In the kitchen: one step at a time

Although Earl does most of the shopping and cooking these days, I am a good cook–just not terribly participatory.  To be more accurate, I'm a fair 'specialty' cook, but was never very good on a daily basis, even for a family of four.  My specialty dishes are characterized by multiple ingredients and steps.  Being such a good multitasker in my pre–SCA days, I could make a dish in under an hour.  I never worried about all the steps required because it didn't matter then.  Although I love one dish meals, I never mastered them. With the help of an assistive device, I can contribute dishes to larger family meals like Szechwan sweet & sour sauce, red beans & rice, cornbread & honey butter, marinara—given enough time.  

Awkward movements–oh well

The good news is that I have time on my hands, because it takes two or three hours now.  My 'whip something up' days are behind me.  As strange as it sounds, I prefer to cook in solitude.  With no one around, I can blast the music and take two hours to do something that should take 15 minutes.  I understand that observing someone struggle, stagger, and drop things and not offer to help is difficult.  Fortunately for me, my family knows it's even more difficult for me to struggle, stagger, and drop things.  My issue trumps theirs, so they ignore my awkwardness and wait for a help request.  We've come to a workable system.  They know they can always offer help and I know they don't feel rejected when I decline.  That's been a process as well, as there are people with disabilities who "struggle for effect."  If it looks like help is needed, it's offered and the person with disabilities doesn't have to ask.  Most ataxians struggle in spite of the effect on observers.  Looking clumsy is part of life—another humiliation bullet to get over.  It's just easier to not deal with it and cook in solitude—with lots of time.

Good news–the pantry isn't big

Fortunately, I can stand, providing there is something dependable to lean against.  With a big tray on my walker*, I take ingredients out of the pantry or refrigerator and transport them to the work area in 2 or 3 trips as opposed to 5 or 6 trips.  However, facing forward, turning sideways, and then getting out of the pantry involves at least four maneuvers. Then there is avoiding damage to the door jams and the wall.  Clean–up also takes forever, but doable. Whereas I have time, our offspring have children, so it's only fair to divide the meal tasks. Our group mantra is "You clear, I'll lean (on the counter) and clean." I also have Sandie** to empty a dishwasher and hand wash heavy items.  That minimizes a need for a sous-chef—most often Earl, family, or friends.

The lesson: I traded my 'whip something up' days for 'one step at a time' days.

* Previous post–Dueling Walkers 
** Previous post–The Help