Heated Atmosphere - Must be Party Fever

We've all worked really, really hard this last couple of days getting ready for Emily's Egyptian party tomorrow. The room's all decorated now and just about everything else is done too, apart from some food preparation tomorrow. It's a theme party, with a narrative to follow and lots of games and activities, so there's been a great deal to do. Might be the last party for some considerable time - I'm shattered!

Unfortunately, not everybody is getting into the spirit of things :-( Today I've shouted, for only the second time in ten years, at Jon's father. You see, the house is in disarray at the moment, as we've had to move furniture out of the party room and the kitchen has been taken up with baking and so on. Everyone has taken it in good spirits and everyone has been really helpful to me - except for Jon's father, who has muttered, moaned, tutted and groaned non stop.

The final straw for me was when he came steaming into the utility room bit of our house, where some of the furniture from the party room has been put, huffing and puffing and looking annoyed. I asked him what he was looking for. He told me in an extremely whiny tone of voice that he wanted a frying pan and was fed up of not being able to move around (???) or get to anything (???). Getting to the frying pan involved leaning over a chair to unhook it from its hook instead of just unhooking it from its hook. Big deal. I handed him the frying pan, lost my temper, said a few choice words in a raised voice and stormed off. I'm sick to death of his attitude. The furniture move has been chaotic, yes, but no particular inconvenience to him personally. He's apparently annoyed that we're having a party in the first place because of "them bloody kids making a racket". Charming. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, given his attitude over Christmas and over Emily's real birthday, which he just couldn't be bothered with. He's annoyed every time one of Emily's friends comes round to play in any case, let alone all of them at once.

But this is a birthday party for Emily. It really isn't about him, it's about Emily. She's very hurt at being made to feel that she's an inconvenience, which makes me more furious than I can possibly explain. Everything in my father in law's world has to revolve around HIM. He's incapable of thinking of anyone else. He has got to be the most selfish person I ever hope to meet. Surely he can see that his attitude is hurtful to me and to Jon? Well, perhaps that's why he's doing it. But can't he see it's hurtful to Emily too? Does he really not care?

Anyway. I've had enough. So. He's now in a furious sulk, not speaking to anyone. I'm sure we'll all pay for my spoken-in-anger words of truth, a hundred times over. But for heaven's sake - WHAT is his problem???

I'm hoping for a happier day tomorrow and trying very hard not to let someone else's issues spoil Emily's day and waste all the effort we've put in. Sometimes, i just seethe.