Thursday, December 8, 2011

Cooking the Beets

Usually I think my memory was unaffected by the stroke.

Then it happens: something I used to do that comes back, almost without effort--and I realize that part of myself has been missing for almost two years.

Like last week, I was rummaging around the fridge, and saw that we had some beets that were looking old. My family loves beets. Neal and I love the taste; the kids love fact that eating beets makes their pee turns red.

I used to cook beets every so often--pre-stroke--after the kids were in bed. I would start them simmering, and them do something else: do emails; pay bills; write. It was very satisfying.

When I saw the beets last week, my hands got to work. I got the beets out from the fridge, turned the water on (with my right hand!) and put the beets on to boil. I put the timer on, then browsed the Web. Neal and I took turns checking on the beets, making sure that they weren't boiling over. When they were done, I slipped the skins off, and then put them in a container for salad for some other day.

There is no punchline here. No funny story about weird things I forgot to do, or a story about the kids' reaction. It's just about this feeling I have, that my mind is like a bicycle slowly changing gears upwards.

Click.

7 comments:

  1. No weird things you forgot to do sounds great to me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Grace. My husband and I both love beets, but I didn't learn to cook them unpeeled and then pull the skin off later until after the stroke. Even after the stroke, I would still peel first and then cook. I am actually very proud of my peeling abilities now - I am quite adept at peeling even butternut squash, although I've also learned that I can cut then in half, scoop out the seeds and then bake them. I'm pretty sure there are lots of other ways to cook vegetables more easily than I do.

    ReplyDelete
  3. @Barb--I have a butternut squash that's been sitting on the counter for a month. I wish I could deliver it to you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Grace and Barb.. I too have a big squash sitting on my counter ready to ship away! lol

    Getting back to "Normal" is such a wonderful feeling huh Grace?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your kids must be happy after got this beets. Sweet from you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah, now I understand the enthusiasm with which the beets were received during our visit this weekend. Had I read this prior, I would have asked if you wanted to peel them yourself.

      But wait... only the kids' PEE turns red? Well, never mind. Hurray for pink pee!

      Delete