Ian J Cottee wrote:


> I am absolutely forbidden to do any cleaning in the house at
> all. Apparantly I do not do it 'properly'. 

"As she is satisfied" to be exact.

> When my parents visited us in
> Japan they were allowed to wash up (special honour), but she'd usually
> wash the stuff up again afterwards, when they were not looking.

Did they rinse the detergent off?  If you are from England, I understand 
why.