Does anyone remember how to remember? Is it me?

This is not the first time this has happened. Today I baked a cake for a Mary Kay party this evening. Chocolate cake (from scratch) with buttercream frosting. There were a lot of extra steps in this cake, such as melting butter, and letting it cool, instead of using vegetable oil. Also, I have to adjust for High Altitude. And the frosting, buttercream/vanilla with walnuts on top, and I toasted the walnuts. Well, I know it's not polite to taste a cake before bringing it to the party, but I thought I should, so I did. As I am trying the cake, I taste bitter, not sweet, and I think, why is this chocolate cake bitter? And then I realize, I forgot the sugar. So, I double-check the recipe, and sure enough, I skipped 2 cups of sugar. Now this beautiful looking chocolate cake with creamy white frosting will go in the disposal. This happens to me fairly often. Is it stress? Is it the Alzhemiers my mother and grandmother had/have? I was also doing 3 loads of laundry, drying them on the line, bringing them in before the storm, hanging pants for my husband, putting dishes away, tending to 3 dogs, and cleaning lots of bowls as I baked. I used to be able to multi-task. What about you ladies? Do you remember how to remember?

Sounds more like FRANTACISM to me, you know when you're trying to do 20 things at once. The best way not to forget an ingredient when baking and I bake A LOT!!! Is to take out and ready all your ingredients before doing anything else. That way there is no way to forget the sugar or anything else because there it will be right in front of you. I also put away each ingredient once I have used it. No muss, no fuss, no bother.

That takes care of the cake, however the dogs may go crazy because I forget them outside or the clothes on the line may still be there at midnight. At out ages, we're bound to forget something my dear, LOL!!!!

I agree with Chatty -- you have to focus when you're making something complicated. There have been times when I'm preparing several dishes at once and usually forget to include a primary ingredient in one of them.

I'm hearing a lot lately about how it's actually impossible to really multi-task and do anything well. Yeah, I know that women do it all the time. But there's also something the young women call "mommy brain" too.

I actually do a memory exercise, and started it about 5 years ago when I'd stretched a ligament really badly on my right thumb and though I needed to rest that thumb (I'm right-handed). So I started using my left hand. And eventually I started to do cross word puzzles left-handed. When you do these cross-brain exercises, it's supposed to be really good for your memory. They even told my 91 year old mother to do cross-brain exercises (i.e., using the opposite hand for things).

Juggling does the same...but for the life of me I can't juggle. The balls usually get lost on top of high shelves, roof tops, and under couches.

I can't multi-task like I used to either. And I can't have the radio on while working. When I think I used to study for exams with the radio blasting, sheez! So you aren't alone on this, DJ.

chatty, I totally love your method for baking. It makes great sense.

Princess, I'm guessing you're trying to do way too much at once, and I can totally relate. SOmteitmes I get the mail, then go to get it again, forgetting I'd already brought it in AND looked at it. Or I go to throw a load of laundry in the dryer and it's already there. Or turn on the sprinkler, set the timer, then when it goes off, I wonder what I set it for. Way too much going on, as I beleive was the case for you.

I like DJ's idea. My dad does Sudokus and crossword puzzles daily to keep his brain functioning. We're never too young to be intentional about our brain function, especially if we are going to live longer thatn our parents.

Try not to fret. Try to slow down. Easier said than done.

my husband is famous for his pies, and he's also famous for his sense of humor.
He was a guest at some folks' house last week and as part of his "board" he made a pie. Everyone had been talking about this pie all week, and here it finally was, a beautiful apple ginger pie, being served to a bunch of hungry cyclists. DH sliced the pie and got some on his hand, so he licked his finger. To his horror, he tasted SALT! He had used SALT instead of sugar. HE told everyone what happened. One of the others did not believe him, so he took his slice and took a big giant bite out of it. I guess the look on HIS face was priceless.
It's not your age, it's human nature. We make mistakes. Make another cake. (he made another pie the next day, but they will never forget the first one!!!)

It sounds like I'm not alone. Thanks for the reassurance. EW, I can't listen to music while doing something except while I am painting. I don't know how I studied in high school what with all that Grateful Dead music in the background! Chatty, I learned in home economics to set all the ingredients out before hand. Do we remember home economics? It's funny: I was all the way in Germany, and in a museum was a black/white picture of all girls in uniform in a home economic class. I guess home economics is so old-fashioned as to be museum worthy. I too like the idea of using cross brain exercises. We do that in journal writing. I'd like to practice that more! OK, focus, one thing at a time. The icing was delicious! Also, at the party last night, almost all the desserts were store bought. Not that I am a food snob, but the Walmart cakes were awful.