Q Hi Auntie Pearl, my mom is 66 and she's never really dated much. She's not rich and looks okay for her age.
Last month, she told me her new boyfriend is moving in, and this weekend I met him.
Auntie, he's my age! This ou is just 31. He is handsome, nice, and smart.
I’m so confused!
My mom is smitten, and he seems to like her too.
Should I worry she’s being scammed, or just leave them alone? I’m really worried and don’t know what to do. Help!
A Eish, my dear, Auntie can understand why you’re so shocked. That’s a moerse age gap! But your mom’s just in her 60s, not old and frail yet.
Lots of men in their 60s also date younger women and no one bats an eyelid.
Now, you haven’t mentioned anything bad about this guy except that he is so much younger than your mommy.
Is he borrowing money? Treating her badly? Trying to keep her away from her friends or hobbies? If not, then maybe he's just genuinely into her.
Auntie Pearl says, give it time and see. Treat him like you would any new boyfriend your mom brings home. Keep an eye out, sure, but don’t jump to conclusions.
If he starts showing dodgy behaviour or treating your mom badly, then you step in.
But for now, maybe your mom just got lucky with a younger guy who likes her for who she is. It happens more than you think!
Anyway, it’s not like he is some Ben 10 who just got out of school. Auntie has met 30-year-olds who are more mature than some much older men.
Stay calm, keep your eyes open, and trust your gut. And hey, maybe this guy is just what your mom needs to feel young and happy.
Q Hello Auntie Pearl, I know you can help a sister out.
I've been trying to cook, but every time I try, it ends up looking like a messed-up art project.
How can I learn to cook properly and not mess it up every time?
A Ag, shame meisie, Auntie hears you! Cooking can be a challenge. And it’s very frustrating when you sukkel to get a lekker dish out, meanwhile there’s tons of cooking shows on TV where they make it look so flippen easy to serve up gourmet meals. But that’s just not the reality for most of us.
Don’t worry, you can get the hang of it with some practice.
Here are a few tips that Auntie suggest you try to improve your skills in the kitchen.
Start simple: Don’t try those fancy recipes just yet. Begin with basic, easy dishes like a lekker stew or some spaghetti bolognese.
Follow the recipe: Make sure you read through the entire recipe before you start. Measure your ingredients properly and follow the steps closely – no shortcuts, nê!
Get the right tools: Having decent pots, pans, and knives makes a big difference. It doesn’t have to be expensive stuff, just reliable.
Watch and learn: There are loads of cooking videos online. Watch a few and see how the pros do it. Sometimes seeing it done helps a lot.
Practice, practice, practice: The more you cook, the better you'll get. Don’t be scared to make mistakes; it’s all part of learning.
Practice doesn’t just mean cooking random dishes one after the other. Pick one two meals that you like and want to master, and keep practicing them over and over until you smaak it.
Remember, Kaapstad wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a master chef.
Keep at it, and soon you'll be impressing everyone with your delicious dishes! Auntie Pearl believes in you.
Q Auntie, I have a friend who always spells my name wrong in texts and on social media. My name is not difficult, but they keep messing it up.
We've known each other for three years, and even though we’re not super close, it annoys the hell out of me every time I see her misspelling it.
I thought they’d notice on Facebook by now, so I’ve just let it go. Should I say something or just keep letting it bug me?
A Jinne meisie, say something! You don’t need permission to correct someone spelling your name wrong. Why suffer in silence?
Just send a quick message: “Hey, my name’s spelled L-I-Z-E, not L-I-E-S-E” or whatever it is.
Don’t gaan aan about how she should know this or that she has been messing it up for ages, just keep it simple and straight to the point.
Imagine if you were spelling their name wrong for years – you’d want them to tell you, right?
So, give them a friendly correction. Don’t stress about coming off as a diva. It’s your name, and it’s important. Fix it now and save yourself the irritation.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za