The Cupboard is Joylessly Full

The little things remind me of Mama.

In Mom's final months, there were two habits of Mom's that were particularly difficult to live with. For one, her body temperature was low, so she got cold very easily. We would bring her blankets & encourage her to wear more clothes to warm up, but it was more convenient & comfortable for her to turn the heat up. Obviously, this was more uncomfortable for the rest of us. And it was maddening with the energy bill rising, also.

The second habit was that anytime she went to get something to drink, she would get a new cup. She'd have one cup for coffee, one cup for milk, one cup for OJ, and another for water. She'd go through so many cups. Since I typically do most of the dishes, I would notice this & try to respectfully ask her to use less glasses -- just rinse it out & re-use it. But I guess there was no teaching that old dog a new trick.

These days, the thermostat remains remarkably consistent, and the cupboard stays full of cups. But it pleases me not when I make these realizations.