People you wish wouldn't come????

[Tabitha]

Do you have people who invite themselves along that you just can't say no to?
My sister who is about 12 years older regularly invites herself along on our faire trips even when we're going out of town. She pays for her own hotel and contributes towards gas so that is not the problem.

She complains about getting up early enough to be dressed and at gate before cannon.
She complains that she feels like she is being ignored because we know so many people at faires who want to talk to us even though we do introduce her.
All she wants to do is visit 4-5 shops and then sit down and have lunch. She complains that all the food is too greasy and too expensive, but she won't come out and have sandwiches with the 'clan' because sandwiches are boring. Then she wants to spend the rest of the day sitting at one stage because she says she is tired of walking, but she complains that she's seen the same show 4 times that day.

She swears later that she had a good time, and she does wear her skirts and moresca bodice.
But honestly, I can't see how she enoyed the visit when she had something bad to say about everything?
My husband is about ready to explode because he says her barfluering is ruining his day at Faire.
Anyone else run into this problem?

[arbcoind]

No!  Thank goodness, I do not have this situation.  It's because I go to faire alone and anyone who wants to join me can meet me there. They can arrive when they want to, do what they enjoy, complain about everything or not.  Meet or not meet MY friends and then leave.

No one is going to ruin my faire experience. 

Gina

[ArielCallista]

My brother is 13...he does the same thing EVERYWHERE...even when its somewhere he asked to go, like main event...I think its just that age...also is she normally physically active? if not the walking might actually be exhausting her...Luckily my brother has a cell phone now so we just bail and tell him not to leave where he is without letting us know...if shes got a phone and isn't afraid to be by herself maybe you could do this with her when shes ready to sit at the same stage and not walk any more...that way everyone else can go do what they want and such without getting stuck with her...

[DonaCatalina]

I have a friend that is almost that bad. Luckily for us she only comes out to Scarby with us once a year.
Ariel, it sounds like her sister insists on keeping them with her or "she feels ignored". I take it that she's single too. Maybe you can talk to her and see if you can trade off some weekends where you and your hubby go for some time with just the two of you.
Good luck.

[analise]

I'd say, don't tell her no, but DO tell her, "this is our plan, you're welcome to work with the plan or not. If not, you need to figure out what you want to do all day and how you're going to get there if you don't want to arrive at the same time we do."

If it's an out of town trip, though, I'd be inclined to tell her she's welcome to make her own trip plans, but you and hubby making this be for the two of you.

(suddenly, I'm glad I don't have siblings)

[LadyFae]

Ugh, most of the time I wish my husband wouldn't come with. Not that he often does but those rare times that he does come along he complains and tries to NOT have a good time. I just need to find a "Faire" husband I think. ; ) if the bunny would just road and allow himself to have fun he totally would but he is just afraid to let that happen, I think.

[Tipsy Gypsy]

Some people are just chronic bellyachers. I don't think they even realize it. My mom's that way; if she's not p!$$!ng and moaning about something, she's talking about her ailments. You can't even steer the subject to something else because she just keeps droning on and on... and on... I really don't think she has anything else to talk about, truthfully. Not something I want to listen to all day long, though, so we don't even tell her when we come to Scarby, and it's 10 minutes from her apartment.

[crashbot]

Some people are just chronic bellyachers. I don't think they even realize it. My mom's that way; if she's not p!$$!ng and moaning about something, she's talking about her ailments. You can't even steer the subject to something else because she just keeps droning on and on... and on... I really don't think she has anything else to talk about, truthfully. Not something I want to listen to all day long, though, so we don't even tell her when we come to Scarby, and it's 10 minutes from her apartment.

+1

[Delireus]

God, yes. Sadly, this time around at th KC renfest a few weekends ago, I found a friend who I will never ever invite to faire ever again. Though I tried as hard as I could to prevent it and ignore her, she almost ruined one of the happiest places in the world for me. I'm not a bitchy person typically, but don't try to bring me down at faire.

My boyfriend and I drove to Oklahoma for faire last spring as a little 'end of the school year' trip, just us 2. My friend apparently considered this rude that we didn't invite our whole group of friends. It was 6 hours away and we rented a hotel for 2 nights, not a trip just anyone can afford to make, not to mention it was our last weekend together for 3 months. But whatever. As in the past, I organized this years KC renfest trip between 10 or so friends. She refuses to drive because she doesn't know the way there, yet I knew she'd be the first one wanting to leave 2 hours after we get to faire, thats how it was last year. But fine, don't drive with your GPS or mapquest.

We get to faire, a day I wait all year for, and sure enough, it's too hot for her, we're walking too much, we're leaving her out of things, she can't beleive how much everything is, blah blah. She complains the entire time about being there when only a few months ago she was upset that my boyfriend and I didn't invite her to the OK renfest! What drove me over the edge was her saying she'll meet us at a certain spot and time and us waiting there for an HOUR for her to get across the faire grounds to us. Then when she finally shows up, she has to sit because she's tired. I had had enough and I went off and enjoyed my one day at faire to its fullest. She later told a friend of ours she doesn't like renfest anymore. More for me then! Inviting her is a mistake I won't soon forget.

*huff* sorry, this just happened like 2 weeks ago so it's still fresh. It's just, I don't go to faire but one or two weekends a year now, these are precious days and god help anyone who rains on them

[Tabitha]

Well thanks for the moral support at least. Maybe we can work something out before our next trip comes up.

[LadyFae]

Oh yeah, I will also NEVER invite my mother along to Faire ever again!

[Anna Iram]

Coming a bit late to this thread, but I was just having a converstaion with a friend yesterday about people that always see the glass as half empty versus the half full folks. Perhaps your sister has fallen into that bad habit. She may not even realise how she comes across. If you are at all close and do want her to continue to join you at faire, then have a chat with her about how she appears to be so negative. Tell her that you want to be with her, but that it brings you down and ask her to make an effort to be more positive and supportive of something you love. I've had talks like this with a loved one or two and I've had friends remind me also when I get negative about some experince. Hopefully she'll appreciate that you care enough to try.

[Rowan MacD]

     
   In my single days, after my first year in garb, I never attended faire with anyone, even if it meant I was going through that gate without an entourage.   Granted, it takes a certain amount of courage to go it alone but if one of your companions (or yourself) was sick, hot, cranky, etc.,  you were free to go without any drama or guilt; this is especially true if your companions have children.
   Now that I have married I no longer attend alone, but still only very rarely with family other than my spouse.  The few times we have brought family, we always had to leave early, which we hate doing.   

[Bob of the Lake]

     
   The few times we have brought family, we always had to leave early, which we hate doing.   

I'm with you there, Rowen. When I attend faire, I'm there from before the gate opens 'til they kick me out after the pub sing. Every time I've gone with people, they either don't want to "start so early" or they say they've had enough and want to leave before it's over.

So, without really making a conscious decision about it, I've started going by myself and making my own choices about where to go, what to see, etc. I'm happy to meet up with people there, I just don't make plans to go around together. For me, it works much better and I enjoy my time at faire a lot more.

[Merlin the Elder]

Oh yeah, I will also NEVER invite my mother along to Faire ever again!

I know what you mean... It would be my guess that the Black Plague would be more welcome at faire than my dear old mum! I love her dearly, but...