The spoon article was pretty painful.
I'm continually telling BEGGING my Mother to remember that her jar of beans is only half-full at the beginning of the day and that if she makes decisions with that in mind she can choose to not do less important things, she can simplify her life... like the fucking dishes. Sighhh...
Before she moved in with her sister she had two sets. She had an enormous set of heavy stoneware and a small set of light Correlle. Guess which one she used until they were all dirty and piled high. Because they're PRETTY! Because she LIKES THEM! I promise you, its the breakable ones that got shoved in the fridge with three bites of leftovers on them turning to rocks. Guess which ones she COULD rinse off herself and not trash the kitchen when she's too exhausted or spasamed to stand at the counter or even bend to lift them in and out of the dishwasher ... oh, but they're not as nice. (God forbid she switch to PAPER when she flares up.)
And I'd beg. And she'd say "It's MY LIFE! These are MY DECISIONS to make!" as I'd dig out her kitchen for the umpteenth time.
Agh. I don't know how she and my aunt manage it. I haven't been to their place in Kentucky yet. I suspect that if I did go I'd reflexively walk in and start cleaning out the fridge.
I hope she's doing it better. I hope she's choosing her energy over her stuff. I'm not betting on it though.
In a way I admire that she's going to do what she wants to do no matter what... it just kills me when she makes herself miserable by doing so -- that messy kitchen depressed the shit out of her.