverbial goldfish. My dad had his dates muddled up.
He got his present out for her, a CD he thought she'd like, turns out she already has it.
After that it was all snidey comments, barely concealed contempt and nit-picking between the pair of them.
They have been like this for years, they cannot have a civil conversation, can go for days without acknowledging each other.
They are now sleeping in seperate rooms since Db went abroad.
My dad told me that they haven't even touched each other in 3 years (TMI from your parents!)
Why don't they just split up and be done with it? We are all old enough to deal with it. It's like being in the middle of a power struggle with neither willing to admit it's over or give up the home.
Blardy parents.

Why are you worrying about it? Lots of older couples have separate rooms, and why should you be bothered about whether they touch each other or not? Count yourself lucky you don't have to live with them!

can't really comment on your parents marriage but perhaps if they don't bicker too much they might find it easier to stay together.

My DP's parents are a bit like this (although things seem to have improved slightly between them recently). They don't split up because DP's mum is a very devout Christian and can't stomach the thought of divorce. It does make them real PITAs at times.

If they're bickering and so on in front of you, I think you'd be within your rights to say 'I don't want to sit here and watch you two bicker, so I'm off home' (as you probably would if they were two-yar-olds, which is what they are behaving like, no?). Might at least give them something to think about.

I hear it from both sides every time I see them! My parents are not even 50 yet and they are not married.
Every saturday when my mum picks up ds I get 'he did this, he didn't do that' and the same from my dad when he brings ds back.
It's like I'm the sounding board for it all.
They have both admitted (under the influence of alcohol admittedly) that they can' t stand each other anymore.

I thought they were going to split up when your youngest brother was 18 PC?? Or did I hear that about someone else?

Tell them you aren't going to listen to their bitching any more as you find it too upsetting. And mean it - if they start, end the phone call or leave the house.

I thought so too SGK. They seem to just drift along. Dad now spends much of his time with other family and mum goes to get pished with her friends every weekend.

yup, agree with edam. Their behaviour is childish and attention-seeking. Give them short shrift.

I see now what's upsetting you PC. My brother and his dp are a bit like this - bickering in public and trying to draw others in to their quarrels. But it's all right for me as I can just choose not to see them so often.

I agree with edam that you should be firm about not entering into their quarrels. Try saying "that's my mother/father you're talking about!" in a very aggrieved tone.
Also, tell them you will leave the room if they do it, and carry out your threat. Actions speak louder than words.

Your problem is their attitude to you, not to each other. It wouldn't matter how they conducted themselves in private, if they didn't try to involve you.