Now that the kids are both faraway, walking down certain aisles in the grocery store can be an emotional minefield. The pumpkin spice mix I used for the mini-pumpkin pies my daughter loved, the granola bars (why are they so expensive in Singapore), the huge amount of small Italian christmas cakes (they made fun of how many I would get but then had to admit they were useful as last minute gifts for ornery bus drivers or friendly dentists). I really thought we would be walking the aisles together forever assessing the chocolate to hand out at Halloween, the granola, the blueberries. As I leave the shop surprised at how low the bill is thinking maybe I've forgotten something before remembering that no, it's just the kids who aren't with me, there's something comforting about the checkout lady's daily somewhat blunt greeting: "Eat breakfast or not?" Because who wouldn't need another cup of coffee right about now, perhaps in the Liberty mug they brought me for Christmas.
