Sideswiped

[susandennis]

A couple of weeks ago, neighbor Ann told me that their son was now home - using a walker and a wheelchair and while happy to be home, pretty grumpy about everything.  As he's an alcoholic, she wasn't hopeful.  She said that she had no idea what holiday plans would be.

For the past few years, I have gone with them to a lovely restaurant on Christmas Eve to celebrate Ron's (her husband) birthday and then been invited to their unit for Christmas dinner with Ann, Ron, that same son and daughter-in-law.  The food is always good but...  the rest is rather tedious.  I  was quite excited to be off the hook this year.

So, today, I was taken aback when Ann came in and invited me to both again.  This year they are doing Christmas Eve at a restaurant that I really don't like and lordknows what Christmas dinner is going to be like.  UGH.  I could not think fast enough to get out of either event.  I got no excuse - credible or not to get out of either event.

Even so, I'm seriously working on one for Christmas Eve. My current thinking is telling them that my brother wants me to skype into their Christmas Eve (that's when they open packages). Yep. I think that's what I'm going to 'sell'.  Maybe Christmas dinner will fall apart on it's own.  I could get lucky.

Comments

[shutterbug.livejournal.com]

Sell sell sell!

I think it's a good one. She'll buy it :)

[susandennis]

Good. I sure hope so.

[shutterbug.livejournal.com]

Hey, maybe you can talk Chef Anita into making you something particularly special for Christmas dinner for one?

[susandennis]

Yeah, I don't think that's going to fly.

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

Haha, this sounds like what I do too. I find that nobody ever argues with "My stomach is not feeling well today".

[susandennis]

good one except I hate to wait until the last minute and i think 'my stomach is planning on having a bad day on dec. 24' just doesn't have the (even supposed) credibility i'm going for.

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

True...that one works best with people who want to go do something after work or whatever.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Not to offend, but there's always... Thanks, but I don't want to attend this year.

[susandennis]

I'm not offended but I sure think they would be and I'd rather avoid that if at all possible.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Enough said .... Good luck!

[notdefined.livejournal.com]

And then you find out that they managed to see this post! BUSTED. Seriously, good luck.

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

Approx. what I was going to say. iFgnre srcsoes!d

[susandennis]

If they find this journal and this entry, I'll be so damn proud of them... but, alas, Ann won't go near the computer and Ron can't get to his websites because google canceled his homepage (the ig page). I think I'm safe.

[notdefined.livejournal.com]

Seriously though, maybe honesty is best this time. Just let them know that after thinking about it, you would really like to spend the day(s) at home with kitty, a barrel of wine and a turkey leg. It has been a tough year and you really need to just mellow out to set it free.

[susandennis]

Maybe. But I can't see that being received as anything other than rejecting them. I don't like turkey, I rarely drink wine and never when I'm alone and it's actually been a good year ... and ... she knows all this.

But maybe I'll come up with something... or maybe I'll skype with my brother for real!

[notdefined.livejournal.com]

Boy, you are a tough one. Just go over and make an excuse to leave early.

[katbyte.livejournal.com]

This is the cross we have to bear for having friends and being brought up to be polite. Sometimes you just have to suck it up and go. It probably means a lot to them. Just go and bow out early.

I am sort of in that position with my neighbors, much as like them, they have custody of their grandkids, and sometimes it really is train wreck at their house, but we go and leave early.

I sort of prefer the dogs company.

[jwg.livejournal.com]

Maybe you could say you have a schedule conflict but would love to stop by for a few minutes to say hello to everyone. That would be less painful than being there the whole time and still give them the pleasure of your company and not seem like you are snubbing them.