The oatmeal cookies that Ali makes on the anniversary of her mom’s death symbolize grief. In making the cookies, Ali simultaneously remembers and mourns her mom. Trying “the cookies-for-breakfast” tradition her mom instated years ago helps Ali both reconnect with and memorialize Fancy. She still misses her mom but wants to embody Fancy’s happy, energetic, and lighthearted spirit on the anniversary of her death to stave off more despairing emotions. Making Fancy’s recipe momentarily brings Fancy back to life and helps Ali connect with her kids on a difficult day. In these ways, the cookies manifest Ali’s complex and ongoing grieving and healing processes.

Ali’s pantry represents her mental state. Ali organizes other people’s homes and panties for a living. However, since losing her mom and separating from Pete, Ali has left her own pantry unattended. The messy, disorderly state of this space physically mirrors Ali’s cluttered mind and spirit. Because of her loss and disappointment, she “doesn’t have the time or energy” (7) to invest in her own private realm. Ali’s inability to maintain her living space directly correlates to her fear of confronting her psychic state.