Veg nasi goreng

This morning mum decided to wash her hair. She went into the bathroom, turned on the water, and immediately started yelling and swearing. She stormed out of the bathroom, crying, throwing things, and slamming drawers.

The world wasn’t ending: the shower hose had just slipped and sprayed water over her, leaving her with wet jeans and slippers. Only a promise to immediately launder her wet jeans, and to later buy her a new pair, calmed her enough for the day to continue.

Which it did with mum in the kitchen, doing the washing up, then a cry of “oh no, look, I don’t know what to do, can anyone fix this?” had me running (or as close as I can get to running) to the kitchen, expecting another expensive disaster. All it was, was the water in the sink draining a little slowly. The promise that I would buy something to clear the pipe solved that little drama.

For the rest of the day, mum has been in and out of my room like a forgetful cuckoo, bringing drama with her every time: is the garden arch going to blow over? What if it rains when Lady Friday comes tomorrow? Wait – Lady Friday is coming tomorrow? Why didn’t I tell her before? What is she going to wear as her favourite jeans are soaking wet?

This afternoon our groceries arrive, including the fish fingers mum saw advertised and specifically asked me to get. She saw them and said “urgh, I hate fish fingers”. I may have been a little less than patient in reminding her that I only bought them at her specific request.

Tomorrow I will cook and serve them, without comment, and mum can take or leave them. Or that’s my plan: I suspect much more fuss and arguing will turn out to be involved in reality.

For dinner this evening I cooked a Simply Cook nasi goreng, which mum has previously eaten and enjoyed, which of course tonight meant that she complained it was “too spicy” and “not a flavour I enjoy”. She finished her portion, though, so she can’t have disliked the flavour that much.

And so we are done for the day. I haven’t yet ordered mum more jeans, and am hoping she has forgotten. I am also hoping we will get through to bedtime with no more drama. Wish me luck, please, everyone.