Eating habits

The first morning Mrs. R. was with us, Priscilla served grape juice to her because Mrs. R. likes grape juice.

Near the end of breakfast, Mrs. R. dipped her white napkin in her glass of grape juice and dabbed at a corner of her mouth.

In an inquisitive, but not accusatory, tone Priscilla said, “Mother, what are you doing?”

“I’m getting food off my mouth,” Mrs. R. said.

“With grape juice?”

“Yes,” Mrs. R. said.

She now gets paper napkins.

Tuesday of this week for supper, Priscilla made chicken pot pie – carrots, potatoes and onions, cooked chicken, and a crust on top.

We served Mrs. R.’s ice tea in a plastic glass with a lid and a straw, because twice when finished with drinks in glass glasses, she just extended her arm and dropped the glass on the floor. Glass breakage is not in itself a terrible event, but we eventually would have been out of glasses.

When serving Mrs. R.’s plate, Priscilla told her the meal was chicken pot pie. She was just sitting down when Mrs. R. sucked tea through the straw and then spit the tea onto her chicken pot pie.

Priscilla asked, “Is it too dry?”

“No,” her mother said. “I just wanted some vinegar on my dressing.”