Greetings, Miss MannersTwo years ago, I introduced Lauren, a friend whose husband works for my husband’s company, to my close, longstanding friend Nora. To my delight, they clicked so well that they agreed to take a three-week trip together a few months ago.
The trip was a complete flop. The women were always fighting. Nora, who is very close to me, didn’t tell me anything.
I’ll probably soon have to interact with my husband’s boss and his wife. If Lauren asks me what Nora said about her and their trip together, how should I react? I suspect she will inquire. I don’t want to put myself in a difficult situation or exacerbate the situation.
Can I act as though all I know is that they had a wonderful time?
PERSONAL READER:Although it is widely assumed that the boss’s wife is not the kind of hostess who throws pork chops, you are right to be ready based on your friends’ reports from the trip.
A prepared response to the query, “Did you hear about the trip?” can prevent you from telling a direct lie: Oh? How did it go? Did the two of you have a great time?
The boss’s wife will be ready if she is intelligent: It was truly an amazing location. This summer, are you and your spouse taking a vacation? If not, however, you will be able to listen quietly until you have a chance to flee.
Greetings, Miss MannersMy mother-in-law arrived at our house the other evening at around six o’clock without a phone call or SMS. appeared out of the blue and struck up a conversation with us in the dining area.
I had scheduled my supper preparation so that I could do other things while the dish was baking. But when she arrived, that was cut short.
I removed the food after fifteen minutes, added sauce, and then put it back in for five more minutes. When she observed me doing this, she took out a kitchen chair and sat down rather than walking away because it was obviously dinnertime! How she didn’t read the room is beyond me.
How can you politely tell her that she should give you a call or send her a text before dropping by?
PERSONAL READER:The phrase “mother-in-law” has frequently unfair connotations that are unrelated to your circumstances, and she was no ordinary guest.
You’re stuck if your husband’s mother wants to come over unexpectedly and stay for dinner and he doesn’t want to throw her out. However, Miss Manners doesn’t see why your evening should be ruined by this.
Assign her to a seat at the table. She can sit with the rest of the family after dinner while you spend the remainder of the evening. Your husband can sit with her while you catch up on work or read a good book if she is still there when the kids go to bed.
Miss Manners can be reached by email at [email protected], via her website at www.missmanners.com, or by mail at Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.
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