Simple Reminders

This evening I was cleaning my cupboards, getting rid of stuff that's expired and just trying to get a sense of order in my life.

As I was tossing stuff, I came across a bag of prunes...and almost began to cry. Almost.

Why would a bag of prunes make me cry? Well, if you've been following the blog since September 17th, you already know. These weren't just any old prunes. These prunes were my mom's.

Shortly before she became ill and hospitalized she had MAJOR dental work done. She had all of her teeth removed and was going to get a nice new set of "pearly whites".

But all of those plans were changed on September 17th when she went into the hospital. She went from being on a feeding tube, to being on a "puréed" diet, since she didn't have teeth to chew anything.

At one point she because so frustrated with the tastelessness of her puréed diet that she almost didn't want to eat anything at all.

Then one day she ran down a list of things she'd like to have. PRUNES were on that list. The very next day I went to visit her with a bag that included 8 individual packs. She asked me to only leave one pack at a time and that she would tell me when she was ready for another. So I left one and brought the bag home.

My mother never got to ask for a 2nd pack, and she never got to go in for the last fitting of her new set of teeth. They were ready, but she never even got to see them or try them out.

So anyway...I have these prunes now, and yet another memory of my mother. Just like with rainbow sherbert, prunes will never be the same to me again.

*Sigh*

Let the DIALOGUE begin: Is there anything "unusual" that triggers memories of one of your loved ones who's no longer here?

Talk to me!

Til next time...