As per usual, dh didn't want to make any plans in case his dad wanted us to join him, stepMIL & some of stepMIL's kids for dinner. I understand. He's in his 80s; he's not going to be around forever, and he wants to have his own family around him (BIL often has commitments to SIL's family). The problem being we generally don't get "the call" until the last minute. (This year, it arrived at 9 a.m. on Easter morning.) I know it's just FIL being forgetful, but I can't help but feel like a bit of an afterthought sometimes.
Then we came home -- and when I scrolled through my Facebook feed, there was an endless stream of photos of happy families with adorably dressed children with Easter baskets and chocolate and coloured eggs.
To add further insult to injury, Aunt Flo decided to show up. AND it snowed overnight. Just enough to coat the ground and rooftops, and it disappeared pretty quickly, but still... :p I am so DONE with this winter. :p (It didn't help that Facebook showed people in some of the southern States wearing shorts, lol.)
And even before this weekend, I started seeing Voldemort Day displays in the stores. (Voldemort Day = my pet name for That Day in May That Shall Not Be Named.)
Bah humbug. :p
You can find more of this week's #MicroblogMondays posts here.
Oh my goodness I love that you name that day that shall not be mentioned Voldemort Day. I am definitely going to use that!
ReplyDeleteOh Loribeth. I'm so sorry. It sucks to be "on call" for others. No one likes it. Makes for the beginnings of a hard day.
ReplyDeleteTake good care of yourself today. Sending love.
My in-laws are the same way! It drives me nuts! They decided to call and tell us their plans while I was in the store shopping for the last minute dinner we decided to plan after they couldn't make up their minds. I realize they will never change, but I just can't understand people who can't make a plan!
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the name Voldemort Day! Purr genius!
Next year, why don't you or DH ring FIL well in advance to see if they are planning to do anything. Or offer to host yourself? (That way you get control).
ReplyDeleteIf not, take off and do something fun! (We almost always squander Easter, as it is the beginning of the school holidays here. Though next year, I'm thinking I might change that and head off to my sister's and go to a jazz festival she raves about every year.)
And I think you are allowed to complain today - the FB thing, Aunt Flo (I'd really be complaining about that if I were you!), and snow! Not to mention the day which shall not be mentioned. Ick!
Oh Mali, it's complicated. :p Childlessness is one thing, stepfamilies are another, & together they make for a weird mixture. ;) Dh will never bring up the subject himself, because it will sound like we're fishing for an invite -- and he doesn't really WANT to be invited -- but he feels guilty enough about FIL being stuck with all stepMIL's family and not being with his own family that if FIL wants us to come, he wants to be able to go.
ReplyDeleteAs for me hosting -- (a) I do not have the room & (b) I do not have the nerve. ;) I get nervous just having a couple of people over for coffee. Plus, FIL is a horrendously picky eater & probably wouldn't touch a thing I served. :p Had FIL not called, we would have wound up at the movies. I know that someday, he won't be here, and we'll be glad we spent the time with him.
That is really hard -- a same-day invitation.
ReplyDeleteI ended up giving myself a day off of social media so I missed the majority of the pictures. I just needed it this week. And they're still bubbling up today so my break didn't really make me miss anything.
Sending a hug.
I'm glad that you survived. I get the complicated family stuff too. Like sometimes it's just easier to put your big girl pants on and deal with it rather than deal with the fallout of not going.
ReplyDeleteIt does sound like you have plenty to complain about. S*** in April? Aunt Flo? I think that wine is in order!
How frustrating to be expecting that last-minute call, knowing it'll come sometime, but also because it comes so damn late, you wonder just how "welcome" you truly are. Argh. Pain in the butt.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I can relate to the "I'm done with winter" type statements; this year sucks! Jeez, I am past ready for spring right now. Bring on the heat Mama Nature! Come on!!!
I'd hate that - perhaps you could suggest Easter plans a week before or so because of "pending plans"? That never happens to us, my MIL starts making plans MONTHS before....and then there's a countdown and numerous phone calls.
ReplyDeleteHeh, I saw my FB feed full of pictures of kids and babies in bunny costumes and wondered "am I a bad/lazy parent for not dressing up my baby?"
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad you couldn't plan to use that time as you wanted, but you're probably right to observe that one day FIL won't be here and it will be more important to know that you spent time with him when you could. I have never taken holidays very seriously but from what I can observe so far holiday rituals are often about others, not our individual desires. So that's something to just make peace with I guess.