@home, domesticating

I really want to know how to prepare a perfect bowl of mashed potato. But before I can do that, here are a few things to think about:

The receiving room
If we go by old wives' tales, we must not touch the broom at night. But cleaning the receiving room area before hitting the sack is a good thing. In the morning, you shall be rewarded with a clean room getting slowly kissed by the sun. Do away with ashtrays on center tables. Live with a nonsmoker, or somebody who smokes outside the house when you are not looking. Nail a mirror near the entrance. Guests will see it first, and will be bound to smile, and look good.

The kitchen
It was taught in high school home economics class. Basically it goes down to: you wash, you make preparations in the counter, you cook, you serve, you wash up. The layout design for counters, sink, stove and cupboards should be logical and convenient for the tasks you have to do. You should not be running around all over the place. Or would you rather, for the fun of it!

The bedroom
My bedroom is a massive mishmash of everything I like and I cannot afford to throw away. But remember that the bed is the center of the bedroom and not the war desk of the headquarters. No work. Sleep in the bedroom. If you find burning scented candles dangerous, get an air freshener... if not a dozen red roses. Hint! Hint!

The laundry
Though a wash woman does our family's laundry, it is good to remember that whites go with whites and colors go with colors. If time and basins permit, blue goes with blue. Yellow goes with yellow. And so on - and you will know why! The night before the wash day, soiled clothes can be soaked as it will save you the laborious scrubbing. And then again, whites go with whites... but the delicate evening fare goes to the dry cleaners!

The cooking
"If nothing gets cooked, nothing gets eaten." And before doing any cooking, put on an apron. It was not meant to be frivolous, and it makes sense to use one. The ruffled kind, please! Be brave to try the offers of the cookbook, but proceed with caution. Be lavish with the spices. And if the cooking is really bad, set the table pretty as a picture. And open the red wine.

The food
Next to change, the other constant thing will be leftovers. Never mind, for it challenges your creativity. But always stock them in the fridge so they will not spoil. Just reheat it and call it by another name. After one day, add some new vegetables and sauté it. Then call it by yet another name. After two days and it's still there, feed it to the hungry other than those in your family.

There! Who said I cannot be domesticated these days! But I still have to search for the right milk to go with that mashed potato I want to make. For the meantime, an apron is definitely a hip fashion statement.