Things My Mother Taught Me (Or I Wish She Did)

1. A little cream cheese makes mashed potatoes creamy and even more delicious


2. If your sunny side up eggs are burning around the edges but slimy around the yolk, add a few drops of water to the pan and stick a cover on it to steam.


3. There's an easier way to put on a duvet cover.


4. The best scrambled eggs don't start in a hot fry pan.  Start in a cold sauce pan with a good dash of pepper.  Put on medium heat whisking constantly until the curds start to form.  Take it off the heat for a few seconds, still stirring.  Put it back on the heat, take it off, and repeat until you start to hear a sizzle.  Immediately remove from heat, add salt and crumbled goat cheese (optional).  Garnish with fresh chives.  The sizzle part is important; eggs continue to cook after they're removed from the heat, and overcooked eggs are awful.  I give Gordon Ramsay credit for this one!


5. Unless you have very thin fine hair, there is no reason to wash your hair every day.  It strips the natural oil from your scalp.  My hair always looks better the day after I washed it.  I aim for twice a week max unless I'm desperate to wash the campfire smoke out of my hair.


6. Stay interested in everything!  When I see people my age that refuse to text, Facebook, or do anything remotely technology related, they appear old before their time.


7. You're never too old to learn something new.  I recently taught myself to sew, and have completed a quilted table runner and a baby quilt.


8. Try it even if you think you don't like it.  Tastes change.  What you hated as a child/teenager/20 year old might be your favorite now.  I thought I hated blue cheese as a kid (never actually tried it; the thought of moldy cheese was just too much).  As a 50 something, I was served a salad in a dark room and exclaimed with delight to my neighbor, "what is this?"  You guessed it - blue cheese dressing.


9. Instead of wasting time whining about something being broken, learn to fix it yourself.  YouTube is great for quick fixes for everything from a broken coffee machine to rusty door hinges.  I get tired of being on hold for help with computer issues, so I've gotten pretty good at troubleshooting myself.


10. The past isn't real, and neither is the future.  So live in the present moment, be grateful for what you have, and love without expectations.