Hobnail Mug

I have a thing for mugs, and today I bought another mug when I was at Target to pick up prescriptions. Out of the corner of my eye this mug caught my attention. I picked it up, weighed it in my hand, I walked away from it in an attempt to be practical, I came back and memory took over, any attempt at practicality was lost to time. I traveled back 50 years to my early childhood when I had a play dish set with the very same pattern. This white plastic playset had plates, cups, saucers and utensils but the most important piece was the teapot. It was a hopnail pattern with a delicate lacy trim around the rim of the plates and saucers, the teapot was a pear shaped piece of exquisite fun with an S shaped spout and tiny lid. My mom would set up my little formica table with the silver trim and chairs to match underneath our corner maple tree. She would make chocolate milk for the teapot from Nestle’s Quick powder and for our finger sandwiches she would make us mashed up banana and peanut butter sandwiches which she cut into triangles or peanut butter and saltine sandwiches. My best friend at the time would sometimes join us but just as often it would be me and Mom having our “tea party.” In my mind I can still hear the rustling of the leaves in the tree that is no longer there, I can see my mother’s housecoat blowing with the gentle summer breeze and her chestnut tresses tumbling free from it’s confines. Tomorrow I will have my morning tea in this mug that I tried to remain practical about. Tomorrow I will have my tea in this mug and let the good vibes flow from my mother and know she’s still here with me. Tomorrow I will have my tea in this mug and say a toast and a silent prayer of thank you to my mother
for all she did that she thought I didn’t notice. Love you mom, miss you.