Chit Chat

nwr opinion- am I being too judgey/irritated UPDATE!!

Chipmunk415Chipmunk415 member
1000 Comments 500 Love Its Second Anniversary Name Dropper
edited July 2014 in Chit Chat
Several weeks ago, FIL and SMIL invited us to go tubing on the river. We couldn't, as we'd previously agreed to go over to my folks' town to help with some various computer and heavy box issues ( my folks are technology impaired, dad's a fully disabled combat vet, and mom can't lift some od the stuff). After we returned, FIL was a little snarky about how nice it would have been to have us join them, but I thought that was due to irritation at two of SMILs invitees, who apparently could not swim. I said perhaps next time we could join them, perhaps around his birthday (next week). Otherwise noncommittal. We have one of those sip and paint studios in our town. SMIL has been DYING to go. I suggested she join me in an open studio afternoon where she could pick anything and have fun. The next one is this coming Sunday. I let her know Monday if she wanted to do it, we had to reserve seats now due to limited space. She said yes, so I signed us up.I also had to pay in advance. Later she contacted me asking if we could reschedule. Thinking this waa due to her jerk of a boss putting her on call for the weekend, I said sure but did not tell her my options with the painting place were now to a) find someone to take her place, b) go by myself and try to negotiate a store credit or c) eat the whole $90 for the two of us. It ended up option b- I dont mind, I can usually find someone to chat casually with while we drink and paint. Fast forward to late last night. DH gets a text from SMIL asking if we want to join them tubing on Sunday. Im annoyed. DH won't go without me to talk to as well, and I now have a prior commitment Sunday afternoon. FIL will be pissy, because its his birthday and we semi suggested wed be coming on the next trip. Plus I am not crazy about the seemingly last minute invitation. Based on this and other events in the past, it feels like my in-laws do not see DHs and my time as valuable, and that we can drop everything to accommodate them. am I completely out of line on this one? Or would you be irritated too if you made plans with your inlaws, your in-laws broke those plans, and then made ones that were apparently better? And that those plans, were related to you just before the start of the weekend, giving you little time to reorganize or plan around it?


UPDATE on this mess....

I was mistaken about FIL's bday- it is the end of NEXT week, not this week. That wasn't the problem. The problem appears to have been as follows: SMIL tells FIL about her plans with me, FIL flips at the idea of her spending $45 to relax, drink, and paint (this despite the fact that he LOOOVES when I paint something for them). So she has to cancel to keep her DH happy.

 FIL was apparently making comments to DH about "who would pay to paint a picture" yesterday. DH flat out told him that I went anyway as I had paid for it, and that between my prior commitment (and payment) to paint and his grad school paper, there was no way we'd be able to join them on the river on Sunday, and reminded him we didn't get invited until 11 pm Thursday. (weather was crappy anyway, the river would have been closed to tubing). 

FIL then voiced surprised that DH would "let" me spend money on painting. Umm, no. I work full time. My salary goes to basic necessities- I don't go shopping for stuff just to have it. DH instantly defended me, pointing out that I budget for things, and this is something I enjoy doing.  DH was pretty pissed at his Dad over his attitude of "letting" me do things- I'm his wife, which means partner, not slave.

And the beat goes on.....


Re: nwr opinion- am I being too judgey/irritated UPDATE!!

  • Yes, I'd be annoyed. I also would be honest and say I'm sorry SMIL and I had planned to go painting and I have already paid for it. She canceled but I am already committed.

    Can DH have this convo with them? I honestly feel that this could have been avoided if A. she never committed to going with you knowing it's her husband's bday and B. they asked you sooner.
  • I'd definitely be annoyed. 
  • Dh will probably just tell them we can't go and leave it at that, but there will be pushback. To clarify, the birthday is the middle of next week, not on the weekend itself.

    I feel kinda guilty on thw other hand as this is FILs first bday since we lost BIL in April. But this could have been planned much better
  • The balance of all family activities will probably be the death of me, so I'm totally with you. And sometimes, quite frankly, I don't want to be hanging out with everyone on the weekends. I would be super irritated that you went out of your way to plan something and she bailed. Whenever you do see them next, could you explain that you really need a couple weeks notice to plan things on the weekend? Especially in the summer, there is so much going on and still things at home that need to be done.

    I can't stand when my mom calls me on Sunday morning, invites us out for a late lunch and gets pissy when we're in the middle of doing something and we decline. I also hate the late notice. 
  • I would be annoyed for about 30 seconds and then I would be all "Fuck them" and move on and probably not make any plans with them for a while.

  • I'd be annoyed that she committed and then bailed, but (don't shoot me) you kind of did the same thing, at least in FIL's mind. You and SMIL probably both should have seen this coming and not planned something without FIL during his birthday weekend when you knew he wanted to go tubing so badly. Sure it's the "weekend of" and not the "day of," and maybe he shouldn't take it quite so seriously, but in his mind you committed to tubing with him for his birthday, then made plans with his wife without him. He was probably really hurt.

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  • I'd be annoyed. I'm a planner, and most of our social circle are not. They are last-minuters, and it drives me nuts. 
    What did you think would happen if you walked up to a group of internet strangers and told them to get shoehorned by their lady doc?~StageManager14
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  • Actually no.

    MIL called to reschedule.  You made assumptions on why and choose not to tell her the activity was non-refundable.    Had you told her she might not have made the other plans to go tubing with her husband on his birthday.      








    What differentiates an average host and a great host is anticipating unexpressed needs and wants of their guests.  Just because the want/need is not expressed, doesn't mean it wouldn't be appreciated. 
  • I'd be EXTREMELY ill about the $45 you shelled out for her to go that you're going to have to either eat or negotiate a refund on. Especially since - to me - it seems like she just decided to go tubing instead. I'd be a little ill about her flaking if I hadn't paid for it, but since I *did*, I'd be livid.
    Daisypath Wedding tickers
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  • Welcome to my world. My MIL does this constantly. She'll talk to my husband on Friday after work, because he calls her everyday on his way home, and say "Can we have a picnic on Sunday for so an so's special occasion?". Now in her defense she really doesn't get upset if we can't come, but she does so much for us we feel guilty if we can't make it.

    It's probably time to roll with their super annoying punches. You knew it was his birthday and he wanted to go tubing. You probably shouldn't have made other plans. It sucks, don't get me wrong, they are totally annoying, I'm on your side. But this is life.

    And you absolutely should have told your SMIL that you already paid for the painting class whether the cancellation was due to her job or not. You shouldn't have eaten that cost. You could have at least jokingly said something like "Alright but lunch is on you next time because I already paid for your spot!".
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  • I'd be EXTREMELY ill about the $45 you shelled out for her to go that you're going to have to either eat or negotiate a refund on. Especially since - to me - it seems like she just decided to go tubing instead. I'd be a little ill about her flaking if I hadn't paid for it, but since I *did*, I'd be livid.


    ***** SITB  ***


    But the  OP did not tell the SMIL she pre-paid or could not get her money back.   How was the SMIL to know?    

    Plans change, people need to get over it.   The SMIL ASKED to reschedule.  She didn't just cancel.  She ASKED.  The OP chose not to divulge full disclosure on what would happened if they cancelled.  The OP  ASSUMED the reason and kept the information to herself.  I fell if she had just told SMIL that painting was non-refundable the SMIL would go painting instead of tubing.

    I fell like the OP as much to blame for omitting information about it being non-refundable.       I also fell that the OP should have consulted SMIL before confirming that the reservations are non-refundable before paying for the activity.  I know when I'm the group planner I always go back to the others to let them know that if I hit "pay now" this is a go and there are no changing plans.






    What differentiates an average host and a great host is anticipating unexpressed needs and wants of their guests.  Just because the want/need is not expressed, doesn't mean it wouldn't be appreciated. 
  • @Scribes95 has a great idea!
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  • I should clarify further...

    When I registered us, I did tell her of the cost and that I'd used my ccard to pay. She was fine with it at that point.

    I didnt tell her that I might have to eat the cost because she's been having a horrible time at work (boss trying to make her quit but deliberately sabotaged her other job offer) and I didnt want her to feel bad. Yes I made the mistake of asuming it was work related. But in my defense, this jerk boss has been randomly putting her on call and this has messed up plans in the past.

    I'd be less irritated if she hadn't bee bugging me for 2 months about going painting.

    lynda- This is not FILs bday weekend. Its in the midde of the week. We could have gone this weekend or next weekend. She contacted me about cancelling an hour after I'd made the reservation. If they were discussing tubing, why the heck didn't she say "let me check and get back to you" is my feeling.

    To reiterate- this is not the first time we have tried to make plans, had an inlaw or inlaws cancel on us, and then days later try to schedule something else during the original time frame. Nor is it the first time they're put out because we made alternate plans after they cancelled and can no longer accommodate them. Apparently since we are yoynger, we should be flexible for everything
  • SBminiSBmini member
    500 Love Its 1000 Comments Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited July 2014
    She should at least eat half of the cost of painting, that is only fair. I would be annoyed at her if she didn't cover at least half. But you also should have remembered telling your FI that you guys would go tubing for his birthday. It doesn't really matter that you didn't make set plans, you knew his birthday was coming up and he wanted to go. And you told him maybe next weekend. When your MIL contacted you- I think you should have first talked to your FI to see if he wanted to go tubing that day before plopping down 90 to do something on a day that you said you'd do something with him.


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