A person after my own heart. I, too am an extremely private person and loathe gossip or idle chat about myself, my family or anything to do with me and my life.
Any dating within my family stsys private until there is a mazal tov, likewise with regards to any other ‘news’ people feel we should share.
Keep your dignity and just continue as you are. People will get the message or when you are approached or reproached by someone just stand firm and say something along the lines of, “Sorry we didn’t tell /discuss this with you, but you know what we are like; we don’t discuss anything with anyone. Please don’t take offence.” Don’t elaborate. If you keep it short and polite no-one will be offended.
By the way rgarding dating, I do not like it when guys and girls gossip about who’s dating who and who they are going out with / went out with. Dating is private and should be kept that way. I now await an avalanche of people who will disagree with me.
Ditto regarding the purchase of a house or renting it out. Why should you discuss your private affairs with people? This is pure ‘yentarei’.