I don’t want to attend SD’s birthday celebration

I have been married less than a year. My oldest SD turns 18 this weekend. I had originally suggested that she invite some friends over and we would throw a pizza party for her at the house.

That way, I could interact with the kids a little off and on, and then go outside and work in my flower garden or go in the basement and do some laundry. I think you get the picture. It would kind of ease the awkwardness, you know?

Now that plan has been nixed. DH has instead planned a day participating in a certain activity (I’ll call it hiking) that he is obsessed with and she also enjoys to some extent. She is inviting a couple of her friends and making a day of it.

I don’t care all that much for this activity, but I do accompany my husband sometimes. DH clearly expects me to come along and have a “wonderful” time with them.

I do not, however, want to spend the day with my selfish, entitled, ungrateful SD and her friends, without being able to get away from them for even a minute. She probably isn’t as bad as some of the nightmare skids featured on this site, but I really just do not enjoy her company. Our interactions are usually pleasant but brief and reserved, and I like it that way.

I am still baking her a nice birthday cake, and I helped DH pick out her gift, so it’s not like I am totally uninterested in this milestone birthday.

I think my DH has decided that we should “bond” in some way, and I think he believes accompanying all of them on this excursion will be a step in that direction.

Frankly, I’d rather be eviscerated with a dull deer antler.

Am I really the heartless, cruel monster that I will be made to feel like if I decline to go on this outing?