Counterintuitivity

    My mother didn't comment much about anything to do with cooking. It was mostly a necessary duty for her, not an indulgence.  But I recall her saying, as she made dumplings from the recipe on the Bisquick box, "Wouldn't you think that the pot should be covered for the first 10 minutes and then uncovered for the following 10 minutes instead of the other way around?"   To this day, I think of her words  every time I make dumplings.  No matter how frequently I've done so, which has to be scores and scores of times by now, I always have to check the box to see when to put the lid on and when to remove it.  I agree with her; it does seem the procedure should be reversed.
   A  month or so ago, I filled a prescription for eye drops at the drug store.  The pharmacist advised  me to keep the unopened bottle in the refrigerator.  Then, after I opened it and began to use it, the bottle should be kept at room temperature. This didn't sound right to me, so I asked her the reason for what seemed contrary to the advice for most products, pharmaceutical or otherwise. She wasn't sure why, but that is indeed what is written on the accompanying literature. Her best speculation was that testing was probably done that way.  She said I could keep the opened bottle in the refrigerator if I wanted to.
    I think the next time I make dumplings, I'll throw caution to the winds and reverse the lid placement procedure.  I'm not sure if I can treat the eye drops with such reckless abandon.  I've yet to begin their use.