Messenger sends mail when chatting
 

Something has just happened with my, or my friends messenger. When we are
chatting if one of us is not on line then instead of storing the message
until we next open messenger or return to our PC's as it used to do it now
sends mail via hotmail. This is frustrating as I usually appear offline when
chatting to my friends as it stops other from butting in and then be offended
when I say i am busy. So I can now be in the middle of a conversation only to
recieve some mail only to find out that it from the friend I am chatting to!
Is there something that has changed or have one of us inadvertantly switched
something on to activate this?