Aggrieved

I don't have a lot of time on my weekends for the stuff I want to do, like writing, like editing, like catching up on blogs or researching the family tree. My time, like everyone else's is precious and how I fill it is no one's business but mine.

I set aside Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings for me. That's right me time. It is sacrosanct; the time I've carved out to do what I want, and not what others want me to do - I've already set aside time for that.

So. When visiting, it is common courtesy to call on the phone to see if the visitee is free for an hour or so. (It also means the visitee can run around and pick up things so the house doesn't look so much like a bomb has gone off!)

Yesterday, and old friend of my mother's dropped in. Yea, just turned up. No call, no letter, nothing. She drove down from Queensland for a visit to the local Naval base where her son was having a reunion. It is also where my family and her kids grew up. I mention Queensland because it is far enough away and the reunion known of well in advance that a letter would have been appropriate.

The visit went on for nearly two hours. (And yes, I could have excused myself, but that, to me, is bad manners.) Then she left, happy as a clam, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I could get back to writing. Nope. I'd barely sat down, fired up the computer, opened the file I wanted, when the doorbell rang. WTF?

The daughter had turned up with two of her own children in tow. Sure, we grew up together, but where was the phone call saying they were on their way? Why the fuck didn't the mother say the daughter would be calling on us, too?

The kids had no interest - I sure as shit wouldn't - and the boy had his headphones stuck in his ears for the whole visit. The girl sat with bored politeness, poor chick, while her mother and I reminisced and tried to work out where our old school pals were.

Gods Almighty, what a chore! I had no interest, I've never had an interest. We knew each other as children in an isolated environment; that does not make us friends. And having them turn up out of the blue merely reminded me of why: the lack of courtesy and self-serving nature of that family.

As for my own work, the whole afternoon was shot to pieces. Some time ago, I would have stressed out about that; now, I'm simply aggrieved and will readjust my schedule. Yeah, okay, I'm pissy about it; it will pass.

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On another subject, I've posted an excerpt of Masquerade. If the initial link doesn't work, try refreshing it - I have no idea why it does that, but I'm working on it.