Mother's Day Went OK

Collected my mother on Friday afternoon and invited her to participate in trouble shooting 'inhouse tensions' between my youngest daughter and I. My mother did what I could have expected of her - began attending to the washing machine as an avoidance tactic and when that wasn't working she sat down at the kitchen table and said nothing, smiling politely and nodding in whatever she assumed to be all the right places. My older daughter joined us for a short while and offered a good deal more proactive and helpful input.

Meanwhile, my support worker contributed the most wonderful suggestion of all - that he find a full day in which to help me to get the makings of a working office established in the back room to take that task of the never ending waiting list of priorities.

Hurrah!!!! This gesture has raised my spirits hugely and in itself provided the kind of lift I needed to face the rest of the weekend in good cheer.

Saturday consisted in good part of trips to supermarkets, Lidl and Sainsbury's - my mother's excellent plan was to fill my cupboards, freezer and fridge to bursting and she pretty much succeeded. This done it was a clear privilege and pleasure on my part to take the whole family out for a meal in the evening - the more so since I had a discount card that deducted £25 off the already cheap bill. Instead of Mother's Day costing me a fortune it turned out to be a positive money saver. I did, however by the mater a pair of silver earrings that suited her very well and were from a jewellery shop rather than from Tesco or etc., I think she appreciated the gesture - I know I appreciated her shopping..

My mother did something else to please me over the weekend. It's something she does during her every visit. However, usually I choose to take offence, get defensive and accuse her of trying to make me feel bad about myself by doing my work for me. It is the sorting and folding and putting away of clean washing. Bless her heart, she also washed all of my daughter's clothes back from University, three weeks worth of stuff lovingly saved up for the visit. By the time she left this afternoon all of the build up of clean washing was sorted and put away; the kitchen floor was thoroughly swept and we had all had an excellent sunday roast dinner, courtesy mainly of my cooking and her shopping.

I wasn't unpleasant, as far as I recall, for the entire weekend! I confess I did commit the unpopular offence of incorporating some hours yesterday devoted to my own pleasure, pleasure that included resort to the karoake machine and my favourite companion between noon and eight. It was unfavourably remarked on by the family but worked remarkably well for me - and for them since either side of it the constant ridicule and insults were on their part offered in a light spirit and on mine received with equal good grace and humour.

And now for the revised recovery plan. The quit smoking plan as stage one isn't working. So I'm going to try another tack. My plan this week is to rise at 6.30 every week day and to spend til then until 9am on my own appearance, breakfast and on the appearance of order in the house, including some preparations for the office conversion room. To support this I shall find my diary this evening and I shall set out a morning routine to support the changes I plan to make.

Watch this space if you can find it in your heart to do so, and send in any ideas and comments if you can find any time for it, thanks.

Let's see how that goes.