Channelling Martha Stewart
Dad 101 has a new job. This is great news for us as he is already so much happier and more relaxed, he’s enthusiastic and motivated again.
Unfortunately for me it now means that I am cooking five nights out of seven.
You see Before Baby (BB), we were a modern, dual income couple. BB, we were both working fulltime. BB, we shared the domestic responsibilities. BB, Dad 101 did the cooking.
I intensely dislike cooking. Can’t be bothered with the preparation. Don’t have that “natural, throw it all together, stir it around and ta-da! a gastronomic feast” gene. In fact, most of the meals I cook are pretty boring and bland. I don’t find it at all relaxing, just time consuming. For me, cooking doesn’t conjure up that homely, “nurturing my family” emotion that I envy in others. It just feels like a chore.
Dad 101 has always enjoyed cooking and he is a good cook. BB, he loved nothing more than buying fresh produce from the local markets, opening up a bottle of wine and cooking up a feast. Over time, it just seemed to make sense that he assume responsibility for the majority of the cooking in our household.
But now he has a new job and he no longer gets home from work early enough to cook for the three of us. So now I cook.
Add to that the responsibility for the cleaning. And the washing. And the grocery shopping. As a stay at home mum, the balance of responsibility on the domestic front has understandably shifted and I must say, it is taking some getting used to. So I am channelling Martha Stewart. Picturing myself as a goddess of successful, organised domesticity and hoping that if I imagine it, it will become a reality. Honestly, I would prefer to be channelling Nigella as she is obviously younger and more hip, and I have understandably never been described as curvaceous which could be a real hoot, but I need the overall package that is “Martha Stewart Living.” Wish me luck!
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MMmmm – sorry you must have inherited the don't like cooking gene from me – but hooray – you also inherited the fantastic Mum gene from me too – as I loved nothing more than being a Mum and if who my children are now is any indication I did it well – as you are all fantastic adults. So I am sending my Martha Stewart thoughts towards you as well – hopefully they will help. The spag bol you cooked last night was yummy – not bland. xxx
Yep, I must confess that I too only cook because we have to eat. And I too struggle with the household load falling largely on my shoulders since I'm the SAHM. I just remind myself that it's only for a season!
Michael used to do all the cooking too, he also loved the fresh produce thing and we ate 'gourmet' style for a long time but that was ….. BB! He still cooked a fair bit up until this year. Now I do it all, 7 nights a week and have had to learn to at least be organised even if its a chore. I use this website (think I showed you that one a while ago for something else) and do a meal planner that coverts to a shopping list and then I can just look at what I have to do on the day and its all there. Its still a chore but not so hard:
http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/
Donna Hay would be my pick to model in the kitchen – so much style! It's tricky to keep up to everything around the house when you're a SAHM. I totally understand where you are coming from. The only way we can see our week through in this house is to do big cook ups on the weekend and freeze. We eat stacks of spaghetti, pumpkin soup and apricot chicken – a bit boring but then the time isn't there for anything more creative. Love the sound of the meal planner and shopping list. We used to do that and it works very well.
Modelling Martha?? All the best : )
My feelings exactly, although I don't see myself as very Martha Stewart-ish (I like Nigella's food better too). Martha does have that creative thing going though and not all cleaning, cooking and organising.
What works for me – at home mum is my job now, so I treat it like a job (one that I mostly love admittedly).
I agree Donna Hay has some lovely food styling going on and whilst I love Nigella, Martha is more of the whole package and I need the organising and easy cleaning tips and a little of the crafty, creative moments (when there is time!)
Amanda – I will look into the meal planner, like the idea of an automated shopping list, I am always forgetting something!
Hi, First time here !!! Really appreciate ur lovely posts n pics . Kids are always my inspiration , u can check out my edible art for little ones on http://littlefoodjunction.blogspot.com/