Sacrificing my Housework for the better good . . . Ya think?

I read an interesting article today that said that housework could put off the effects of Alzheimer's. The reasoning behind this was pretty much that anything you keep doing will keep your mind and body active and functioning. Even if we become physically slow, standing to do dishes, running a dust cloth over furniture, etc., would all contribute to the well-being of your brain. It made good sense because keeping your mind active could very well keep your mind!

Now, I don't particularly like housework but do it because I like a clean house. I have my set chores for each day of the week to keep things within the realm of comfortable cleanliness. I thought to myself, "Well, I certainly don't have to worry about my mind given the work ethic is engrained in me after almost 30 years of marriage and four children." Upon further reflection, as I scrubbed out a bathtub, was how I could be seriously considered selfish because I was getting all the early 'medical' health just my doing my housework. My poor husband, who is five years my senior, was stuck at the office without the benefit of these mine-preserving activities. I didn't weep but probably should have at this point.

My darling husband was five years closer to adversely 'mellowing' out his brain while I spent each and every day in housework exercise. I am so selfish. The only solution is to save some of this brain exercise for him. Believe me, it won't be easy to give up scrubbing out shower stalls or sweeping floors but we are talking about my husband's mental health here.

Complacent with the thought of reducing my housework (with great sorrow, of course, but what is sacrifice, after all?), I realized that I wasn't talking in the whole picture on this subject. My eighteen year old still lives at home. How can I deprive him of help now for his future? Why would an eighteen year old need to worry about his mental capacity now? Training for the future! How can one incorporate an exercise program when the ol' brain is already slowing down? Yes, I need to provide my son with immediate help ! Sigh . . . That means I will have to turn over the other half of my chores to him and he will have to balance his studies with his mental exercise program.

Yes, yes, I realize that leaves me without any housework but that's what being a wife and mother is all about . . . thinking of others first. :-) Naturally, I haven't broached the subject with my son or husband yet otherwise this essay could be entirely different.

Basic Cake, Basic Frosting, Rave Reviews?

Yellow cake always seemed so dull to me when I was growing up. It has come to be my go-to cake as it lends itself to many versions. It is even a good recipe for pineapple upside down cake, crumb-topped, cupcakes, chocolate chip cake, etc. What I also like about it is that you are almost assured of having the needed ingredients on hand. You can bake it early in the day and it will be cool and ready for frosting by dinner time. Makes a good base for sliced strawberries and whipped cream, too!

Basic Yellow Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Vegetable oil spray or line with parchment paper a 9x13 baking pan or two 8-inch round ones if you want a layer cake.

In a large bowl mix flour and sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter, milk, extracts, and nutmeg. Either by hand or with a mixer, beat to combine and smooth out the batter. Add the eggs and beat until they are well incorporated.

Spread batter into prepared pan(s). Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched..

Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. If you went with the sheet cake, finish the cooling in the pan and frost. If you are going for a layer cake presentation, remove from pans and cool completely before frosting.

Basic Frosting
1 stick softened butter
½ cup shortening
4-5 cups of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Milk to form spreadable frosting.

Beat the butter and shortening together until light and fluffy. Add about four cups of the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Add milk in very small increments and continue beating until you have a fluffy and spreadable frosting. At this point, you can add food coloring if you want to be more festive.

Ideas . . .
I like to keep aside ½ cup of the finished frosting, add 2-3 tablespoons of toasted walnuts and use that for the filling. If you have walnut extract, you can add that, too. Frost the outside of the cake with the ‘plain’ frosting.

Keep aside 1/4 cup of the finished frosting. Divide into two small dishes and color each a different color. Once you finish frosting the cake with the basic frosting, you can take dabs of the colored frosting and swirl dabs of it all over the cake for a confetti look.

In total agreement with both quotes . . .

"So much of what we call management consists in making it difficult for people to work."
-- Peter Drucker

"Computers make it easier to do a lot of things, but most of the things they make it easier to do don't need to be done."
-- Andy Rooney