Making Meals

I've been despairing recently about how very dreadful I am at keeping house. I look around my home and think how much it needs some serious attention (on every level), and how I can never seem to muster up enough energy or enthusiasm to tackle any of it. Every single room here is in need of a thorough de-cluttering and a good deep clean, yet I can (and do) think of a thousand ways to avoid getting stuck in. I was thinking yesterday about it all, wondering if I will always feel this way, or whether these feelings belong to this particular stage of motherhood when my busy days often leave me feeling so rushed and tired. However, one of the housey "jobs" that hardly ever gives me that sinking feeling is the preparing and cooking of our evening meal. Even though I am often very weary by this time of day, at 4.30 I do always seem to be able to get myself into the kitchen with my apron on, the radio cranked up and enjoy setting to work.

I love to surround myself with visual pleasures, and usually this involves colour. No surprises there then. I get pleasure every day from setting the table with coloured drinking glasses and pretty paper napkins, a little posy of flowers in the centre.

Over the years I have gathered an array of pretty and colourful spoons, utensils, plates and bowls that are a pleasure to use. I cook every day from scratch with fresh ingredients, and I am very, very grateful that I have the time to do this each day. I just love the thought that I am feeding and nurturing my family to the best of my ability, that I am providing not only good nutrition for the Little Peeps, but helping to develop their appreciation of flavours and home cooked food.

I tried out a new recipe yesterday, a new way of cooking fresh salmon. In the bowl above, there is honey, white wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic and fresh thyme. It smelt really lovely as I whisked it all together.

This dressing/marinade is spooned generously over the salmon fillets which are placed in a baking dish, then covered in tin foil and baked in the oven. Oh yum! They came out moist and tender, with a delicious sweetness that the Little People loved. You can find the recipe here.

I made a bowl of Greek salad to go with it, chopping and throwing everything in a bowl whilst day dreaming of the Greek islands where I once spent an idyllic twelve week summer back packing with J.

I had the back door open and popped out to see what was happening on my little herb bench. Like the rest of the back yard, it's looking a little forlorn and neglected but I'm hoping to find time this Summer to re-do my pots out here.

There was enough fresh sprouting mint for me to pick a few sprigs....

....to toss with a knob of butter and lots of seasoning into a pan of boiled new potatoes.

It was a simple meal in many ways, just salmon, minty potatoes and greek salad, and yet very delicious indeed. I loved all those fresh flavours mingling together on the plate, and I loved that it was a shared family experience, as our evening meals always are.

It was cooked with love, and plenty of day-dreamy feel-good. I might have cluttered shelves and dusty surfaces, but I do make good meals.

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♥...more little snippets from the Attic...♥

Half Way

Artisan Bread

Cosy

Lengthening Days

Moments

Comments

[Brenda Peterson]

How do you subscribe to your blog?

[Claudia]

Dear Lucy

I think most of homemakers and moms over the world can perfectly relate to your acurate descriptions: "I've been despairing recently about how very dreadful I am at keeping house", "how I can never seem to muster up enough energy or enthusiasm to tackle any of it". You´ve described me! I believe dinner gets done because, ultimately, it is a creative thing. Your blog is lovely. Thanks for sharing your colours with us.

[pasutri pria perkasa]

i like poshting

[Joanne Retzler]

Oh, Lucy, this post was wonderful! I, like you, and many of the others here, do also look around and think I "should" attend to things, but life, crocheting, dr. Appointments, crocheting, phone calls, crocheting and cooking get in the way. I do my best, and it's probably not as bad I think, but at my age, I think I deserve to spend more time crocheting, and less time housecleaning. And I, too, love to cook, and do so from scratch. I never liked prepared foods. Soooooo, it was wonderful to know that others cook like me, and keep house like me. Thanks, and the other girls are right. Your kiddies will remember your meals, your creativity and your love. They won't remember the dust bunnies. Keep up the good life, girl! xxoo. JO

[Karen@Mix•Ture43]

Give yourself a shake!! Gorgeous food, homely family meals and a creative home. What more could a family want? Forget the dust- it will still be there for when you have the time or the inclination. Go crochet instead! Karen x

[Jan Hatwell]

Dear Lucy, I have a grown up daughter who is a wonderful girl. I don't for a moment EVER wish I had spent more time cleaning my house, but I regret every single thing that took me away from her when she was young. Don't worry unless the 'mess' stops you from doing what you want or need to do, then address it, maybe with help from your children. That way, you still get time with them and they learn valuable lessons. Love from Sussex, Jan

[Tina]

I used to have the same problem but this is how I pulled myself together:

Decide what in life is most important to you. For me it's my family.

If you have no energy for housework and it could be a medical problem see your doctor.

Get your priorities right, which is more important to you - providing a clean home for your family or pursuing your own hobbies.

Think forwards to when your children are grown and have their own families - slovenly wives/husbands tend to come from slovenly homes.

My advice - pull yourself together, once you've deposited the kids at school/nursery get stuck in and do it!

If you spend some time making your home clean and tidy you'll enjoy being in it and enjoy the time it gives you to pursue your own hobbies without having it on your mind that it's still to be done.

[Lazylol]

Your meal does sound delicious, I may have to steal the idea :)

[Jan]

Isn't everybody here in the comments thinking primarily about themselves rather than putting their families first?

Yes of course we want some "me" time but if our "Job" is as a Homemaker (staying home to look after the home)then isn't that what we should be doing first, before sitting crocheting?

I don't see anything wrong with sitting crocheting when the chores are done but this is "me" time, to have after my "work" has been done.

I look upon my chores in the home as being my job, my work, I'm like Lucy in that my partner is the breadwinner and goes out to work, therefore I earn the choice of not working and being at home by doing my work in the home.

My partner and children come home to a tidy,clean, peaceful environment. My partner deserves to come home to this, he works hard and provides for us, he enables me to stay at home.

I think that we can easily become lazy and selfish, feeling that we can't be bothered to do the chores, we complain that we haven't the energy. In fact the act of doing the chores is activity that energises, the more we sit about, crocheting or not, the more lethargic we feel.

I earn the right to sit and crochet (or whatever else I want to do) by doing my work in the house. Our relationship is an equal one, my partner works outside the home, I work inside the home.

I have lots of time to do the things I want to do by making sure I keep up to date with the household jobs first.

[Elizabeth]

You know what, the most important thing is that you are caring for your family and kids in so many ways and also keeping yourself healthy and happy. Who cares about whether your house is clean enough? I know how you feel, though. Busy lives make it hard to have time to keep our houses as neat and clean as our mothers did. But statistics show we spend more time with our kids than our parents generation spent with us. It's all about what you prioritize and in the end, when your kids grow up, they are going to remember how much time you spent having fun with them, going on walks and holidays, and the daily interactions with you. They won't remember whether the house was clean or not. :)

[Lee]

Hi Lucy.I was laughing while reading this post,You sound just like ME.Great pics and ideas for meals thank you.I have put a post on my blog about the yummy yarn,I have started my bag.Hugs xx

[poppysnest]

Bloomin dust and clutter...Bain of our lives! I'm the same Lucy, some how the house becomes cluttered and crazy over the winter months.... Relax don't beat yourself up, cooking wholesome dinners and making sure the family is fed is far more important! X

[Val E]

Hi Lucy. Well done on your priorities - life is far too short to chase dust bunnies around. My life (and priorities) changed when my daughter died and her three young daughters came to live with us. I rediscovered the 'art' of ignoring all but the most basic housework, teaching the girls to make simple fresh meals from scratch, watching their faces as the seeds they planted grew into edible plants, and so much more. I'm sure your marinade would taste great with chicken breasts instead of salmon, something I'll try soon. Be true to your instincts, your children will have lovely memories....
Val E.

[peggy]

Ooooh beth, that's a bit harsh. Lucy - I quote you DAILY as my colleague and I bemoan our cluttered homes and work spaces. But we delight more in our creations and plans for creations and our half started/finished/imagined creations. My children, now living independently, still comment on their cluttered childhood home, but all have their childhood crochet blankets, hand sewn rag dolls , and home made scarves, pictures etc. Keep on doing just what you're doing in your own inimitable way, with much love peggy

[Beth]

What happened to the Flylady routines? Perhaps your fame has got in the way now you're a "journalist" and a designer of crochet kits.

All too soon your children will be grown - now is the time to nurture them (not balls of wool) and I can assure you they'll remember growing up in a chaotic untidy house, I do. My friends houses had a mum who CARED, their houses were neat and tidy, I longed to live like that. My mum was a career woman who even though she worked from home spent more time on her career than on making the home clean and tidy.

[Rachel]

I can relate completely! Working full time makes it hard to keep the house looking neat, but I do manage to make a home cooked meal nearly every night. Thanks for sharing what "real" life is like. Reading your posts is like chatting with a good friend!

[Dorothy Grifffiths]

Hello Lovely Lucy I am with you on all of this - I despair about my house sometimes as there is so much to do but then I get stuck into sewing/crochet/knitting and the time just whizzes past! I always love your recipes Lucy and think your house looks just fab - like you. Have a wonderful weekend, big hugs and loves
Dorothyxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Claire]

Nobody's gravestone ever read " she had the cleanest house in town. " Food is far more important than dust. And far more fun.

[Lizy Tish]

Yes, this is the time of your life to spend nurturing your family - not decluttering! Your meal looks wonderful and clearly made with love. :)

[tizabell]

Start using the little money you make from your crochet work to hire someone to clean once a week. You will be SO much happier, and will have SO much more time to devote to your craft. I hit on that trick years ago and now I have a clean house and have more time to make more money, to boot!

[Sandy]

There will always be clutter. Little ones grow up so fast and you are doing the best thing by giving them your time and energy while they are young. I think you do a great job with all you do. If something ain't broke, don't fix it!

[Shannon Toolson]

I like this post very much :) My kids (17, 19, 22) don't remember the messes, but they DO remember their favorite meals!

[Angela-Southern USA]

The home cooked meals are so much more important than a clean house, for my opinion! lol I don't think it's the stage of motherhood, as mine are older, and I still dread the cleaning (which mine needs a lot of TLC at the moment).;0 That meal sounds de-lish! Never enough time or energy in the day.Happy weekend!

[Kate]

It's so important to eat together as a family at least once a day. I remember times sitting around the table, eating one of mother's delicious meals and discussing the day's events. You are making memories for your children. Could you please put your recipe for the Greek salad on your blog sometime? It looks absolutely delicious.

[Bridget Loraine]

Hi Lucy, I know exactly what you mean about the whole decluttering business as I've been a victim in the same way all my life. However, as the risk of sounding like an advertisement, I urge you to read a new book on the subject called "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying: A Simple, Effective way to Banish Clutter Forever" by Marie Kondo. You can get a kindle edition (less clutter!) I have just read it and spent 3 weeks hauling bag after bag of clutter (or crap, as I call it) out of my house. You really would not believe how fantastic it is to get rid of all this stuff. And the book also goes into how it really does change your life - giving you the energy and space to do stuff you've always wanted to do ... in my case, more creativity! It's also great to actually be able to find stuff again :-) Just thought I'd pass that on as I am totally into it at the moment, hope you don't mind x