Don't mention the GUESTS!!!!

Made a mistake today..

Like British comedy hero Basil Fawlty's "Don't mention the war"...I should have known better than to mention "guests" to Okaasan.

Casually as I prepped Okaasan's lunchtime I first mentioned them. As in: sorry I am not eating lunch with you because I have German guests arriving at the station and I'll eat with them maybe.
Just getting back into Couch Surfing again after a long absence.

Okaasan fussed a bit about me cooking her lunch when I should be going to meet my guests..and I reassured her that they hadn't arrived yet.
Later, while she dozed in front of the Tv for the afternoon I went to welcome the young Germans and their huge backpacks. Took them to the classroom...showed them shower and bed things. Left them to recover from 20 hours of flying.

At home Okaasan was stressing.
The guests. Should I tidy my room? Are they coming here? Is this blouse ok?
On and on and on and on.

However many times I said: you won't meet them. They are staying in my classroom. They are asleep. They won't come here. Don't worry. Don't worry. They won't come here. Don't worry.

She did. Worried about her room, the kitchen, her clothes.

Got ready to go out - still worrying. Will the guests come into my room?

Came home late: but the guests are still here? Are they here? Is there dinner?

So tiring. I didn't snap at her. I was good. But it was endless.

"Guests" = Major Stress.

I should never have mentioned them.

* on a positive note. Okaasan had a bath and I gave her my nail clippers and showed her how to clip her talons...really really long finger nails. She has also had a hair cut.

All ready to celebrate her 84th birthday next week :-)