Managing your parents

I went to see my Mom today.  This is not unusual, I go see her every week.  What made today just the slightest bit different was that my sister called yesterday evening and informed me that our 'Mom' wanted me to shovel the snow off of her driveway, her car, and her sidewalk.  My Mom is 81 years old so we tend to monitor where and when she drives.  This is not the kind of weather we want her driving in, gusty wind blown snow.  Anyway, I was about 5 minutes into my visit when she told me what I needed to do.  Mind you, she didn't ask.  My Mom will ask on occasion, but mostly she just says "I want you to do" what ever it is she wants you to do.  When the removal of her snow came up today I simply said "no."

This is my Mom and her very fat cat named... Kitty Cat

It's not that I'm being mean, I'm just managing her.  You see she pays this landscaper, named Ed, quite handsomely.  He fertilizes the lawn in the spring, mows it all summer, cleans away the leaves in the fall, and, most important, takes care of her snow removal in the winter.  He does a very good job, too.  Of course, she was a bit miffed, believe me, I'm used to it.  You see she wanted it done now.  As my brother says, "she likes to be dotted upon" in a very major way, meaning she likes to give orders and have you obey.  Neither my sister, my brother, nor I do, however I do seem to be the only one who says "no."  When ever she tries to button hole either one of them into doing something, some how, the responsibility always seems to come rest with me.  And, most of the time, I just say "no."  Why?  Because if you do not learn to manage your parents, they will quite often always try to mange you.

Oh, and in case your wondering, about 20 minutes into my visit Ed arrived to do what she pays him, quite handsomely I might add, to take care of her snow removal.