Visitors coming tonight & OCD/Shattered already

[1954]

I am shattered already, I was shattered yesterday before and after our lunch out! Mind you I am always shattered both physically and emotionally now adays

We have very dear friends coming over to dinner tonight however the wife has OCD

Yesterday I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned the house like someone obsessed! Thankfully the wife with the OCD unusually apparently, does not mind if other houses are not spotless But I am so worried how she will cope with MIL's eating habits

Oh and the wee all over the bathroom floor

And the food all over the table, down her clothes, on the floor etc

I am going to have another manic cleaning day again.........Thankfully G is not working today so he will cook spaghetti bolognaise, which on reflection is probably the worst thing she can eat because she has started to eat 'continental' style with no knife and uses the left hand to act as the spoon. She sucks the spaghetti into her mouth-its gross to watch. At least we have a large dinning room table and will seat our visitors farthest away from her possible

I hope it will not mean it is the last time they come here as we are losing friends fast....

 

[di65]

I have visitors coming too..

Mine arrive tomorrow and are staying for a few days. I have had to 're-assemble' the living room after the painters finished (why do I leave things so late to get done?) and organise the spare room. The dish-washer has broken down, followed today by the vacuum cleaner. I dread what the third thing will be. As long as it's not my car, telly or computer, I can cope. My husband has lost his keys - maybe that counts. He has not had to use them since last January when he had his stroke and cannot remember where they are due to his Alzheimers. Normally I wouldn't worry, but they are the set of keys with all the spare truck keys and the door keys for work. We have had to sell the business due to his health problems, and the new owners (understandably) would like them. He swears black and blue he has never had a set of keys other than his car and house keys, so won't look for something which he doesn't believe exists. It's a lot of fun this Alzheimers - isn't it.
1954 - your friends should understand your household happenings. Have you sat down with them and explained your MIL's illness? I have found that honesty is the best policy, and our friends have been most understanding - on the whole.
Have a great time with your visitors

 

[Pross]

Let them see you warts and all. If they're friends they'll not mind. Give yourself a break. And I sympathies with the eating habits. PJ will no longer use a knife but struggles to shovel everything in with a fork. And he always makes a beeline for anything he likes the look of, never mind who else is at the table too. One roadie left? Not any more. Nice cake on the table? Lets hack a lump off that, never mind there's already a sandwich on his plate.
Good luck with the visit. Hope MIL doesn't cause you too much grief during it.
Pross x

 

[1954]

I think you are having a worse time than me! I really feel for you.

Friends have been told about her condition but I really don't think they know what they are letting themselves in for! I will explain when they get here everything we say MIL forgets in seconds and will explain eating habits as well

I hope you have a lovely weekend, if that is possible. How will you cope without the washing machine and vacuum cleaner AND no keys?

 

[di65]

thanks 1954

thankfully it is only his work keys. I can always wash dishes by hand (horrors) until the new one is installed (the old one was irreparable) and I bought a new vacuum cleaner. An expensive week all round, but made better a few minutes ago with the news of a new niece/nephew due later this year.

 

[1954]

di65

Glad all is not lost then! But you'll have loads of washing up to do with visitors. Maybe they will help you?? x

 

[di65]

could be a thought 1954, but

might have to test drive a few local restaurants

 

[meme]

I am shattered already, I was shattered yesterday before and after our lunch out! Mind you I am always shattered both physically and emotionally now adays

We have very dear friends coming over to dinner tonight however the wife has OCD

Yesterday I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned the house like someone obsessed! Thankfully the wife with the OCD unusually apparently, does not mind if other houses are not spotless But I am so worried how she will cope with MIL's eating habits

Oh and the wee all over the bathroom floor

And the food all over the table, down her clothes, on the floor etc

I am going to have another manic cleaning day again.........Thankfully G is not working today so he will cook spaghetti bolognaise, which on reflection is probably the worst thing she can eat because she has started to eat 'continental' style with no knife and uses the left hand to act as the spoon. She sucks the spaghetti into her mouth-its gross to watch. At least we have a large dinning room table and will seat our visitors farthest away from her possible

I hope it will not mean it is the last time they come here as we are losing friends fast....

who has the OCD???????.... it is hers not yours, stop ott cleaning and relax .......and she will be fine.

 

[end of my rope]

Just a suggestion

Use a different shaped pasta with the bolognaise sauce - it will taste as good and be a lot easier for everyone to eat. Also big paper napkins all round and with spares on the side might help to reduce the carnage!!!

I understand the manic cleaning on your part - I always wanted the house to look good because it allowed me to believe that we were coping, and demonstrated this to the outside world.

Whatever you do try to enjoy keeping company this evening.

Best of

eomr

 

[1954]

Our friends -the wife has OCD! Hard to relax. G has just manically cleaned the bathroom but MIL has just gone in he has to start all over again! I will not repeat what he said and it will not be the last time we have to clean before they come

 

[meme]

I understand wanting your home to be clean but not manically cleaning it to mirror your friends unrealistic standards due to her illness/OCD...for example if you had a friend who was an alcoholic would you get drunk to make her feel at home? of course not...

 

[1954]

Oh gosh I have never laughed so much.............

 

[Christin]

Hi. I agree that pasta spirals or something similar might be easier to manage, and would MIL find a spoon helpful, rather than a knife and fork? Also lots of bread to soak up sticky fingers. Just a suggestion.

Try to relax, you are meant to enjoy seeing friends

 

[1954]

Brilliant! One always gets an answer on this forum. I will do pasta spirals or something like that and will try to give MIL spoon but I am not sure how that will go down. I could say if she asks that all the forks and knives are dirty! May work??

 

[1954]

Evening went well

Thank you all for your suggestions and thoughts. The evening went well. We gave MIL only a spoon to eat her bolognaise and penne pasta and she never noticed we had a full set of cutlery! When she ate her side salad (with her fingers and she had coleslaw with it-ugh) I said oh mum did I forget to give you a knife and fork, I am so sorry. Gave her the cutlery and she ate with the fork and fingers!

She had wine with us and then got more and more animated! Started talking loads of rubbish and 'appeared' to join in our conversation which was about our religion-which I completely understand MIL does not agree with-but she spoke like she did!! She 'acted' like there was nothing absolutely nothing wrong with her. It was good but it made us look like liars again!

MIL went to be about 9pm and so we had time alone with our friends who I think had been expecting a demented woman but of course she rose to the occasion

Well all went well and thank you for all your kindness's. I told my friend who has OCD about the story about the alcoholic and she laughed and laughed

I think they will come again.........great!

xx

 

[Pross]

So pleased the evening went well. Amused by MILs behaviour! Just like having a child around isn't it, never know how they will act. Spirals and spoon seem to have saved the day!

 

[meme]

glad the evening went well... and you had a laugh