~from Ami

In 1993, I finally moved into a new house that had a dishwasher. Before then, I hand washed everything and didn't enjoy it in the least. I can remember hating to get the job of washing the dinner dishes when I was growing up- that impossible pile of baked-on food and grease. Gross!

When I first married, I'd let the dishes sit for days before washing them, I hated it so much. (Bear in mind I'm horrified, looking back on that!) My one and only emergency room visit came from washing dishes- a glass I was scrubbing too vigorously shattered in my hand and cut a flap of skin open on my thumb. I still have the scar.

But these days, I find myself enjoying the time I spend over a sinkful of hot, soapy water. I still fill the dishwasher to capacity every day, but there's a special group of items that are hand-wash only, and I just love to do it! I don't use much dishwashing liquid, so I can buy whatever kind I want- the stuff that's MORE than $1! & I like to go and buy big stacks of kitchen washcloths.

There's something about filling the sink with unbearably hot water, letting apple-scented soap bubble around my elbows, and taking special care of the kitchen things that shouldn't go in the dishwasher: a set of Italian tea mugs my aunt bought me years ago, my special knives, nonstick sauce pans, Gevalia coffee cups, the microplaner I use for orange zest and parmesan cheese, my tea strainer from England.

The last of the hot water is used to clean up the sink and the stove. The dishrag hangs to dry, the utensils and pans rest on the bright, clean dishtowel on the counter. There's nothing like it.

I wonder if I didn't have a dishwasher, if I'd still feel this way about hand washing dishes??

Ami washing dishes with little sisters in Arkansas, 1979