Ugh Families and Guilt! (kinda long sorry)

My parents are divorced and my father is remarried. I have two much younger step-sisters from this marriage (17 and 14). I was told on Sunday when we were at my father's house in Port Jeff that they were having a bday party for the 17 year old this coming Sunday in Pt. Jeff at 5:00 in the afternoon. It seems like a big deal, it's at the village community center, DJ.. the whole nine yards ( if you ask me, as I didn't even have a sweet 16 or anything big at that age, but whatever)

DH and I live in NJ, on a good day with no traffic it takes just over an hour and a half to get to my father. But when has there never been traffic on the LIE? And with it being summer, it could take twice as long to get home (it took us 3 hours Sunday night!). So I told my father, that #1, I was annoyed nobody mentioned this to us earlier when apparently, invitations were mailed out and never sent to us and #2, it's a Sunday night in the summer, and it's just too far to schlep all the way out there for a 17 year olds Bday party. It's not like it's a HS graduation, or her sweet 16, or Bat Mitzvah.

So, now about 10 minutes ago, my father calls me at work and tells me how disappointed he is in us that we can't make the effort to drive out to Pt. Jeff for her Bday (which was a month and a half ago already). He's good at giving the guilt too. So he tells me, that we should come even if it's for an hour. EXCUSE ME... I should drive almost 2 hours to come for an hour??? Monday is a work day, DH and I have a wedding early Saturday morning (which my father and step mother will be at), which leaves just Sunday to do my weekend errands/chores.

If I was to plan something family related on a Sunday night, but father would be the first to bi@th and moan about it.

Am I wrong to be annoyed? I'm not even that close with my step sisters because of the huge age difference (I'm 21 years older than the youngest one)

Thanks for letting me vent.

Re: Ugh Families and Guilt! (kinda long sorry)

I would be annoyed about the late notice but I would go. JMO, travelling and traffic is part of what you have to deal with for family.

Re: Ugh Families and Guilt! (kinda long sorry)

Let him try and guilt you all he wants. I wouldn't want to schlep there either.

Re: Ugh Families and Guilt! (kinda long sorry)

I would be pi$$ed that you didn't find out earlier. I'm not a fan of the last minute invites when people expect you to drop what you are doing and run.

I don't have any advice really on what you should do. It is a long drive for you to be out there for such a short period of time. Maybe go there earlier so that you can leave earlier?