Tea Party

 A little girl sits at her table with her "friends." The table is set with four little white plates with delicate pink flowers and a yellow butterfly, four cups and saucers, and a tea pot complete with a sugar bowl and cream pitcher.

The little girl slowly pours the Hi-C or Koolaid from the pot, carefully holding the lid tightly so it doesn't fall and break. She places a Chips Ahoy! chocolate chip cookie on each plate, and the tea party begins.

Fifty-five years or so ago, that little girl was me. I received this toy China tea set when I was around four or five years old, and it is one of the things I still have from my childhood.

There was a time when I had the tea set on a shelf on my bedroom wall. My little brother was jumping on my bed, hit the shelf, and broke one of the plates. I was devastated! 

Over the holiday weekend, I was telling this story to my brother and sisters. He, of course, remembered none of it. He asked me to send him a picture of it because "he didn't remember what it looked like."

Today, I received a big surprise.

With some sleuthing from my daughter, my brother searched Ebay until he found another one of these exact tea sets. My set is now complete!

Would anyone like to have to tea with me?

 Thank you Two Writing Teachers for creating a space to share our stories. 

Far Away

Today I wrote to a Teach Write Academy prompt--"far away." Mom continues to slip farther away, much like this rowboat on the water. I chose to write a skinny poem.

A Simple Melody

My mother has dementia. As more of her memory fades with each passing day, we come closer and closer to making tough decisions. Lately she has mentioned how she just wants to go home. She still lives at home, so we are assuming that she is remembering her childhood home, as driving through that area of town seems to bring her joy.

It seems the childhood memories are the ones she keeps tucked away in a safe place.

Music also seems to bring her joy. When she listens to Dean Martin or Elvis Presley, it's like I have my mother back. This is when I wish time could stand still.