Was so looking forward to the long weekend and then had a bad time w family?

[Anonymous]

Ever happen to you?

Went through a long (1 yr) stretch of unemployment after which I finally have a job that I've been at for a month; had to move to a new city for it and am not settled at all yet - at work or at home. I was SO looking forward to a 3 day weekend to head "home" (parents' home - though I haven't lived there since age 18). I was looking forward to just hanging out -- no special plans, just some meals, coffee runs, a trip to the mall etc.

So my sister also comes home that weekend in BITCH mode fighting with my mom and me (not dad) about EVERY LITTLE THING -- yelling, screaming, pissy looks etc. But then also trails us anywhere -- has been in a bad mood all day but HAS to drag herself to the mall with us where she proceeds to act pissy and of course a screaming fight on the way home. She does this fairly often bc she will take offense to anything my mom says and then ruin the whole weekend for everyone (except my dad -- daddy's little girl; he would never tell her to shut up and she would never be rude to him). It's not easy to get away when she's like this -- she brings down the mood of the whole house as she's bitching about how at a family wedding at the end of this summer some 9 yr old second cousin is going to be giving her attitude about being single at 40. (I'm single and 35 and believe me - the 9 yr old cousins are too busy playing to give a shit about us grown ups and our marital statuses). Even if you tell her to stop or remove yourself, 90 min later you're back at it again.

And now at 8 pm on Sunday -- after the 4+ hrs it took me to get back to my new city -- I'm sitting here going, I have to go back to the new job tomorrow (which I'm not thrilled w but very thankful for) but had no chance to relax at all???

Anyone else have these types of issues -- what do you do?

[Anonymous]

So sorry, OP. Having one (or more) bitter and aggressive family members ruins it for everyone.

You can't do anything apart from limiting contact with her and trying to finagle ways of seeing the rest of the family when she's otherwise engaged.

[Anonymous]

Ugh. Sorry, OP. Be glad that at least you are not your sister! Reschedule a visit with your parents without her there. Think of ways to get mini-refreshed this week, like a nice summery cocktail after work with a friend, or a bubble bath, or tea and King phone chat with someone. And congrats on the new job!

[Anonymous]

Can you invite your parents to visit at your place?

[Anonymous]

* long, not King. Wtf, phone?!?