OH I COULD JUST SCREAM.

[conuly]

Two weeks ago...

Me: Hey, Mommy... the little account is short on cash, you might want to put more in.
Mommy: Did you check the savings?
Me: Yeah, it's out. You put the money directly into checking, and there's not much left. I do the groceries out of this cash, so....

10 days ago....

Mommy: Can you pick up these over-the-counter things at the store?
Me: I guess, but I'm pretty much out of cash in the little account....
Mommy: Oh, well, if you go over it goes into credit.
Me: Okay....

A week ago...

Me: I have to do some grocery shopping, get food for the week. For, uh, all of us. I'm really out of cash. There's none left.
Mommy: Well, just do what you have to do.

Today...

Mommy: Connie! You overdrew the account! How did this happen?
Me: Well....
Mommy: Clearly you have to communicate better and keep better track of how much money is in there!
Me: WTF?

I actually DID scream at her for a while then, but, unsurprisingly, she didn't listen. "I'm not upset that you overdrew, I know you were buying groceries, but you have to let me know!!!"

What's really annoying is that this is an *exact repeat* of a conversation we had over the same two week period about some of Bonne-maman's over-the-counter medicines, a vitamin I couldn't find at our local drugstore that I'd wanted my mother to pick up at Duane Reade. When my mother finally opened the bottle and realized, wow, there's none left! she bitched at me. "You never told me about this!" Actually, mom, I told you and emailed you. Repeatedly. It's just that nobody listens.

Comments

[rhicat.livejournal.com]

Is it something in the water? Because I went through something very similar with my own mother this week.

[conuly]

I'm just glad we're currently separated by the bay. I wanted to throw shit out windows. (Which would finally get her back for the time she tossed my My Little Ponies in the street, I guess.)

[leora.livejournal.com]

I went through something similar the day before I had a bunch of friends over to the house. I told my partner that the gathering planned for tomorrow was turning into more of a shindig. He said, we're having a gathering? Why didn't you give me more notice? And I said, I did, and I told you that I had the last time you asked me why I hadn't told you before this and we had this conversation. Fortunately, it wasn't as annoying or problematic. But I was a bit frustrated.

The only real conclusion I can come to is that people are annoying and imperfect creatures. But I can't find a way to fix that.

[pne.livejournal.com]

Email is good because you have a paper trail. Print it out and show her the dates where you told her about it.

[conuly]

Aside from the fact that I don't have a printer, that wouldn't work. She'd just say she didn't remember it and say "so that means it didn't happen", a quote from well over a decade and a half ago when I was a child.

Sometimes I hate my mom.

[conuly]

That said, when was the last time, if ever, she was checked for Alzheimer's?

Oh, she used to be worse in any number of subtle and infuriating ways. I don't think she's going senile. In this case, I even understand it - she's just spent two months being overworked at work, working 12+ hour days and barely having a chance to breathe. It happens.

But I'm still pissed.

[ksol1460.livejournal.com]

We went through this with our mother, we don't know if she was sick or having senior moments. Wheeeee.