The Clever Woman

Time and time again I hear someone say, “You're too clever to be a homemaker!” I guess I've spent most of my life in the right career for me: taking care of the house.

You need to be very clever to know certain things:
  • white clothes should be washed separately from the colored ones,
  • plushy garments should be washed by themselves,
  • delicate fabrics need special wash,
  • clothes that bleed need special care too,
  • how to remove stains,
  • how to soak some items before washing,
  • there are different kinds and brands of soap,
  • there are different kinds of bleach and fabric softeners,
  • the amount of soap that goes into the washer needs to be measured,
  • some clothes should be rung after washed,
  • how to arrange clothes in the clothesline,
  • how to fold or hang clothes after they're dry,
  • washing and ironing sound easy, but we need to keep in mind that clothes have to last, be clean, wrinkle-free and, if at all possible, smell good.
  • Someone who's been cooking for 20 years and hates every minute of it will hardly make good food. You need to like it, even if we're talking about frying an egg. If I'm complaining as I grab the frying pan and the oil, I'll break that egg like a boxer who wants to knock down an opponent.
Everything will be different if I calmly select the best pan, then pour a little oil and leave it nearby, just in case I need it again. Then I'd break each egg carefully and separately, just in case one of them is actually bad. I'd slowly put them in the pan and let them spread equally through the oil. At medium heat, they'd soon be ready for a pinch of salt.

When the eggs are well done, I can let them slide from the pan to a serving dish. With some good humor and patience, I'd get double the pleasure in enjoying a nice meal and not worry about scrubbing hard to clean the frying pan.

I'm actually glad I'll never get fired from this position, because after the kids are all grown up, here come the grandkids... And, if you want to write down the recipe above, you can call it “Lovely Eggs” or, if you'd like, “Eggs of Love.”

Lenise Resende was born in Rio de Janeiro City, State of Rio de Janeiro. 

She writes poems, short stories, chronicles, and children's stories. She has taken part in several antologies and published four poem books. 

Her blog is called Lendo e Relendo (Reading and Re-reading.)


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