One of the attributes I love about my husband is that he always moves forward with a new idea or a tweak on a project that’s in the works. He’s in his mid-seventies but works like a person decades younger. Not only that, he continues to learn about things of interest through live classes, going to trade shows, or participating in learning groups. He just goes about his business with the only thought in mind that X, Y, or Z needs to get done and how will he make it happen. He doesn’t sit around talking about how it’s time to slow down or step back because he’s of a certain age. Each birthday marks the passing of another year but it doesn’t dictate his place on the lifetime continuum.
Not too long ago when moving from one yoga pose to another I noticed the skin on my knees continued to wrinkle like an elephant’s. I thought to myself that the lack of elasticity was pronounced for someone who was middle aged. It took a few seconds to remember that I was solidly into my sixties (65 in October, to be exact) and middle age was a distant memory. I’ve been so caught up in living, I forgot I was getting older.
When leaving the classroom to become a supervisor of new teachers/realtor, I remember thinking of it as my third career and idly wondering what would come next. I averaged twenty years each in human services and then education, which means I’ll be ready for a change along about 85. The options aren’t worrisome at this point as there’s plenty of time for ideas to percolate before choosing the winner. What’s important to me is knowing that hours will be whiled away daydreaming about what might be, given the talent, training, and interest. Never has it occurred to me that age could be a mitigating factor; that once I’m age X I’ll be doing whatever it is stereotypical olders do. Not dreaming about the future is unthinkable and would constitute cruel and unusual punishment if it were forcibly taken away from me by aliens.
I would counsel Ed Crankshaft that while this past year has been challenging and the coming months will continue to test us, we’re never too old to dream.
Tip of the Week: Take a Tip from the Declutter Queens
Decluttering is all the rage at the moment and that’s not a bad thing. As with anything else, it can go too far and before you know it, you’ve thrown out the two youngest kids! However, many of them suggest a number of effective ways to clean/maintain your home efficiently. Less than twenty minutes, total, will leave you with a tidier home and a sense of accomplishment.
One tip that I mentioned a year or so ago is to make your bed every day. It takes about two minutes and instantly makes the room look neater.
A second tip is to take ten minutes and walk around the house picking up this and that and putting it away at the end of each day. Don’t clean the whole place. Why aggravate yourself? Those ten minutes will add up throughout the week and you’ll soon have a neat house that’s easy to maintain in small chunks of time.
A final tip is to shine your sink. This comes from the Fly Lady. Clean your dishes, or throw them in the dishwasher before you go to bed, and shine the sink. It’s an instant pick-me-up in the morning.
Bottom line is, these three tasks take less than twenty minutes a day. You spend more time than that on social media. Re-purpose a small chunk of your day and invest it in your personal space. It’ll be time well spent.
Recipe of the Week: Instant Pot Potato Salad
If you don’t have an Instant Pot, this recipe alone is a reason to get one. I have to tell you that as a person who frequently cooks for ten or so people, this gadget has been a lifesaver for the vegetables as it’s quick and they are done to a turn. Even a small three quart would be a good investment for veggies (although it costs almost as much as the six quart, so splurge). I hate to tell people how to spend their money…….(I get no reimbursement from IP because I still rave about this product long after it became a “thing”).
Back to the potato salad. Usually you cut up the potatoes, boil them and the eggs, if you use them, let them cool and then mix with Mayo, scallions, a sploosh of whatever mustard you have on hand. Don’t forget burning your fingers while peeling said eggs.
Well, with the IP you toss the potatoes (I leave the skin on) into the steamer basket, pour in a cup of water, lay the eggs on top, turn the cooker on for 4 minutes, quick release. Pull the basket out and spray on enough cold water so you don’t burn your fingers when peeling the eggs.
The eggs peel like a dream, the potatoes are done perfectly where they’re soft and creamy enough to bite into them without their falling apart, and you don’t have to keep checking to see if the potatoes are done, getting steam up your nostrils etc. It does take a few minutes for the cooker to build up pressure, but the total minutes are less than waiting for the water to boil and completing the recipe the usual way. Plus, the kitchen isn’t heated up and you can tend to the rest of the meal. Yummy. I’ll never prep for potato salad on the stovetop again.
Jack of All Trades 