I don’t really have to worry about the baby going without the necessities of life. “Frank’s” mother will see to it that the baby is at least fed and changed and safe from harm. With the last one, she did these tasks herself. Emotionally, however, the kid is going to have it pretty rough. “Frank” isn’t much interested in anyone but himself. (I don’t blame the drugs for this-- he was always that way, even as a child.) The girl, I think, has good intentions, but she’s flakey, irresponsible and naive. I honestly imagine most of the care of the baby will fall to “Frank’s” mother, because she’ll be out “doing her own thing,” and “Frank” will be laying, drunk or stoned, on the sofa.
** PunditLisa, ** we don’t have the same cousin, because “Frank” has never been married. (I’m relatively sure, because I certainly would have gotten a plea for a gift.) We just have similar circumstances in having worthless relatives.
Not necessarily, but given the context that Kathy hadn’t attended one wedding, one anniversary or retirement party, one shower, or one graduation party in over 20 years, it was indeed seen as a tacky request for a gift. She lives in town. I simply cannot accept that she had plans every single time a family function occurred. Sorry. She chose to exclude herself from our family. And the day she decides to disdain us with her presence she just happens to have graduation announcements for her daughter? That seems a little too self-serving to me. Face it, had she simply wanted to “keep us informed” she could have simply told us verbally.
An announcement isn’t necessarily a request for a gift. An appropriate response is a congratulations offered in kind – verbal for verbal, written for written, card for card.
An invitation isn’t strictly speaking one either, but it’s customary to bring a gift to a wedding or shower if you attend. If you decline the invitation, a note of congratulations is all that should be expected, although a gift is nice if you feel so inclined.
Okay, I think I speak for all of us when I say- I must know! What kind of scene did you make? Was it full of righteous indignation?!
I love witnessing stuff like that!
