Is This A Little Weird?

[Clara Bow]

My mother in law famously doesn't cook unless forced at gunpoint. So going to her house for dinner usually means that we're going to have some frozen fair or we're going out to eat. Which is fine with me, I'm not there for the food, I'm there for the company. She always makes sure everyone has plenty to eat and drink and all's well.
We're going over there to have Christmas with them tonight and they're going to be going to a luncheon this afternoon before we get there. Fine. MIL called us about an hour ago and said "I didn't have time to go to the store, you guys just go by WalMart on your way here and pick up whatever you want and I'll pay you for it."  Ummmm...okay....
As background, we had not discussed having potluck or anything like that, I was not informed that I might be responsible for dinner. Had I known that I would have bought the neccessary and gone over there this afternoon while they were gone and cooked a decent meal...

[lolane]

Well, I would certainly agree that it's a little weird. But, I'm betting that your MIL didn't plan on having you pick something up... she probably thought she'd have more time to get something together but now realizes that she won't. So, her offer to pay you back is probably her way of making "ammends" over this.

[ZipTheWonder]

It's December 23rd.  How about you suggest she goes to Walmart today and you pay.

[Clara Bow]

I'm wearing my body armor and carrying my spear, believe me.

[Shoo]

Why do you have to go to WalMart?  Isn't there a regular grocery store in your area?

I'd gladly pay a little extra to NOT go to WalMart.  I haven't set foot in one of those stores since ... August, I think.

I do not miss it.

[Sandi Papaya]

That's more than a little weird, it's downright rude.

Isn't there someplace other than Wal-Mart where you all live where you could have pre-ordered a meal that all you had to do was heat up, like Publix or Safeway? Something like that?

Yeesh. If it wasn't for (some) family, I would love the holidays.

[MineralDiva]

I'd sincerely entertain the idea of saying, "Y'know Mom...rather than that...let's save ourselves the aggrivation and let someone else cook for us tonight!  Then we can come back to the house and relax, without having to worry about cleaning up.  I'll make reservations at X restaurant.  Is 8:00 okay?  Or would you prefer 7:30?"

[IndianInlaw]

Pizza!

[Balletmom]

Hunan Garden!

Dibs on the crab puffs.

[Lisbeth]

If I were told to go to the store and buy my own meal, I would have said, "I'm sorry, but I'm not going to have the time to stop anywhere along the way.  Why don't we meet at a restaurant instead?"

As long as chocolate's available, the sky's the limit!

[Clara Bow]

Weeelll, we live in podunk and there's really nowhere decent to go eat that doesn't require a long drive. I went and bought the lasagna and got in and out very quick, thank God. I think it was rude too...but what can you do? I don't think that it will happen again, I hope!