Jolly But Firm

[poliphilo]

My mother resists getting up in the morning- like a sulky kid- and who can blame her? But letting her stay in bed would be tantamount to saying, "OK, you can die now"- and it's not in our unwritten contract to let that happen. When she started with the attitude- about a year ago- I reacted with anger (a sure sign of feeling out of control) but now I get jolly.

Jolly but firm.

All those tough, no-nonsense nannies and matrons and nursing sisters of yore: I know exactly where they were coming from.