In order to fully appreciate and understand the amount of frustration P was causing us over the trip to the cottage, I really should provide some details about the days leading up the vacation. Consider this a prelude to the actual vacation post.

The week before we left, we met up for brunch in the ‘burbs. On the way there, it was decided that we (S and I) would go to Costco after brunch with K to get some of the items we’d need to take up north. P doesn’t like going to Costco on weekends so I reminded S to mention the Costco excursion to P before we left so she could decide whether she wanted to join us. If she didn’t want to come along, she’d have to drive her own car to brunch. If she decided to come with us, we could all go in our car.

We had been experiencing real summer weather that week, with highs in the twenties and humidity to boot. When S and I arrived at P’s place that Saturday morning to drop off the gal pal, we walked into an oven. P’s air conditioning hadn’t been working and she hadn’t bothered calling anyone to look at it citing being “too busy” as an excuse. I immediately felt bad knowing that we were leaving the gal pal in that sauna of a house while we were out at brunch.

“Hey, P, we’re going to Costco after the restaurant,” S began, “do you want to come?”

“No,” P snapped back. “I have errands to run. Had I known you were going, I’d have left already for the restaurant.” She was storming around the house as she was looking for her shoes and other items.

Okay then, this is going to be a fun morning, I thought to myself as we left the house.

We had let P choose the restaurant we would be going for brunch; it was a real greasy spoon. The same one in fact, where we spotted the Stephanie March look-a-like last year. As it turns out, Stephanie’s still working there. She wasn’t our waitress that day though, so S couldn’t leave her a big tip.

K was already at the restaurant when we arrived so we were seated quickly. We began gabbing about what was new, what we were up to and of course, cottage related stuff. K was like a kid at Christmas about the trip, she was literally counting down the hours until we left.

At one point in the conversation, S made mention of how hot P’s house was. P just about lost her lid, “I haven’t had time to call someone in, okay?!”

“You could make time,” S shot back.

“Well I’m not like you, I don’t get things taken care of right away,” P replied.

Not wanting to get involved in the exchange, I turned to K and began talking to her about cottage things. Across the table, S managed to diffuse the situation with P.

The food was disappointing and left me feeling a bit queasy. I think the only one who enjoyed their order was P. After our plates were cleared, we got down to talking about the best way to divide up the groceries that we would need to bring up north. P was very non-committal about it all, saying we could just each buy some things and take them up. What she failed to factor in was that she was going up a day after the rest of us.

She had some dragon-boating event the weekend we were leaving. She would be leaving her dog, Bud, with us the Thursday before which meant we’d be left to take groceries and her dog, along with everything else we’d need.

As soon as we discussed renting a cottage together, P had been very aloof about it. She was very quick to send her share of the money, but getting her to agree to anything else was like pulling teeth.

The bill was settled and K, S and I made our way to Costco, even though nothing had really been resolved. Not wanting to buy meat or produce that wouldn’t keep for a week, we limited our purchases that afternoon to just snacks and water. We figured we’d get the bigger (and perishable) items closer to the day we left.

On our way home, we stopped in at P’s place to pick up the gal pal. P wasn’t home yet as she was still out running errands. While there, S called P and offered that we take Bud home with us so he wouldn’t have to be in the hot house all day (and night).

I understood where S was coming from in wanting to take Bud to a cool place, but it all added to my annoyance at P. She was non-committal about contributing to the cottage and here we would be stuck with her dog for a week because she couldn’t get around to getting her a/c looked at. Not to mention, watching her dog is an exercise in patience. He doesn’t know how to go for walks, he’s always staring at you and is always at your feet. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper and we hadn’t even gone away yet.

The following day, S heard from K who had been in touch with P. Apparently, P felt like she wasn’t contributing enough – ya think?! – and so wanted us to let her know what she could bring. K sent her a list of items she could get to bring up with her on the Monday (we were heading up on the Sunday).

Not long after, we all received an e-mail from P:

I’m starting to get requests of stuff to bring to the cottage. S, why do we need paper plates and utensils – they have plates and utensils there. If you still want them fine, but it’s money we don’t need to spend.

K, as far as bug repellent – ok. As far as kindling and wood…I would prefer if we could find a place while we are up there.

When I read that, my fingers immediately went to my keyboard and I began typing out a response. It began with,
“You know what? Shut the fuck up.”

I was fuming; she was the only one who was actually getting a vacation out of the trip. She hadn’t bothered contributing to the grocery lists (other than adding that she’d be bringing booze), she wasn’t even taking her own damn dog up. By the time she got herself packed up, all she’d need to bring was her bedding, clothes and alcohol. The rest of us were left to take care of all of the grocery buying, dividing everything up and getting everything there.

I erased what I had begun to type and took a few minutes to calm down. My final response was much more polite while still being firm:

S, K and I don’t have enough room in our two vehicles to take everything that we need. It’s not like we’re staying at a hotel where bedding and towels will be provided for us. Add to that we have to bring groceries, pets and pet supplies and vehicles quickly fill up. As the last person coming up, you’ll be asked to bring stuff. As the date gets closer, I’m sure you’ll get more and more requests to bring stuff. If you can’t bring things, let us know and we’ll make arrangements to buy what we need in town.

While the cottage does come stocked with plates and utensils, we don’t know what condition they’re in. I don’t know about you but I’d rather spend my time out on the dock with a beer in hand and not inside scrubbing other people’s crap off of plates. Buying plastic plates and utensils at Costco won’t break the bank, and its things we can divide amongst ourselves when we leave. As for wood, the information package said there’s plenty on the property that we can use so we may not have to buy any.

P wrote back a few minutes later,

Liz, I realize what you have to take up and that wasn’t at all the issue. The issue was to perhaps save us some $. So, not to worry, as planned I will bring paper plates and utensils. If we do need wood then I will go into town one day and get some.

All is well in the neighborhood.

It’s what happened next that really pissed me off. S sent me a Blackberry message saying that she and P were arguing over e-mail. Apparently, P thought that S had put me up to writing my e-mail; because I obviously don’t have the capacity to form my own opinions.

S and P argued for awhile over e-mail and then spoke on the phone. At one point, P suggested she wouldn’t go to the cottage at all but S told her that was foolish. I for one did not want her coming along if it meant she’d be a miserable twat all week. S and P settled things and the week progressed without any further drama.

S, K and I have all tried to imagine what has caused P to be such a killjoy the last six months or so. She’s been so non-committal every time we’ve made plans together, even simple things like brunch or dinner plans become contentious. When she has bothered to grace us with her presence, she’s been irritable and hard to gauge.

With all of this in mind, I didn’t have the patience for her shit as we got ready to head up north. Being stuck in a remote place with her for a week is hard when she’s in a good mood, her dreary antics were not leaving me feeling optimistic for a good vacation.

Related posts:

  1. Out of the City
  2. Cottage Countdown
  3. Lazy Day Ramble
  4. Cottage Recap, Finally
  5. Pre-Vacation Post
  6. Destination: Confusion
  7. Quick Vacay Recap
  8. Blood, Brunch and Rolaids
  9. A Story Told in Pictures
  10. Saturday Shenanigans