My mother and I communicate multiple times a day.

Her life is an open book.

If she is irregular, I know.

For the past 40 years, if my father had an aneurysm or she broke her arm or my grandmother was very ill, she didn’t want to bother me.

It has been a bone of contention.

I just don’t get it.

“I didn’t want to bother you”…The maid didn’t show up, a bad hair day, she lost $5 at canasta, Costco didn’t have hotdogs are reported in detail.

The important stuff is a covert operation.

So, this week we had another episode.

Wednesday at 2:20am, ADT called to alert me to the fact that the temperature had dropped drastically in my mom’s house in Connecticut.

I was concerned, but waited until 6am to call her.

She contacted the fuel company and her go to guy who has been servicing her home for years.

He headed to the house.

The housesitter was away on vacation and I told my mom I was on red alert to make my way to Connecticut with the keys.

She said that a friend had keys, no worries.

That evening I checked in on her and she told me everything was taken care of.

Please allow a brief digression…I am my mom’s CFO.

I do my due diligence and frequently check her accounts to make sure all is in order.

On Thursday, I happen to check her Visa bill balance and found a $267 charge to a locksmith.

I immediately queried it and then the ugly truth surfaced.

She didn’t want to bother me as her friend did not have both house keys.

The fuel guy went to the house and obviously could not gain entrance.

He broke the back window setting off the alarm and still could not enter because the top lock could not be unlocked from the inside without a key.

My mother than called a locksmith who drilled a hole and removed the top lock, but did not replace the lock for reasons too stupid to retell.

So now in 20 degree weather, the house has no back door window or top lock.

I finally get the truth out of her and because she didn’t want to bother me, I have spent two days dealing with the debacle, replacing locks and glass all to the tune of $800.

And she didn’t want to bother me.

Are you seeing a pattern?!

Please, don’t tell me that someone didn’t call or that Boys doesn’t have seafood salad or the club has bad service.

Keep me in the loop with the BIG stuff so I can make it all better without delay at a nominal fee.