The Undomestic Goddess

My grandmother was, for the most part, your everyday housewife. She cleaned, washed and ironed clothes, took care of her 2 children, feed whatever animal happened to be occupying residency at her house, and had dinner ready on the table by the time Grandpa got home from work. She did all these things while also working a full time job. Yes, my grandmother was the epatimy of your typical mother for her times and even for women today. As for my mother, not so much.



It wasn't a secret to anybody that my mother couldn't cook or clean that well. I'm not sure if she really didn't know how, or if she just didn't want to. I mean, she was taught by her mother after all. I never lived in a dirty house though, or went without eating. My mother did know how to make Salmon Patties and Meatloaf, to this day I wont eat either. My dad once made me a grilled cheese that was burnt to a crisp on both sides. So you can see, I was doomed from the beginning. My grandmother once asked me for some help in the kitchen... "Kitchen, whats that?" She could tell by the look in my eyes that it was going to take more time explaining it to me then it would anything else. Later that day she told me that when I turned 18 she would explain to me the ins and outs of keeping a house together, and teach me how to cook just like her. Well guess what? God had other plans for Grandma. She died a few months before my 18th birthday.



A red flag should have went off in my head that it was time I learn something, and fast, after getting my first job. I was 15 and I was going to be waiting tables at the Ole' Dinner Bell. After my first night in training *Martha handed me a broom. I looked at for a moment, looked at Martha, then back at the broom again, and I asked her what I was supposed to do with it. I think poor Martha almost had a heart attack. She seemed very concernes that in my 15 years nobody had showed me how to sweep a floor. I didn't mind it though. I loved the fact that I never had to clean anything, or make myself my own dinner. If it wasn't salmon patties, mom and I were eating out. What 15 year old doesn't love that? Yes, well fast forward ten years and it hasn't been so great!



Not so long ago I was having a conversation with a lady about her 18 year old step son. She had been very annoyed with his behavior lately and his lack of helping around the house. She looked at me and told me that he didn't even know how to make pancakes, then said "What 18 year old doesn't know how to make pancakes?" Well, I didn't raise my hand and say "This 25 year old doesn't know how to make pancakes!" I kept quite. It was embarrassing. And its not just pancakes, its EVERYTHING! And Ive gone way beyond the "I'm blond, isn't it funny, just like Jessica Simpson, ha ha ha" kind of days. Its time to get serious and figure out for myself how to do this.

So, the other day I attempted pancakes for the first time in my life. Ethan said they were the best pancakes he has ever eaten! Maybe this wont be so bad after all....