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