My mums weird obsession and fierce loyalty to her favourite shop!!

[BossyPaws]

My mum has always had this weird fascination with whatever her favourite shop is at the time. So first one was Netto ...

Conversations would be like:

"Oh that sounds nice, did you get it in netto?"
Me: no, Tesco
"Oh, I don't like Tesco, I don't know why you won't shop in netto, don't you like it there?"
Me: "I've just never been in"
"Why? Why won't you try it? It's not all cheap stuff you know! I don't know why you don't try it!"

then she discovered Morrisons

"Have you ever bought these from Morrisons? They're lovely!"
Me: "no"
"Why? What's wrong with Morrisons?? Why won't you try it?"
Me: "there isn't one near me"
"Well we'll pick you up and take you!"
"No point, I have Tesco on the doorstep"
"Oh Tesco! I would never shop there, hate it, can't stand it, even if it was next door I wouldn't shop there! Morrisons is brilliant, shall we take you at weekend?"

Now it's Aldi ... constantly going on and on about Aldi, questioning everyone why they don't shop there, questioning other people's shopping decisions, insisting on trying Aldi produce, banging on and on about Aldi in every conversation :

Me: "I did that 5k race at weekend!"
Mum: "oh we went shopping, took your aunty Brenda but she won't go in Aldi, I don't know why, I told her ... " this went on for about 20 minutes.

A couple of days later
"Guess what! We went into town and Brenda and guess where she shopped?! Aldi!! Ha! I told her it was good stuff and she wouldn't have it! I said to her "I thought you didn't shop at Aldi!" Just goes to show doesn't it!!"

Ffs who cares!

She's also obsessed with other people showing loyalty to a certain shop -

"Did you get them in Tesco? Because that's where you shop isn't it? Do you like Tesco? You must do you always seem to be in there!"

Then I switched to ASDA and my god you would've thought I'd switched religion

"Asda??? You went to ASDA??? How come? Why not Tesco?? Have you fallen out with Tesco now? So do you only shop at Asda now?"

It's so frustrating because every fucking conversation is dominated by it. If I'm talking to her I can't mention that I popped into Morrisons/coop/Tesco (god forbid Tesco) as the conversation will change entirely to shops and where everyone she knows shops. I'm actually avoiding talking to her because of these frustrating obsessions.

My aunt said recently that she has always thought my mum was autistic but never diagnosed because of the times they grew up up - could she have a point?

It's frustrating but also mind boggling how obsessed she is about such menial things

^ I mean a moan about M&S, though we both shop there a fair bit

you have my sympathy as my mum is like this. It’s like Groundhog Day and my mums obsession isn’t a nice harmless one like ops mum

I recently think my mum has ASD ( since my child was diagnosed).

Mum - how are you? Me oh I’m worried about the my job, Mum - did I tell you about neighbors cat and my neighbor?
Every conversation for years
How is dh? Me - ah he run off with a nun, Mum - sorry to hear that, did I told you about neighbours cat? Neighbours behaviour?
Mum - how are the kids? Me ds May never talk. Mum - sorry to hear that. Did I tell you about the neighbours cat?

Unfortunately I can see this trait in me too and if I meet up with my sister I have to bite my tounge not to mention my kids Sen and schooling, as that’s my pet topic

I actually think this is hilariously sweet! Bless her

I was actually like this when I discovered Aldi . The prices have been hiked so much so in the last couple of years that I actually get cross shopping at Aldi now - you're no cheaper than Asda/Morrisons/Tesco!!! Aaargh, I'm at it again!

My Dad’s the same with ALDI. I don’t even live in a country that has ALDI and he still seems to try to convince me of it.
If he finds out someone shops at Waitrose he’s really disparaging about them and thinks they are ‘too dim’ to have noticed ALDI is far better for prices. It doesn’t occur to him that sometimes you might just go to the shop that’s convenient , near work etc.

My dad has started with this kind of thing since he retired! Mum's still working so I think he gets bored.

I appreciate that these conversations can be very dull, but have to admit that occasionally I find them quite comforting. I think it's because my grandmother was similarly obsessed and conversations around her dinner table would often revolve around such things as the audacity of x supermarket in changing the shape of their ice cream tubs - as if they had done it just to inconvenience her.