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Chapter 20: Birthday Camping Chaos, Part 2

caninelover's picture

When the day arrives, SO and I had a pleasant drive to the campsite and our friends arrived in short order as well.  Well, my friends arrived as the SO’s friends had to cancel due to a conflict with their youngest daughter’s soccer schedule.  Everyone set up tents and started to break out some food and adult beverages.  As the evening wore on, there was still no sign of Bratty.  Finally around 9 pm Bratty texts that they just made it to her friends’ house to drop her off, and the drive took a long time due to stops for the infant.  Bratty said she was too tired to drive another 5 hours that night to the campsite and asked if she could stay overnight at our house and drive early the next morning.  I was frankly annoyed but at that hour I said sure and gave Bratty the entry code, as it seemed like the only logical choice at the time.

The next day, just as we finished breakfast and were heading out for a hike, Bratty finally rolls into the campsite around 10 am.  SO had woken up that morning not feeling well, but after some hello’s I told Bratty my friends and I were heading out for a hike but SO was going to relax at camp that day.  Bratty said she’d like to join us for the hike so I said sure, the more the merrier.

We had a pleasant 3 hour hike and Bratty actually interacted well with my friends.  She talked about her new shared apartment, which was a dump, and her Americorps job.  After we finished the hike, my friends wanted to drive out to another section of the park (about 20 minutes away) to see a certain feature since they had never been before.  So I said sure and we drove the 20 minutes so they could see it.  The plan was to get out and look around for 10 minutes or so and head back to the campsite.

It just so happened there was an organized bike race happening that day and the sponsors had set up tables of snacks and refreshments for the riders.  Bratty, being a world-class freeloader, lit up.  She practically jumped out of the car to see if she can score any freebies but the attendant politely told her no as the food was for the riders.  So we all walked towards the main walkway to look around.  There are a few exhibit boards, etc. and my friends were taking pictures.  At this moment Bratty decided she was tired and asked me for the keys to my car so she can nap. 

Now I was annoyed because we said we’d only be there a few minutes and Bratty seemed fine a minute ago when she was racing towards the free food.  I opted to ignore her and then she starts a full-on tantrum – she’s sooooo tired, can we leave, she’s bored, she’s seen all this before, etc.  Really annoying to everyone but we all still mostly ignored her.  Finally we headed back to the car for the return drive to the campsite.  Bratty went to her tent to nap and I decided not to say anything to SO as I didn’t want to ruin his birthday.

The rest of the evening is fine though of course Bratty managed to make a rude comment to one of my friends.  We cooked burgers and veggies on the fire for dinner and Bratty opened the one can of beans she brought with her and of course proceeded to mooch everyone else’s food.  I had brought along SO’s favorite cake (non-vegan, tough luck Bratty).  Our friends hand over a small gift they brought for his birthday and Bratty handed SO a card.  And then Bratty hands me a card she brought so ‘I wouldn’t feel left out’.  Huh?  Who would feel left out if they didn’t get a card for someone else’s birthday?  On top of that it was a Halloween card.  Because Bratty loves giving out cards to everyone on Halloween and Valentines Day like she's a 4 year old.  It was bizarre but I just said thank you.

On Sunday morning, after breakfast, we packed up our campsites to head home.  Bratty was stuck taking the long way again as she was obligated to pick up her friend near our house and then drive north.  She asked if she could stop and rest our house on the way back and we said sure.  As we’re leaving I remind Bratty that she hadn’t paid her entrance fee.  She stays silent but when SO walks up she says casually ‘oh Dad, I forgot to pay the fee and its getting late now.  Do I really have to do that?’  And SO says ‘No its fine’.  I was pissed that he let her off the hook.  That was the one thing she was asked to contribute towards and he basically overruled me.  I let it slide again as I really just wanted to go home and get rid of Bratty.

Bratty did stop at our house on her way home but only stayed briefly before heading out again.  It was like a hurricane passed and we were left in our quiet home with the calm after the storm.  Of course it didn’t last for long as Hurricane Bratty would return again in a couple of months.  But before that, Bratty of course had more workplace drama and a curious case of an unpaid Bridge toll.  And, Thanksgiving 2019!!

Comments

Stepdrama2020's picture

Dang , I give you credit to try yet another TG with Bratty. Cannot wait to hear about that. I suppose Boston Market 2019 was right after that.

You got a Halloween card?!  Was it at least October when she gave it to you? I do not ever recall getting or giving a Halloween card LOL , didnt even know that was a thing. Candy yes, but cards, no.

Cover1W's picture

My mother was INCENSED that once I went to college I did not send Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter cards to them.  REALLY?  I never gave them before either - and no, I didn't agree to do it then either.

Stepdrama2020's picture

I am bioless so no clue what kids do with Halloween. But as a kid only valentines cards and christmas cards at Sunday school.  As adults its weird.

caninelover's picture

I am bioless as well but my niece and nephew would send me Halloween cards (which was really my sister sending them out) but it stopped after kindergarten or around then.  

caninelover's picture

That after I didn't take the bait in Bratty's letter about letting her live with us longer (when she whined that she was 'abandoned' by SO at 14) that this was her attempt to suck up to me to try and get me to change my mind.  I also got a couple of random cards in the mail for no holiday or reason after that as well.

Yes adults don't give out Halloween cards - it really is not a thing at all.  Really little kids sometimes do but adults?  Who has that kind of time?

tog redux's picture

Question: how did she get in without paying an entrance fee? Hope that's the last vacation with her. 

caninelover's picture

And she went straight to the campsite as we had already checked in with the camp host (after we paid our fee at the visitor center)  So it is a bit on the honor system, unless a ranger catches you without a tag.

classyNJ's picture

ClassyNJ and I send out Halloween cards every year to my siblings and close family friends.  And now with the Halloween forever stamps it makes it official.  *ROFL*

Halloween has always been a big deal to us and I love picking them out. 

 

caninelover's picture

I know some people do go all out with costumes, decorations, etc.

There are Halloween forever stamps!?!!  Smile

classyNJ's picture

Yes!  I use them for everything but Christmas and sympathy cards. 

justmakingthebest's picture

What is with all the naps and resting?? Is she that lazy or does she have a medical condition? I am so confused by a 20 something needing to constantly nap! 

caninelover's picture

She is lazy but makes excuses - 'Chronic Pain' is what she tried to claim when this episode came up in family therapy.  

Funny I saw no pain during the hike or when she practically ran over me to get to the free food table.

Cover1W's picture

My OSD was always complainnig of being so tiredddddddd.

She stayed up all night on the internets. She ate terribly.  No exercise. Just sat around atll day.

She also used it as an excuse to get away from everyone if she didn't want to do something.  YSD does a similar thing between 7 and 8 pm, "I'm so tired!" but her light is on unitl well past 9.  DH sometimes tells me to turn the tv down, "FFS DH she's not actually sleeping!"

caninelover's picture

That's her real problem but she doesn't connect that her staying up until 2 am watching netflix makes her tired the next morning and day.  This is why she failed her post-bac in my opinion.  She couldn't get on a regular sleep/study schedule.

MissK03's picture

Exactly!! When I was 20 I was going to school 6 hours a day  M-Th, working like 35 hours a week, and out all the time too! Haha. I never took naps! 

Now, in my late 20s my friends would make fun of me because I would some times "nap" and they would come to my  apartment to wake me up if we had plans LOL. 

Now in my mid 30s it's impossible to nap and with everything constantly going on in the house.

caninelover's picture

What I find really funny is that Bratty wants to be a doctor but can't manage to stay vertical for more than a few hours at a time.

Does she get the 100+ hour weeks they have to put in during residency?!?

In my early 20's I had tons of energy.  Get up, go to work, go to the gym, go to dinner, etc. etc.

Now that I am middle-aged - naps are my BFFs Smile

advice.only2's picture

Damn if only those a$$holes handing out snacks to riders had given her one of their NON-vegan sugar and carb loaded snacks the whole trip MIGHT not have been ruined!

MissK03's picture

I'm curious on the rude comment she said to your friend.. Also, how selfish with the "I've seen this before." 

Way to take away from everyone else's experience. Ugh! Bratty strikes again! 

Once again OP, you're a bigger person then me. Haha 

 

caninelover's picture

Bratty had opened her can of beans and my friend (who Bratty had called a misogynist a few chapters ago when he asked his son to walk her to her car) asked her if she wanted to heat up the beans.  He asked because he had the camp stove on for something else (and its an old stove and tricky to light) so he was wondering if he should leave it on.  Bratty gave him a snotty response along the lines of none of your business and I'll do whatever i want.  So he just turned off the stove and walked away without responding.  I heard about that much later.

MissK03's picture

Being friendly and considerate = another jerk moment by said friend being misogynist. 

Got it.

Unreal that bratty. 

caninelover's picture

She's a p.i.t.a. to be around...

CLove's picture

She sounds like a truly miseable person who is miserable because she chooses to be. 

No fun.

caninelover's picture

She is the common denominator in most drama/conflicts.  That should be a big clue to normal people but Bratty thinks she is special.