Den of the Beastly Bear
Hi Folks!
I Have a pet peeve..well, OK I have dozens of pet peeves...ask anyone that knows me...LOL
But this one really sparks my ire, and I can't really put my finger on why.
And is the reason today's blog is late.
Showing up at my door unannounced!!!
For some reason this just immediately sets me off! I find it highly rude and inconsiderate...
Perhaps it is the assumption that I have nothing better to do and am just waiting around for you to grace me with your presence, or that whatever I am doing is unimportant and can be instantly dropped so I can deal with you...
Most all of my friends are well acquainted with my dislike of the practice and will generally call first, that is polite and considerate.
If I don't answer the house phone, guess what? I'M NOT HOME!!!
The one person in my life that can't seem to wrap their head around
this concept is my mother!
I just saw her yesterday for my nephew's birthday. I had some errands to run this morning so got up and left the house.
I got home about 12:15 ate a quick lunch sat down to write my blog because I leave for work at 2pm when..."Knock, Knock"
Thinking it would be another window/siding guy I hustled to the door, told the dog to shut up pulled the door open to tell this guy to go peddle his crap down the road as I was busy...and there stood my Mom.
"Oh, you're home!" she said.
"Yeah...I live here..."
"Well I tried calling and didn't get an answer..."
"Unh huh..."
"Well I got you something..." and back to her car she goes...rummages around in the back seat and comes back with two Mancino's Grinders and her little Papillon.
"I brought subs..." she says with a cheery smile "for lunch!"
"I already ate lunch Mom, I wish you'd have called before you came..."
"I did call about 11 and nobody answered the phone!"
"That's because nobody was home Mom, Kathy's at work, Kaitlin is babysitting and I had errands to run..." Mind you we all have cell phones and she didn't call them!
"What errands???" (Nosey Rosey)
"I had to run to Sears..." I answered, as if it makes any difference.
"Well I was at my friend Verace's and I thought I'd get you guys Grinders for lunch, I got you a steak and an Italian for Kathy and Katie to split...you can take yours to work for lunch..."
"I will Mom, thanks.....you didn't have to do that"
"Why don't you just cut a little bit off that Italian for me...and could I get something to drink?"
"Sure Mom...."
So I cut her off some sub, got her a soda and set and talked with her while she ate lunch.
Now don't get me wrong, I am extremely grateful that she thought of us...extremely blessed to still have my Mom...but I swear she does things BECAUSE she knows they annoy me!
And then stayed and stayed...before asking:
"Do you have to work today?"
"Yes Mom, it's Monday...I go to work EVERY Monday unless I'm on vacation..."
"Oh, I guess I better go then..."
So I got nothing done other than my errand...
I've tried to explain that working second shift I have a limited time to do things...as I have to plan and budget my time, I don't have time for spontaneous visits.
I might as well be talking to the wall...
Sorry I'm a day late!
Be Well!
Beastly Bear
"What errands???" (Nosey Rosey)
"I had to run to Sears..." I answered, as if it makes any difference.
"Well I was at my friend Verace's and I thought I'd get you guys Grinders for lunch, I got you a steak and an Italian for Kathy and Katie to split...you can take yours to work for lunch..."
"I will Mom, thanks.....you didn't have to do that"
"Why don't you just cut a little bit off that Italian for me...and could I get something to drink?"
"Sure Mom...."
So I cut her off some sub, got her a soda and set and talked with her while she ate lunch.
Now don't get me wrong, I am extremely grateful that she thought of us...extremely blessed to still have my Mom...but I swear she does things BECAUSE she knows they annoy me!
And then stayed and stayed...before asking:
"Do you have to work today?"
"Yes Mom, it's Monday...I go to work EVERY Monday unless I'm on vacation..."
"Oh, I guess I better go then..."
So I got nothing done other than my errand...
I've tried to explain that working second shift I have a limited time to do things...as I have to plan and budget my time, I don't have time for spontaneous visits.
I might as well be talking to the wall...
Sorry I'm a day late!
Be Well!
Beastly Bear
I am afraid you and I share that pet peeve. I hate people showing up on me unannounced. I do not like surprises like that.I don't do that to others and I sure as hell don't want them doing that to me. That said...I get where you are coming from. Annoying. Even though your mom had good intentions and her gesture was well meant, it would have been appreciated more if she would have called first and given you warning. One time my husband was home. We had bought steaks for dinner and he had them on the grill. Here comes his parents...Unannounced with a Little Caesars Pizza for us. We took the steaks off the grill and put them back in the fridge...then watched as they gobbled up the whole pizza between the two of them. They stayed and stayed. When they finally left at about 11 PM, we were all still starved...so out came the steaks and we grilled them and ate around midnight what we should have been eating for dinner. UGH. I know exactly what you mean! ♥
ReplyDeleteThank you for understanding Kathy, and if you knew my mother you'd REALLY understand! Lol
DeleteLOL...After many years of friendship, I didn't know this about you! I am now thankful I have kept my dropping in; to a few rare occasions.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the few times I disagree, I like it when people drop by unexpected. I don't know why,I just like that "You are always welcome" type of hospitality. In such a busy world it is nice when someone has the spontaneity to just drop by and chat; not call, im, email, or tm. I sometimes wish it happened more often! Obviously there are times when it is not part of your plan and if someone drops by they should understand that that is a risk you take just dropping by. I personally am so tired of scheduling this play date, or to do something with someone on this day. Gone are the days that someone says "Hey I drove by a Krispy Kreme and thought of you, so I stopped and got you one, and thought I would drop it by and say hello." I don't know Joe, on this one I disagree, I like knowing someone took time out of their busy schedule got up and drove over to stop by to see me or my family. Its a nice feeling.
But I also know your mother and totally understand the rest of the BLOG! ;)
yes Jenn but you usually pop in on weekends...and there are exceptions. Krispy Kreme's get you a free pass...And when I was single, any woman showing up unannounced with the promise of certain "favors" also got a free pass!
Deleteoh and one more thing...YOU GOT MANCINOS' GRINDERS FOR CHRIST SAKE!!!! LMAO Anyone that brings me a steak grinder from Mancinos is welcome, even YOUR mother at 6:00 AM!
ReplyDeleteI know Jenn, I was afraid I'd come off like an ungrateful prick...thanks for confirming my suspicions!
DeleteNah not ungrateful at all! We all have our Achilles heels, that is yours!
ReplyDeleteThat stuff annoys me too. But what annoys me the most is when my mom calls me in the afternoon and asks me to drop whatever I'm doing to drive all the way into Sandwich just to take her garbage to the dump, then she gets pissed when I tell her I can't but will be by in the morning. She thinks I'm sitting around waiting for her calls. Not.
ReplyDeleteLol, my Mom too!!! I sometimes think, SHE thinks I'm retired too! And if I don't talk to her for a week, and then call her it's "Whatd'ya call to see if I was stinkin' yet???" But according to her she doesn't ever try to make anybody feel guilty. Like In I go Montoya says "You keep using that word, I do not think it means what you think it means!"
DeleteDamn autocorrect "Inigo Montoya"
DeleteHahahahaha! Omg.. I'm the total opposite. I love it when people just show up! I love it even more if they show up when I'm in the middle of a project or fixing dinner. I put everybody to work! I really liked it when the kids' friends would show up. The yard work got done, the heavy lifting got done. Of course I feed everyone if they help, and if they don't but they usually don't have that choice. Everyone knows not to walk in my kitchen and ask if there's anything they can do to help I will put them to work chopping or washing something! :D
ReplyDeleteI just have never enjoyed just "popping" in...and now that everybody and their brother has a cell phone is it really that hard to say "Hey, I'm out and about and thought I stop by!" My response is always "Sure, love to see you...."
DeleteDrop by unannounced, I'm less than enthusiastic.
And stay out of my kitchen when I'm cooking!!! Unless I ask for help you are just hindering the process...no Italian kitchen here!!! More the German chef! I'd say English...but do the English really have chefs????? Lol!