I couldnt quite put my finger on where all the food my wife cooked was vanishing to. Then, my mother-in-law let the truth slip.
At first, I was quite chuffed to have my mother-in-law staying with usit really was a huge help. Our sons health is a bit iffy, so we decided not to send him to nursery. My wife asked her mum to look after our little lad.
Barbara (thats her name) agreed, but only if she could come to ours each day rather than move in. She likes her peace and quiet at home, as youd expect.
Sometimes, were tied up with things in the evening, or fancy going out for a change, so we rope in the neighbour to help, and Barbara toddles back to her house to put her feet up. Last thing we want is to wear her out even more.
At first, all was tickety-boo. Wed rush back home, and our boy would be clean, well-fed, and grinning. Then, suddenly, Barbara stopped waiting for usoff shed go before we even got in.
My wife always whips up suppers in bulk. And every month, we hand Barbara a little envelope stuffed with cashbit of a thank you for taking time out to help us with childcare.
But heres the mystery: my wifes lovingly prepared meals kept vanishing. Barbara barely eats a thing, and as for my sonhe eats like a sparrow. So I plucked up the courage and asked Barbara about it. She told me, all casual-like, that my father-in-law, George, pops round in the afternoons. She gives him something to eat, as she cant be bothered to cook of an evening. So George ends up tucking into our food, rather comfortably, at our house.
Well, I was left rather speechless. Barbara heads back to her own home in the eveningsurely its not that hard to cobble together a quick dinner? George could pop by once a week for tea, but every single day?
The trouble is, theres barely enough left for our own supper these days. My wife stays silent, but Ive done the mathsit would almost be cheaper to hire a proper nanny.
Frankly, Im not exactly chuffed with Barbara and Georges arrangement. My wife keeps telling me to keep mum. But I have to ask: do they not realise we need to mind our pennies as well? We pay Barbara for the childcare, and yet theyre still happily polishing off our groceries. Has anyone else ended up in this sort of pickle?
