Tongue in cheek

My brother and I interacted quite a bit this Christmas. We had to look after mum and we tried to coordinate things in such a way we would make the best arrangements for everybody.My brother is alot like mum. I used to think so but never realized the similarities were uncanny! He was a pragmatic man and believed in being a good steward, whether it came down to his time, finances,or filial piety. My brother is undoubtedbly big hearted. He told me how wise grandma was and the things she said taught him plenty. Grandma had gone through alot and even at this age was competent and independent. My brother admired granny and told me to cherish these days with her because she was so dear. And I do cherish granny. But somehow the guilt trip comes flying back when I see just how meticulous bro is in making sure granny was fine. Even though I call her and talk to her and meet her occasionally, it seems pretty clear to me that there will never be enough time spent with a person u love so much.

It isn't that easy taking care of mum. Although God has given me joy and strength now more so than ever, the human part of us is always a test of our beliefs. Mum has been grumpy of late and the perfectionsit streak in her would rail out at me or any convenient erm, ME? That's right, it's just me around here since mum is really unable to rail at anyone. And by the time my brother finishes work, mum would have been too tired after a long day of railing at me. Haha, just kidding.

She's difficult but sometimes quite adorably difficult.

You see, if you had a daughter as eccentric as me, you'd feel pretty nutty yourself. Mum was VERY concerned to know if I had been a good housekeeper and made sure the house was in decent order. Correction. Made sure the house was in pristine condition and every dna of a germ should be engaged in a brutal holocaust. Thing is after going day in day out to the hospital, I could only do so much after returning home at midnight before I crash inevitably onto my bed. Mum went into flames when she thought about how I must have been downgrading her standards at housekeeping. Her imagination became bigger and bigger until she started to see spaceships and saucers around me and I became the enemy. Aliens yes.Me. Aye.

I joked and teased her about her obsessive compulsive ways and whenever she asked me if the house was in mint condition, I would not flinch but answer No, in a matter of factly way.

" It's hoorendous. Spaceship has landed in our kitchen, there are flying saucers, yes,those big ones and the ones we have on our cup. Garbage is everywhere, I plan to harvest the biggest army of ant nests and rear a rare species of cockroaches from my ambitious apparatus-es"

She gave me this wide opened mouth sort of gape and I winked.

"Just don't worry old woman! Oops I mean dear mama."

And then I continued to tell her how I was planning to massacre her entire kitchen. Later I realized mum was starting to chuckle alot more because she either gave in and surrendered to my obnoxiously insane ways or she really realized I could not hold a decent conversation leaving the sacarsm out.

Couldn't help it. I guess I am the sort of annoying person you want to smack with a huge mosquito bat now and then when I become too acidic because of the womanly yoke I suffer every month. According to popular belief, my system may be slightly special. PMS may truly be a daily festival for me. JUST KIDDING! :)

I meant to say, I enjoy spending this period interacting with mum more and also working in sync with my brother to make our mother feel better. Fortunately there is a God above that gives me a little poke now and then to make sure I am always positive and that none of my comments are ever menacing. It's all good to me even if I am the no-claw girl with a cheeky twist. I know God is in control.