I have a friend....not close, so probably more of an acquaintance, who has the knack of making me feel somehow inferior. My own self esteem issues I know, but it doesn't make for comfortable meetings. She eschews all modern appliances which would make life easier, won't use central heating unless it's practically sub zero, eats so frugally that a fruit yoghurt is a treat, wears jumpers so old that they're all bobbly ran her last ancient car until it fell to bits and apart from a haircut spends nothing on herself. She is widowed, owns her own house and is reasonably comfortable financially, she's certainly not as strapped for cash as her lifestyle would indicate. It's her choice how she lives her life although her children are concerned about the lack of heat and certain of her eating habits, but it's started to affect the fabric if her house with damp and condensation. She looks at you pityingly if you suggest a tumble drier to help with the condensation issues and won't believe you when you point out that an A rated machine only costs around 30p per hour. She knows differently. I always end up feeling over dressed and uncomfortable because I take pride in my nails and have them done regularly, sort of cheap because I dye my hair, I'm not dressed extravagantly, jeggings and tunic top,(supermarket best) but I almost feel like a gypsy bride as she looks at me. And as for my Pandora bracelet....I'm practically hiding it up my sleeve, but it was a gift and so were all the charms so it's a meaningful thing for me. Not just a piece of cheap jewellery which is how she makes me feel about it. It's hard to describe how she does it...an attitude, an eyebrow raise, slightly supercilious look and the odd remark such as 'oh I wouldn't know about that' with the implication being that it's beneath her. Do others know people like this and how do you deal with them?
. It was almost a relief when my marriage broke up and I fell on hard'ish times.
(in the absence of a vacuum cleaner emoti)
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