Last night, I used a blueberry cupcake mix and two cups of very juicy blueberries to make a goody. There was more than a half a quart jar of blueberries and lots of juice, probably half and half. About a month ago, I put 4 lbs of frozen blueberries in a pot with third cup or less of sugar and boiled for a bit. I have been eating on this since then. When I ate some with cottage cheese on Monday night, the taste was like blueberries going to vinegar. So, I decided to use them.
Tommy watched as I mixed a half cup of milk with the dry mix. He put melted butter, 2 T, in a pan. I poured the wet mix, made according to muffin recipe. Then, I poured the blueberries and juice on top. It was really more juice than I thought was in the quart jar. He watched as I did all this, stood right by me and seemed to watch my every move.
After we ate some, he said he was amazed how the mix was on the bottom and then came to the top. I explained leavening, how cakes and muffins rise. He amuses me with what amazes him, especially about kitchen affairs. There was almost zero cooking in his house after he was ten. I doubt he ever watched closely what a girlfriend cooked. His aunts probably shooed him out of the kitchen or out of the way.
Putting the blueberries on the top was my idea. I modified a blueberry muffin mix. It was not a recipe.
I explained that it was like a cake or muffin rising. I also told him that some dishes called for fruit on the bottom. He listened like he was interested and learning.
A few weeks ago, I paid for McAfee. All the popup ads ceased. NOW, I am getting popups that cover half the page from McAfee saying my system is safe. Then I have to X them out. They keep reappearing right after I get rid of them. I called today, furious that these were blocking half the screen. Now, I have nothing popping up. Thank you, McAfee. I am never sure it is legitimate, anyway. I told them I would call them if I needed them. That has been sooo annoying.
Today, I called my doctor's office again, asking about the specimen for uti. A nurse finally called back and it was clear. I suspected that. I asked if they sent it off. No, just tested it in the office. So, why so long telling me, I wonder. However, another condition has arisen. But, he has no emergency appointments because he just lets patients who call have those. So annoying. I called my gastroenterologist and secured an appointment with him. I would have gone to AFC, but they cannot order tests. I did not want to go to ER. So, I have to be up early for gastro appointment. Yuck!
A little bit ago, Tommy was coming from the kitchen when I heard an AH! that sounded like something bad happened. I asked him what happened since he was not in sight yet. He said this broke. What? I wondered. The walker! The legs cross and go up to handles. One of these broke. I had him go get mine from the car. This will go back tomorrow. This was never a good walker. He put pieces of Glad Wrap wrapped around a screw or bolt or something that kept coming out. The cable for the brake is always hanging on something. So, back it goes. He only weighs 190lbs. This is not a really heavy person breaking a walker.
A little decluttering occurred tonight. I need a piece of notebook paper. Tommy started digging around to find me a piece. Then, he went off to the kitchen where recycling stays. He threw some out and recycled the rest. The shelf looks less cluttered.
I put what needs recycling on the edge of the table near me. I always tell him to get it and he rarely does. It annoys me to have to keep saying it because I hate to nag about something so trivial. Then, pieces of paper fall off. I retrieved a wastepaper basket we do not use. I put it near something I could reach, and he could, too. I toss/drop crushed water bottles, prescription bottles, receipts, all manner of things that need recycling. This is not for trash. Well, it has been there for about four days. Tonight, he finally picked the wastebasket up and emptied it. We just needed a system. We have it now. I never mention recycling now.
Do you have a husband or grown person who is amazed at the cooking process?
Do you have McAfee or another protection on your computer that annoys you with notices in the form of pop-ups?
Do walkers last or break for you or anyone you know who uses one?
Does a decluttering session ever break out unbidden in your house?
I am not sure my husband is amazed at the cooking process. I think he is too clueless to even recognize any part of it until he foolishly tries to editorialize. I usually respond with words to the effect of wondering how he managed to go through life knowing so little about food, and telling him any time he wants to take over the cooking, feel free, and I will stand by and criticize. His idea of cooking is heating a can of soup or putting something in the microwave. I don't get it....It's not like eating is optional, so why can't people learn the basics? I despise deliberate incompetence.
ReplyDeleteAs for decluttering, I don't allow clutter to take hold. From the time they were little, I taught my kids to put things in their proper places. Trash is thrown away immediately, coats hung up, recycling put in the garage, and their belongings must be in their rooms. I am not responsible for the fate of things left out. Basically, they are all good about being tidy, but my daughter is very possessive about her things. I could take, say, a fortune from a fortune cookie off her windowsill, ( I forbid placing things on windowsills even in their own rooms) which had been there for weeks, or, more recently, an empty chocolate box, and go to toss it out, and be met with outrage. ("I NEED that.") Fortunately, she also likes things to be orderly. Eventually she will figure out that the less stuff you have, the easier it is to maintain order. Dorm life has been an eye opener in that regard! I don't understand the need to hang on to items for posterity. I can think of maybe two cases in my life when I regretted getting rid of something. I fear being in a situation where I am overwhelmed with clutter, but physically unable to tend to it. I also never want my kids to face cleaning out piles of my stuff which means nothing to them. I also insist that anything decluttered must be met with an immediate plan for removal from the house. I don't, say, clean out a closet and leave the bag of discarded clothing in the foyer. It gets put in the car immediately, and delivered to the donation site the next time the car is driven.
Tommy does not ever complain. Well, he hates cheese in chicken and rice and broccoli. Drives me crazy, so I just put it in my food afterwards.
DeleteMeg - you dd sounds like my dh. He's very orderly but just doesn't want to get rid of anything. It's always "I might need that!". It's drives me nuts sometimes. I just tell my dd that if I go before him and then she has to deal with all his stuff when he goes - just hire someone to come take it all away
DeleteThat is a good system if you can maintain it.
ReplyDeleteIf you and Tommy had found each other when you were young and starting out, you would have made good lifelong, companions. He would have been easier to teach (train) when young
ReplyDeleteCarole,
DeleteYes, he is at the hard-to-train stage. I heard two young women talking in line. One was saying how amazing the other's husband was with children, attitude, and participating in the house. The woman being praised said, "Well, he did come that way out of the box. I had to work hard to get him to this place." I was amused and thought 'how true.'
He is a really good person with an evil streak...lol.