My Messy Brain #1, cheese put away incorrectly
Last night I was making spaghetti. Tomato sauce can be messy but I found myself struggling more then usual. I started building my daily routines and habits in February. I remember in March I made popcorn and it got everywhere. I was in a bit of a rush and the habits I had built were under strain. Habits under strain tend to buckle.
"Ok, is me making popcorn always this messy?" I asked my wife.
"Yes, it is."
That was the moment I understood that part of the reason it was so hard to keep the house clean was because I make a huge mess while cooking. I've gotten a little better, but mostly it's easier. It's easier to JUST wipe up the splatter of tomato sauce, because there is nothing else on the stove.
Yesterday was a bit rough. I had to pick up my wife from the University when she had a huge migraine. I was scared that it might be something worse. When we got home we fell asleep in a lump for a few hours, partly due to stress and partly due to a bad nights sleep. So I was already a bit out of it when I got up to make dinner.
Adding the zucchini to the frying pan some fell on the floor. When I added the noodles and sauce together I spilled sauce. Finally I got the spaghetti mixed and put it in the oven. If you haven't tried oven baked spaghetti it is pretty much the best thing and I highly recommend it. It also meant that I had clear space to work.
Knowing I had been struggling a little I decided to do a 10 minute Kitchen Cleanup right then. I stood back and looked at the kitchen. I told myself "focus on visibility" I've learned that having a focus helps. Even though I've resisted the visibility based cleaning it really does help me feel like I've done something.
So I just focused on visibility. I started by putting away the dishes. And it's a good thing I did!
I found the cheese. It was in the tupperware cupboard.
The ants were driving me a little crazy at that point. I found it very funny but also distressing. It only occurs to me now that the bigger problem putting the cheese in the cupboard instead of the fridge. Yep, even without ants, that is not the place the cheese should go.
"Ok, is me making popcorn always this messy?" I asked my wife.
"Yes, it is."
That was the moment I understood that part of the reason it was so hard to keep the house clean was because I make a huge mess while cooking. I've gotten a little better, but mostly it's easier. It's easier to JUST wipe up the splatter of tomato sauce, because there is nothing else on the stove.
Yesterday was a bit rough. I had to pick up my wife from the University when she had a huge migraine. I was scared that it might be something worse. When we got home we fell asleep in a lump for a few hours, partly due to stress and partly due to a bad nights sleep. So I was already a bit out of it when I got up to make dinner.
Adding the zucchini to the frying pan some fell on the floor. When I added the noodles and sauce together I spilled sauce. Finally I got the spaghetti mixed and put it in the oven. If you haven't tried oven baked spaghetti it is pretty much the best thing and I highly recommend it. It also meant that I had clear space to work.
Knowing I had been struggling a little I decided to do a 10 minute Kitchen Cleanup right then. I stood back and looked at the kitchen. I told myself "focus on visibility" I've learned that having a focus helps. Even though I've resisted the visibility based cleaning it really does help me feel like I've done something.
So I just focused on visibility. I started by putting away the dishes. And it's a good thing I did!
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| The tupperware cupboard |
 |
| The cheddar cheese |
I found the cheese. It was in the tupperware cupboard.
I laughed. And then I took these pictures. I resisted showing my wife because I was excited to write this post.
I have proof of my messy brain! This is why things end up in such strange places!
I have proof of my messy brain! This is why things end up in such strange places!
Having taken the picture, I thought about previous times I had put the cheese in the wrong place.
I lived with my father for a year. The house had a sugar ant problem. My father is a very gentle man, to the point that even ants getting into the cupboards is not a reason to get rid of them. He likes his ants. He calls them his pets. I love my father and I think I get some of this love of animals from him. I suspect they may live under his dishwasher, because that is where a colony tried to set up in my own home.
This meant I had to be careful to seal food while I lived in his house. One day I lost the cheese. I couldn't find it anywhere in the morning when I was making my lunch for work. In the evening I opened the pantry cupboard...and there was the cheese. It was covered in ants!
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| By D. Sharon Pruitt from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, USA (Ants On Cheese) [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons |
Unfortunately I didn't get a picture, but it was kinda like the above picture from Wikipedia Commons.
The ants were driving me a little crazy at that point. I found it very funny but also distressing. It only occurs to me now that the bigger problem putting the cheese in the cupboard instead of the fridge. Yep, even without ants, that is not the place the cheese should go.
What I have learned:
- 10 minute Kitchen Cleanup are great! Otherwise I would have taken much longer to notice the cheese was missing.
- Having ants in the house might be less of a big deal for my dad because he doesn't do stuff like that!
- For some reason I think putting cheese in the cupboard is very funny.
- Taking a picture isn't enough, I have to put the cheese away as well! After taking the picture I actually closed the cupboard and wandered off. Later I noticed it was still there and put it away.
- I clearly think cheese belongs in a cupboard, because I consistently put it in one.
I'm going to start a series on this. Whenever I notice something that gives proof of my messy brain I'll post it here.
What about you, have you ever put something away in a very strange spot?
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