| If I could eliminate one kitchen appliance, I | | | | leaders of this world will hear from me), and |
| would eliminate the automatic dishwasher. I | | | | to daydream and to make plans to bring my day |
| would bring back the two-legged human | | | | dreams to life. Sometimes I don't even think, |
| dishwasher and banish the two-prong | | | | I just allow myself to Be (in the moment).I |
| electrical dishwasher.Dishwashing is a | | | | love to watch, and to consider, how the hot |
| wonderful solo kitchen activity. It is also a | | | | water and the detergent melts, like magic, |
| wonderful social kitchen activity and it | | | | the greasy remains of a meal. I like to plan |
| should be celebrated and preserved.An | | | | my attack: should I do the pots and pans |
| automatic dishwasher is one of those things | | | | first, or should I let them soak while I wash |
| that are absolutely unnecessary in a kitchen. | | | | the dishes; should I do the silverware first |
| You cannot, easily, eliminate a stove or a | | | | or the glasses? All of these questions have |
| refrigerator, but the automatic dishwasher is | | | | easy answers which is a relief considering |
| dispensable. It unnecessarily wastes energy, | | | | that most of life's questions are not so |
| and it is usually (despite the manufacturers' | | | | easily answered. I love the fact that |
| claims to the contrary) inefficient. It takes | | | | dishwashing has a beginning, a middle, and an |
| a job that can generally be completed in a | | | | end. There are few things in life that are |
| half hour and it expands it to a marathon job | | | | that simple and again, this is a relief |
| that can take any where from an hour to | | | | considering the intricacies of our lives |
| twenty-four hours, or more, depending on how | | | | where no chore or problem lends itself to a |
| long it takes someone to decide to unload the | | | | simple plan or conclusion.Washing dishes by |
| washed dishes. It is my observation that in | | | | hand also brings families together. It is a |
| many homes with electric dishwashers, most, | | | | perfect time for people to gather together |
| if not all, the dishes remain in the | | | | after a satisfying meal to work with each |
| dishwasher and the kitchen cabinets are bare | | | | other. Family stores are told and relived, |
| requiring the homeowner to have to set the | | | | problems are discussed and solved, dreams are |
| table from the dishes that are in the | | | | confided and support given, jokes are told |
| dishwasher. Or even worse, I have observed in | | | | and enjoyed and, seamlessly, the chore is |
| these homes that when clean dishes are | | | | done.When I was young, this kitchen clean up |
| required, the cabinets are not only bare of | | | | was solely the domain of the ladies. As a |
| clean dishes, but the homeowner has forgotten | | | | young child, I would stay in the kitchen just |
| to turn the appliance on and therefore there | | | | to listen to my mother and my aunts discuss |
| are no clean dishes and everyone has to eat | | | | their lives gossip, to help solve each |
| off paper plates until the load is (finally) | | | | other's problems, or laugh at each other's |
| washed.Why wash dishes by hand? There are | | | | joys. In many ways, it was the post dinner |
| more reasons that I can describe unless I | | | | meeting of the women in my family that taught |
| decide to write a book on this subject. | | | | me how to become a woman. I cherish these |
| However, I will describe a few. Washing | | | | memories; they still enrich my life and it is |
| dishes can allow you to opt out of more | | | | my hope that these ladies' meeting are still |
| difficult and onerous chores. In my family, I | | | | a part of, and will remain a part of, today's |
| always volunteer to do the dishes after | | | | family gatherings.Today, in my family, the |
| dinner. This is not altruistic it is a smart | | | | guys are often a part of these family |
| move on my part because shortly after dinner, | | | | gatherings and they add their own enrichment |
| two very sleepy (and therefore cranky) kids | | | | to the process by contributing their own |
| have to be readied for bed. While noise and | | | | stories, banter and experiences to the |
| bedlam prevail throughout the rest of the | | | | chatter in the kitchen. This co-joining of |
| house, the kitchen is an island of solitude: | | | | the sexes brings an extra measure of fun to |
| just me and the dirty dishes. When the dishes | | | | the activities and gives the little boys in |
| are done, peace has been restored in the | | | | the family, along with the little girls, an |
| house and the little angels, all warm, snug, | | | | opportunity to store these joyous memories |
| and ready for bed are presented for | | | | that will, in time, enrich their lives.There |
| night-night kisses and bed-d-bye. Washing | | | | are many electric appliances that we cannot |
| dishes by hand allows you to work out | | | | do without, but the automatic dishwasher is |
| feelings of anger and frustration. You can | | | | clearly not one of them. If you happen to own |
| bang your pots and pans to your heart's | | | | one, do not despair because it can put it to |
| content and no real harm is done, nor will | | | | good use as an extra counter space, an extra |
| you have any complaints from the rest of the | | | | storage place for the kid's toys, even an |
| family who are either glad that they are not | | | | outdoor container for your trash bags. With a |
| in harm's way or happy that they are not | | | | little imagination you will find a way to |
| doing the dishes themselves. For me, doing | | | | make the automatic dishwasher work for |
| dishes by hand allows me quiet time to think | | | | you--just not in the way the manufacturers |
| about the complexities of life, to think | | | | envisioned.By Maureen R. SinclairSubmitted to |
| about the difficult problems of the world and | | | | Online Cooking by Maureen R. |
| ways to solve those problems (someday the | | | | |