oldbatty, she is coming up for the day on Thursday to take us out for lunch. It would have been nice to have her stay until the meal on Saturday and go home Sunday. She had told me that she would be staying for 2 or 3 nights, so it was a bit of a shock, when I sent out final details, confirming dates and times etc, to have her come back and say she wouldn't be staying at all. I think it was this change of mind that so upset me.
As I said, I am so used to her behaving like this, I just thought she might have made the effort for this special occasion. 50th wedding anniversaries only occur once in a lifetime.
eazybee there is no chance at all of any feud growing up between us. As a family, we do not fall out, no matter what the provocation - and she has form. I am very fond of her, but long ago realised that the relationship has to very much be run on her terms. I do not take umbrage, but at times her behaviour can upset me. This is one of them.
justnoneed, She knows 11 of the 14 people in the party. 7 are family, I know she gets on with all of them because they all communicate constantly on Facebook.
As janeainsworth said, how often you see someone is no guide to closeness. We were brought up in any army family travelling the world, going to boarding school, but we remained a close family.