CF Acquaintance turned up today despite refusing invite

[Grumpusaurus]

We live in a popular tourist destination and after numerous people took advantage of us, we nip it in the bud now. Most seem to follow the same script by contacting us out of the blue and mentioning that it would be so lovely to see us. I now answer in a very friendly manner that it has been years since we last heard from them and it would indeed be lovely to catch up over coffee in a nearby spot when they are in the area. This does tend to put an end to most of those potential CFs, however, one acquaintance pushed back and asked to stay with us at the beginning of September. I told her that this would not be possible, especially as we have a very tight deadline and will be working flat out to finish a commission. DH and I are self-employed craftspeople and sometimes we do work all day and most of the night to finish pieces and the DC stay at their grandparents during that last push. Not heard back from the acquaintance since July even though she clearly read my WhatsApp message.

The doorbell went this evening, I ignored it as DH and I were in the middle of working on our commission but someone kept pushing the bell. Our property is an L-shape so you can see from our workshop who is at the front door. CF acquaintance was standing there with a suitcase! DH is more of a people pleaser and while really cheesed off was about to answer the door till I told him no bloody way! He redeemed himself by immediately agreeing. The bell went a few more times and then got a flurry of WhatsApp messages, which I ignored. She eventually left after half an hour. I am almost bemused by the cheek of it but there is no way I am going to let anyone railroad me into being their free accommodation and greatly inconveniencing us, especially while we literally get up to work all hours and fall into bed. DH is fretting about her coming back but I told that we will just continue to ignore the doorbell. We have a back gate to a dirt track we can stealth like leave the property if she is holding a siege at the front door 😎 There are plenty of hotels and B&Bs in the area, albeit quite dear. Who does that! A rhetorical question but am just shocked by the cheek of just turning up after saying emphatically No!

In my head, OP and her DH have an enormous glass workshop. They make huge glass chandeliers like the one in the entrance hall at the V&A. This explains the waiting periods while the glass cools.

CF will be bitching to everyone about how they left her on the doorstep in the cold and rain. Even if it wasn't cold or raining.

OP describes the woman in the title as an acquaintance, not a friend.

I’d sussed from the OP’s first post that OP does not want to have a cuppa with her and OP has since confirmed that within her most recent update.

There’s no thinking the best with people like this. It’s usually best not to engage with people with this type of personality. Opening and reading the messages in full would annoy me even more, especially when I need to be focused on something else much more important and with a imminent deadline. Reading the messages in full at this stage, would be allowing that person to take up headspace. It’s perfectly reasonable to not open the door to unexpected visitors that you do not like. It’s also okay to not to open, read and respond to every message and/or email received instantly.

Let's hope the OP has another loo break soon. I'm on tenterhooks here.

You are my hero OP. Seriously.

You see people on here being so wet and backing down for the peace. I admit I can be one of them.

But there you are. Spine of steel!

Good for you

I keep picturing CF standing outside your house just waiting for the door to open, and I can't get that Exorcist movie poster out of my head

With her suitcase…

no. She really was being a CF

I've concluded you either do incredibly intricate glass blowing, those amazing junk art installations, or restoring the old aircraft that seem to be made up of 90% paper and 10% optimism.

Well done for saying no and sticking to your guns.

https://giphy.com/gifs/80s-goodbye-leave-WTlH9XMLIAD4I

She's very CF

Well done OP !

I love CFs (when they don’t effect me). I’m constantly amazed how people have the nerve.

I wouldn’t have answered the door either. I was resend the earlier message with - I said we weren’t available in a few days time.

Here for the updates (you MUST update us OP) and for the guesses on what OP and her DH do for work. I'm guessing.......large scale taxidermy and they're currently extremely busy stuffing an elephant.

I’d not open her messages (even though it would nearly kill me)

id leave it a week or so

i reckon CF will be back in touch today

is cf on FB @Grumpusaurus ? A quick sneak on fb to see if she’s posted a ranty status… 🤣😂

If she stood at the door for half an hour she must have known you were in

I just want to say very well played 👏

Me too ... I especially want to know what CF has said in her texts! Please OP, read them and block her if need be but we need to know now what she's said, I'm imagining she's been very rude asking why you are ignoring her and not letting her stay 😂

Can’t believe she stayed half an hour 😂

eell done for not answering door

wonder if she will contact you today

also intrigued what you make 😄

This would make a fucking excellent plot for Midsummer Murders. CF returns, rings bell, OP and DH ignore. CF goes away again, various sub characters introduced. CF returns again, rings bell, OP and DH ignore, CF decides to hang around for a bit.
Sub-character comes along and murders CF. OP and DH find CF body hours later, call whatsisname, fall under suspicion. Etc etc. I can see it all...

Yeah. I'm jealous. I couldn't do that.

It’s not that unusual. When we had a tiny weekend cottage with one bedroom , we had people asking if they could stay. They wanted to sleep on the floor ( we were all in our late twenties with professional jobs) ☹️. I pointed out that the only loo was reached for our bedroom…..they wouldn’t mind ( though we would).

so NO. They turned up anyway with sleeping bags, bit of a confrontation….we stood firm but it was horrid.

I have been known to lie on the floor behind the sofa when people turn up unexpectedly, and pretend to be out.

@caringcarer My money is on the previous owner having sold as a last resort to get rid of the CF English Lady Visitor😂

If I log back in later and this page is a blue box!

Yes, I was thinking that too when I read it. Even if she didn't sell because of the visitor, it was a gloriously passive-aggressive "Fuck you" to not tell the CF that the house had been sold.

So she had to get out of her car, grab her suitcase and walk to your front door?! Yes of course she wanted to stay! If your kids can't stay with you, because you're flat out working, then you're not up for visitors! Ignore, ignore, ignore.

You're the blacksmith couple on Money for Nothing!

I think OP and her DH do something involving a forge, and possibly chainmail. They have welding torches, large hammers, and create lots of sparks. I can see it all in montage with an 80s soundtrack - Waiting for the Hammer to Fall of course ("You don't waste no time at all/Don't hear the bell but you [don't] answer the call")

You are my type of people, OP, although your DH is being a spoilsport about the electric shocks 😝