Think On It

Why My Lists Often Don’t Work

March 10th, 2007

Look at this list, which is meant to make me ready to serve a meal without forgetting any important part of it.  Yeah, it’s Italian.  I do all domestic stuff in Italian.  It helps to keep the words at the front of my messy brain.
Primo:
Sformato dei Porri Tostati
Bere Prosecco

Secondo:
Sovracoscia di tacchino porchettato
Casseruola di carote al timo e comino
Bere Carbio

Insalata invernale

Dolce: Mele con salsa caramelatta al sel grigio e panna (Not Pie)

Pane

Venerdì:
*Pulire la casa e il bagno
*Togliere la roba fuori
*Fa la spesa
*Trovare una tovaglia
*Raccogliere I profumi e lavarli

Sabato:
*Portare dentro la legna per il fuoco
*Togliere la panna dal congelatore.
*Preparare il tacchino con i profumi dal orto
*Bollire le carote e macinarle, condirle e fa a posto nella forma nel frigo.
*Pulire e tagliare I porri, spellare e bollire le patate.
*Grattuggiare il formagio
Lavare l’insalata e asciugarla poi metterla in frigo.
*Lavare I piatti voluti (I piccoli per l’insalata e il dolce, I piatti portatori)
*Lavare l’insaltiera mela verde e 4 piccoli)
Mettere in frigo il prosecco

Domenica:
Fa un fuoco nel caminetto.
preperare lo sformato per il forno
Togliere le carote dal frigo per riscaldarle
Infornare il tacchino alle 11.
Infornare le carote e lo sformato alle 12
Cucinare le mele.
Apparechiare la tavola

Looks pretty good, eh? Looking pretty isn’t enough.

Look at it again. Anything left out? Don’t think so? Think again. Who is going to arrive with meals for me? When will I shower or bathe? What if I spill something and have to wash a floor? OK, things happen, it isn’t a tragedy on the scale of the Johnstown flood if you are a few minutes late.

But I have consistently left out living! I can figure the timing for almost every part of that list. If I add it all up and it fits the time I have, then I’m in trouble. If I don’t learn to add in time off to eat, use the bathroom, shower, dress, make up, talk on the phone, feed the cats, help a neighbor – I’m in trouble. And I have often been there.

This week the butcher did not have the cut of meat I’d ordered when I went to get it. Thank goodness it wasn’t left to the day before! I had to alter every part of the menu except the dessert. And invent a new main dish based on what I could buy.

No wonder I have had difficulties with parties in spite of years of lists! I do know that 85% of the people I entertain would accept a nice lasagna and a salad, but 85% of the time I feed people, it’s in my mind to honor and please them with a little effort expended. Drop by and whatever placemat is ironed is what will be on the table, but if invited, I think what I do should be designed for you. I think it’s quite doable if I remember to make better lists, lists that have room for life.

Entry Filed under: Uncategorized, Food, Italy