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| Juniper Berries |
I love our new home, especially that I can cook and clean again.... within reason.
After a few epic fails, I have learned the past week that although I can cook, it is best if I do it in easy small-time-period stages. If not, I can't cook OR clean the next day, leaving it back on Oscar's shoulders.
For example, I can clean and/or chop one vegetable at a time, but not all at once. I can get the tempeh brushed with the marinade and put it in the oven, but not if I do anything else in that session.
If I am cooking a dinner, it needs to be something I can do in small increments, no big thanksgiving feast. And sometimes it takes me a full day to prep something that I will be cooking the next day.
Some things are totally not good for me to do, like stirring something on the stove for more than a few minutes at a time. Other things, like roasts or stews are doable. I even found one of my favorite stew seasonings growing here (see above).
You see I can't use the electrical chair that has the leg lifts in the house (no space to turn with my legs extended) and sitting in my manual chair is bad for my belly, and worse for my ankle. It swells up and the pain levels start to spike. It sounds like I am complaining, but inside, it feels more like I am giving myself a reality check. I MUST keep the cleaning and cooking down to the level that does not impact my health otherwise, or I can't spend time enjoying the freedom to go out in my electrical chair. So. All I can do is internalize the mistakes I made so far this month and go forward more sensibly.
Anything I can do to help is good, even if it isn't as much as I want to do.
On another note, I have made a few household items, like this crocheted washable cotton cover for our swiffer. Much more economically and environmentally sound than buying the disposable things. These also scrub better.
The pattern is here: Crochet Biffer Shrug
and mine is here:
3 comments:
I know exactly what you are talking about! While our infirmities are not the same, the results are very similar. One should not attempt what one cannot do. It took me a while to learn that.
At the beginning it was just the reverse. I was being told, "Oh, you can't do that!" Well, in some cases I could. Now I am much more careful.
It's hard to have a reality check. I have cooked less and less over the years, but when I do, I start about 11am (when I start to feel good) and do little bits all day. I try to have whatever it is in the pan / pot / whatever by 4 or 5pm at the latest, because that is when I lose all my energy. It's tough. I've found that the crockpot is great, as I can put things in midday and have them done at dinner. My rice cooker helps too.
(((hugs)))
It is tough learning limits. ( I broke my foot and while it's only temporary - I've had to learn to modify what and how I do things - or seriously pay for it. Fortunately my boss is super supportive - he'd rather I do what/how I can and still be able to come in tomorrow)
I'm sure Oscar appreciates whatever you do, and understands what you don't.
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