maybe someone can explain this to me...

well, i'm not going to mention names, but there are some people in my life who do nothing but suck me dry. when i meet their every whim and request, life is good. however, when i am unable or unwilling to accomodate, all hell breaks loose. there's a lot of manipulating, whining, manipulating (did i say that already?), double talk, and broken-record-like repetitiveness. (and, before you ask, i'm not talking about my kids.) the thing is that if i had met them anywhere else (like, if i had met them at work or at a party or something), i would have already cut them off. too bad for me that i'm related to them...and that isn't going to change.

they whine because they don't see the kids as often as they'd like. yet, they live and work within 10 miles of us and rarely call, stop by, or invite us over. they have hurt feelings when they don't get to talk to hubby when they want to. NEWS FLASH: he works 800 hours a week and doesn't get to see his wife and kids...why would he want to spend any precious time off with people who whine at him and manipulate him? (ok...800 hours is a little bit of an exaggeration, but he's gone a lot.)

they whine if we don't spend as much time as they think we should at their house...yet when we stay a little longer to visit, they don't have anything to say. it's the same blah blah blah over and over. we have very little in common, and they couldn't carry on an actual conversation to save their lives. i'm not kidding. for example:

me: hi. how are you?

them: good. (note, there's no reciprocation of the greeting or friendly question)

me: so, how's your mom doing?

them: she's getting along good. (note, there's no expanding on this...there's merely a simple answer)

it is very frustrating. this is not what i signed up for. this is not the kind of relationship i want to have with them. but, it is what it is.

got any suggestions?

if you are reading this and you know who i'm talking about, please don't mention names or relationships.