Keyring and Dog in a Cup

Before my dad passed away, I told my sister Paula that the only thing that I wanted from Dad's belongings was his anchor keyring; he carried that thing for decades!  She said that the keyring was the only thing she wanted, too!  I was specifically willed the keyring by Dad, so after he died, every time Paula and I would see each other, we'd exchange the keyring and take turns having it for a while.  I still carry it today.

Before my mom passed, I told Paula that the only thing I wanted from Mom's belongings was the little dog/bear in a cup that used to sit in the window sill by the kitchen sink.  When I was a kid, I liked looking at it while I washed the dishes.   Paula said that was the only thing she wanted from Mom, too!  I found a similar dog in a cup at an antique store and mailed it to my sister as a joke.  (Like, now she has her own dog in a cup and I can have Mom's).  Unbeknownst to me, Paula had found a little dog in a cup, too and sent it to me in the mail.  Our little dogs literally passed each other in the mail!  Mom eventually mailed me her little dog in a cup before she died.   Paula is smart and witty and I have never felt like we were in competition with each other.  If she does something better than I do, I feel like celebrating! I love my sister!

Me (L)  Paula (R)