Honeymooners you are. Us 47!

Cheers

No way, did you get married while still in a pram?
I thought we'd been married a long time 28 years this year. Dh tells people we got married 50 years ago.

Good. Someone to hold virtual hands with We'll both make it home someday, never fear. Enjoy your guests!

So love and cherish each other. The rest doesn't matter

Get this....I was 28 when I got married......must of been a big pram.

Cheers

So cheers your 75 now, your 7 years my senior, good luck on your vacation coming up, is it this week or next week when your plane takes off for England? anyway you and your wife have a great time, will you be visiting any relatives? are you popping down to Pompey
You know I just had a thought, I think all the older, I mean long time posters on this thread who come home for a visit for say at least 3 weeks should take the first week to just visit the posters who have already returned home,
me thinks it should be mandatory
Rodney.

Oooh - I just want to let off steam...

My husband's older sister is arriving this afternoon - for a 10 day visit. Her fifth visit to Switerland in under 2 years, even more than my own adult children (She used to come out to stay when we lived in Singapore and New Jersey too but not as frequently due to cost of the flights and she was working then). She invited herself, always does, although my late MiL did the same.

Typically she sends an e-mail to my husband and says she'd like to visit in say, June and what dates won't work for us? He never puts her off (although they're not close) as he can't ever think of a good reason to say 'no' lol! She's even stayed when he's had to go overseas himself on business trips and I've been away

My spouse is apparently too busy at work to take any time off - so I will be left to 'entertain' her and take her out on day trips, yet she doesn't offer to pay a penny towards any costs and I've noticed that she just 'hovers' in the background at the ticket offices etc.

She has never offered to take us out for a meal or offer to pay towards groceries (which are v. expensive in Switzerland, approx 10 pounds for a steak at the supermarket). If we are having lunch or dinner somewhere she always lets my husband pick up the bill. He is also irritated but far too polite to say anything to her about her tightfistedness

I have nothing in common with my sister-in-law; she is a spinster and very prim and proper and definitely not up for a laugh. If we go for example on a shopping trip it's a waste of time. She has no interest in going in clothes or accessory shopping and never, ever buys anything....except on the last day when she will buy a box of toffees or similar for the neighbour who takes her to/from the airport.

What really irritates me though is that now she says "I'm just a poor pensioner". She chose to retire a few years ago at the age of 56 and is on a fabulous Civil Service gold-plated pension. Odd that she has recently paid 15,000 pounds to do a sailing course..... (then asked my husband if he could approach his employer to ask for sponsorship for a section of an intercontinental yacht race! He declined).

Grrrr. I'm just about fed up of hosting this freeloader yet again. We don't visit her home as she is in the middle of nowhere. Btw; she also 'visits' elderly relatives in various parts of the UK and US.


Sorry for the whinge, just needed to get it off my chest!

Oh she sounds like an absolute nightmare! It would appear she's getting the entire family to bankroll her lifestyle the way she's making the rounds and in doing so is taking advantage of you. There is nothing impolite in standing up for yourself. I hope you don't mind my saying this but the last thing you want is this situation causing problems between the two of you and if your sister-in-law is allowed to continue this way, that's what could happen. Obviously you know best how to handle her but a future email response to her could go along the lines of "Sorry but it's not convenient for us to have company at the moment, we hope you can make other arrangements and hope you have a nice holiday". Not much help for this time around - hope you get the chance for a nice to help calm your nerves.

OMG! What a nightmare. You must have the patience of a saint. My OH's sister is something else, but at least she has no desire to visit us, in fact she doesn't even know we are in the UK. Long boring story.

I do hope the next 10 days fly by for you

we had relatives, came to visit us in Spain for a week, offered us €20, never bought us a meal, or any food, were run round in our car and collected from the airport and delivered there.

Yikes Englishmum she does sound awful.
You need to train your Dh better, seeing he's not that keen either.
When she emails asking what dates are no good in June. He needs to send Sorry June is not good. Then if she asks about July, sorry July isn't good. When she asks when is. Say I'll get back to you about it when I get a chance, be vague.
I'd stop sticking my hand in my pocket for her, or say before entering, your share will be this, or get bold at the theater, SIL you need to give me x for your ticket, I bet she'd lose interest in coming if she has to pay her way.

Sounds similar to my cousin, she sees the world through a different set of glasses to the rest of us, everyone in the family cant stand her, she's burned bridges with them all, living off them, eating their food and offering nothing, yet she has more money than any of us, she is so opinionated and crazy in my opinion.

In your case I would say Sod It, don't make it a comfortable stay for her in any way, If she likes to go out make excuses and stay home, if she likes to stay home go out every day, if she likes nice food eat Fast Food even if you hate it, watch stuff on TV that she dislikes, you just need to know which buttons to push, she's a smart person and a User.

Good Look, I know this is a tough situation. Its hard to understand how these types think, they always have an answer.

I go mid June. Return mid July.
Get this we saved 50% on our fare by going to Dublin, Ireland.
Our itinary...LAS-GAT-DUBLIN. Return DUBLIN-LHR-LAS.
I'm looking forward to flying on British Airways because I think they give good service. Virgin Atlantic is good and has good service in a different sort of way. My experience is about 10 years old so we will see.
Virgin is very expensive to fly. I don't know why.
I will try for Pompey??
I may be closer to Don?
Rellies...not close to the cousins and 'me' wife doesn't know them so I will keep on driving. If I had more time maybe.

Cheers

Sally,
How is the internet speed at your new house? I seem to remember that was very important for you.
Cheers