{Friendship Friday} Have you ever disappointed a friend?

Two things happened recently that I want to tell you about.

1. A few weeks ago I had a lunch date with my one friend.

It was adjacent to a meeting which I knew but then forgot about.

Also we have a rule with the New Boss that we can't check ipads and cell phones in the meeting. I agree because it is disrespectful (do you agree?) but the problem is we NEVER finish meetings on time. Ever.

And that's why I used to check my iPad.

Anyway, you can guess what happened.

The meeting ran late, I didn't even realise because it was interesting at that point, and when it was wrapping up, I happened to glance at my watch, see that it was 1:17 and I flipped open my iPad.

There was a message from Reception. "Marcia, your friend N was here for you but since we couldn't get hold of you, she eventually left".

I FLEW out of the meeting room punching her number into my phone.

She was lovely (as always) and very gracious and didn't appear to be cross. But she was nearly home again and understandably didn't really want to come all the way back to our offices.

(Gosh, I'm again gettting a headache just thinking about this!)

I felt terrible. Terrible.

I know what a drama it is for her to arrange for the au pair to come babysit her boys so she can visit me and I stood her up.

I actually blocked this whole business out of my mind for a few days and she even told me to just let it go because it was emotionally draining me. True.

We've since had our replacement lunch date and things felt genuinely fine with us so all is well.

Also, since then, I'm super-sensitive to the timing thing and respectful or not, I'm checking my iPad to see if there are other meetings!!!

(My boss said sorry for running over... especially since she could see how mortified I was!)

these two have discovered my camera. They told me they want cameras for their birthday. On the one hand this thrills me but 3 paparazzi? :)

2. Last weekend a blog friend came to stay over at our place.

You know how crazy my life's been working full-time, coming home and doing supper and kids, and then some more work on the book til midnight every night.

On the Thursday before I was still working til all hours to get the book ready for its Friday launch (do you have your copy yet? :)).

But that was okay because I thought I'd have at least 1 - 1.5 hours to ready the place for my friend's arrival on the Friday after I got home from work.

And then D had the bumper bashing and my transport arrangements were all stuffed up.

Bottom line, all 3 of us arrived home just after 7.

No nicely-laid-out towels, no nice welcome note, no nice supper, no computer moved to my bedroom, and a very frazzled Marcia because we were late for the nanny and the kids' bedtime routine (reading, prayers, etc).

I try but I'm not a go with the flow person when there are too many things that need flowing :)

And that's kind of how the whole weekend went.

I felt scattered the whole time, like no-one was getting the right amount of me - not my friend, not D, not me and certainly not my kids.

I had some other plans too which would have been fine if D had his car but because we're sharing transport, I was doing everything as if on speed to get back home so he could go shopping, etc. UGH.

And my friend mentioned some food she doesn't eat which I don't even remember her saying and of course, the stuff I get? Yes, what she doesn't eat. OY!

On Sunday after I woke from my lovely nap with the kids, I remembered at least two things my friend and I were going to do (craft stuff, etc) and I honestly forgot about them. Everything slipped my mind and I felt terrible. How could I just forget things?

I considered just ignoring all this stuff but that's not really my style so I told my friend on Monday about some (most) of this stuff.

And we are good again too. The good thing about all this stuff was that she was just as I'd imagined if a little quieter when with others :) and we just settled right into being real life friends instead of only blog friends.

But really, this curveball stuff needs to stop.

So, over to you.

Have you ever disappointed a friend?

How do you deal with it? Is it easy for you to let go or do you feel terrible like I do til you "have it out"?