The fear is gone

My parents are coming in tomorrow, all 162 years of them. Daunting on a good day, catastrophic when I'm not feeling it, and it would be a latter day for me.
Usually I have hope for a pleasant and rewarding visit. Not so much this time, I've become a shadow of my optimistic self. All of that can change in an instant, perhaps a little caffeine or a nice sugar buzz. But, without much cooperation or enthusiasm from the fellas, the next week is most likely going to be a trial.
The bright side of our spring break is that my nephew is coming as well. He will, unbeknownst to him, provide a foil for the usual routine of a massive build up of tension and a huge blow up to follow. With his presence, the dynamic isn't there to provide for the basics that usually make for a fun romp, and without those tools My Mom might actually just be able to make it unpleasant rather then the usual tragicom program she takes on the road.