Good observations. Situation with “friends” for us is about
the same as you describe. (In fact, you may possibly be more
of a social butterfly than we are.) :o)
We always showed hospitality when anyone came to visit us;
but we were never the people who threw big parties. In fact,
the few times when we have had husband’s college “friends”
over, the wife of one of them flatly informed me that “she”
did not keep house for company, the top of her fridge was
loaded down with junk & blah, blah. So, husband kept
inviting them over anyway & inviting, & inviting until he
finally just quit and solved it (for a while) by having
lunch in town with the college buddy. I had informed him
of her expressed attitude; but I don’t reckon he believed
me. We recently met them for lunch in town and that was
OK. - Husband started up again, mentioning for them to
come out to our place sometime. (No response from either
of them.) - Then he started on me after that about “having
them out”. I just flat told him pretty much to quit
beating that drum. I’m old and all disgusted with it; with
her to be honest. I understand his feelings about an old
friend and wanting to be hospitable to him; but this
situation is NOT my fault. I’ve gone the extra mile.
Oh well. This “society” is all buggered up. I’m old and
on my way out before too many more years anyway; so I’ve
set my sights on what is real. - We live in the boonies
(which may well be invaded by the jihadists if Hussein has
his way); but if our “keep out” signs don’t stop them,
perhaps my great-great grandpas old Smith & Wesson might
just do if my Netanyahu doggie doesn’t get their attention!
No matter, I have what I need in the morning and can resume the project at hand, and it gets put away when I am done.
I have never been an 'entertainer' per se (although no one leaves hungry or thirsty unless of their own volition), and really have little patience with the hobnobbers who only live to impress each other with how trendy or chic they are.
I'd rather spend my money on decent coffee than fancy cups.
To each their own, but I don't play the game.
I drive older vehicles (they are cheaper and paid for and get the job done).
Those I consider real friends are people I have known for decades. We have been involved in projects at one time or another, some successful, some not so much, but all of which leave us with a few good shared stories, which in the end is about all you have left after a few years.
We don't live in the boonies, quite, by North Dakota standards, but all of North Dakota except for a couple of dots on the map is 'the boonies' to most Americans. I like it that way, and fastidiously avoid places where distances are measured in minutes and not miles, unless the two are either roughly equal or part of the trip is on gravel roads.
Society is a mess, and even here, where I once thought people would all pull together and survive, I am now not sure that would be the case at all.
Maybe I am just seeing better with older eyes, maybe things have changed, or maybe it is a little of both.
I see a new generation with horribly shallow ideas who would walk through mudholes while thumbing their phones and never notice and I seriously wonder how much longer this nation will withstand the likes of the jihadis and the liberals. The picture isn't pretty.
I have my grandpa's shotgun, but Dad's old rifle is better, and I have added a few of my own to the herd. Wheel guns are fine (although I admittedly prefer semi-autos), but a good rifle has no substitute.