Everyone should learn to cook

There are some things in this life I feel every being should learn how to do. Now you may think that I am silly, but I am being serious.

The first thing I believe every man, woman and child should learn to do is cook. Yes, cook.

My husband Timmy trying his hand at cooking.

Whether it be fixing a piece of toast, frying an egg, or spaghetti. Cooking is a skill that not only teaches them safety, but they also lean how to be independent, not to mention the fact that they wouldn’t starve to death if something happened to all the fast food restaurants.

Let me use this real good friend of mine for example. She is 25 years old and doesn’t know how to cook very well at all. I mean don’t get me wrong, she can make a mean dessert, but when it comes to traditional southern food, she’s lost.

So, a few weeks ago I showed her how to make hoe cakes (and for those of you who don’t know what that is, it is fried cornbread). “That’s it?” she asked as I whisked the few ingredients into a bowl. “That’s it!” I said laughing at the look on her face.

The next thing every person should learn to do – and do it RIGHT- is laundry. I’ll use Timmy as a good example on this one.

Timmy believes that a order to wash a load of laundry one must simply gather up every available dirty or clean garment lying around and shove them all into the washer in one load.

Now, when it comes to adding laundry detergent he doesn’t use the measured cap that shows the recommended usage. Nope, not my husband, he “eye’s” it – now doesn’t that make you feel good about what you are wearing.

All this does is cause me more work in the long run. I have to re-rinse the entire load of clothes, then remove them all and end up having to do THREE loads of laundry to his one.

At least he tries to help out around the house. Nowadays, he only does his laundry and I get the detergent and water going for him.

I also believe that everyone should learn how to never be ashamed of what you have. That is a lesson that has humbled me.

My home is no mansion. In fact, I live in a trailer. My roof leaks, and I need to replace a windowpane, and my landlord got a tractor stuck in my yard where I planted new grass.

The neighbor’s dog is constantly in my trashcans, and occasionally we end up with a horse or two standing in our yard, not to mention I need to repaint the front door.

My home may not paint a beautiful picture in your mind, but I will tell you this; it is filled with love, joy and laughter and it stays clean.

I was ashamed for anyone to come to my home because of what it looked like on the outside until I realized that we, as human beings, are like my home. We may not have the prettiest exterior, but when you take a look inside you can find all the love and happiness you could ever need.



8-20-09 - Publish date