Miss Manners: She won’t shut up about how blessed she is, and I dread talking to her

DEAR MISS MANNERS I have a family member who has done well for herself She and her partner are in their early s and never had kids They have a massive oceanfront home and tour extensively and she mentions it in every conversation Related Articles Miss Manners We were yelled at in a Paris opera house Were we in the wrong Miss Manners Another mother chided me for group-texting a cute photo Was I wrong Miss Manners Can a guest reprimand a dog in its own house Miss Manners Her joke about dodging the check turned out not so funny Miss Manners My fun party challenge went off the rails when my guest was arrested No matter what the topic is there s usually a mention of the price of her home car and other belongings including whatever she s wearing the cost of their latest trip and their salaries Even just a text wishing her a happy birthday is met with a photo of her oceanfront view and talk of how fortunate she is to have such a wonderful home partner and career Another family member who is financially at ease but not wealthy has gently teased her about this bragging and she just says she s proud of all she s achieved I ve had specific fresh career and financial setbacks and it s to the point where I dread talking to her Is there a polite way to get her to stop talking about how much money she has GENTLE READER Memorize this phrase and repeat it after every brag How nice for you For chosen reason Miss Manners finds the emphasis on for to be effective along with the repetition DEAR MISS MANNERS A very long time ago my husband and I were invited to dinner at a restaurant by a colleague of his I had not met the colleague or his wife prior to the dinner The men promised they wouldn t talk shop but they did throughout the entire meal There was no inclusion of us women I tried to initiate a conversation with the wife and she shut me down right away with something along the lines of I d rather listen to what the men are talking about Gobsmacked I just shrank back in the seat and ate my dinner As my husband and I were leaving I recounted him what had happened and he rightfully commented that we d never do that again I should have gotten over this by now but I fantasize about having left the table in specific way What should I have done I didn t want to be rude myself GENTLE READER Are you talking about a very very long time ago Because Miss Manners remembers those days when wives if invited at all were treated as table decorations to be talked around But didn t we have a triumphant rebellion against that Apparently not triumphant enough if it is now a wife who treats her guest like that She need only have reported apologetically Sorry I m listening to them There is no need for you to fantasize about reacting effectively and yet not rudely because you already did first by your silence and then by your and your husband s resolving never to socialize with them again Related Articles Dear Abby He knows it s shady but he won t stop ogling young women Asking Eric Is this enough reason to violate my son s no-contact request Harriette Cole How can I teach this crooked mechanic a lesson Miss Manners We were yelled at in a Paris opera house Were we in the wrong Dear Abby I m angry that my supermarket has this new rule DEAR MISS MANNERS I had a quick cough just a tickle Do I have to apologize to the people around me I didn t do it intentionally Same with a sneeze I could maybe give an excuse me but I ve heard people say Oh I m so sorry I apologize GENTLE READER The preferred report is now It s not COVID Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website www missmanners com to her email gentlereader missmanners com or through postal mail to Miss Manners Andrews McMeel Syndication Walnut St Kansas City MO