With the exception of my meltdown over dirty dishes in the cabinet I would say last night's dinner was a success.
What is about our dishwasher that no one seems to be able to unload it with clean plates and glasses? Can the family not feel the grossness on them?
Do y'all suffer this phenomenon? I had a lovely dinner prepared of chicken fajitas, refried beans, spanish rice [homemade apple pie for dessert] and SURPRISE! I had nothing to serve it on because every plate I took out of the cabinet was still dirty.
Cleaning the kitchen does not mean "I put everything where it was supposed to go." It means "I put everything where it was supposed to go WITHOUT FOOD STILL STUCK TO IT."
How can it be possible to not notice Sunday's pot roast still decorating the plate? Or feel the crap on the outside of the glass you just placed into the cabinet?
Moms certainly need the subtitle of "If you want it done right - do it yourself."
Here's the crux of the matter - I can't do it myself and it peeves me off. I can't unload the dishwasher or clean the kitchen most days. When I can you best believe the family notices. "Wow, the kitchen looks great. Must've been Mom." What is it about us that we have the "touch"? Still, it shouldn't be such a big deal to actually get clean dishes put away, but I could not find one plate last night.
I gave up and served them on the plates they had unloaded I just didn't care. I strategically placed the food to cover the spots on the plates.
And I didn't eat. I lost my appetite.
There have been so many considerations made due to my illness, but I will be damned if I am going to go to paper plates and plastic cups just because no one can manage to figure out how to load and unload a dishwasher.
Yes, yes - I know there are so many more major issues in the world than a dirty plate in my house, but when your world is compartmentalized into four walls and the ability to maybe cook a few days a week to celebrate two special occasions those plates take precedence. I wanted it nice, I wanted it special.
It just felt like I had asked too much. And how can that be too much to ask?
I know I should just give Pooldad his netbook back and return to the comics but I am not feeling the happy, happy, joy, joy right now. Forgive me.
My blog. My rules.
[And yes, this was more a rant than a ramble. See the previous four words. Best I can do.]
18 comments:
AMEN sister!!!!! We are riding the same ride girlfriend. No matter what container I pull out of the cabinet I inspect it carefully before I use it for anything I have prepared. 8 times out of 10 I will have to either wipe a missed spot of grease or something or just toss it in the sink to be done again. I even pointed out one time a fork standing in the drainer with a kernal of corn stuck between the tines in plain view. This is a soapbox I don't like to get on too often since it doesn't seem to help in my situation. In my case if I want it done right I "have" to do it myself, sad to say.
I completely understand...and ironically enought this was the topic of a conversation I had last night on the phone. I hate pulling plates out of the dishwasher that are still drity, but if I am the one who pulls it out I wash it...hubby just puts it away.....then gets mad when I pull a plate out of the cabinet and throw it in the sink. and the two that come after it. I woke up this morning to everything that was used to cook dinner last night left on the counter because hubby was going to "clean" up the kitchen and "forgot"....and he moved the stuff to make coffee this morning instead of putting it away. Ughh...oh well....I am sorry that your dinner wasn't what you wanted it to be...hugs and lots of love to you!
I totally get this!!! It drives me mad and I do think that some days you can let it go and others it sends you into orbit. For me, it all depends on the day I've had. If everything has gone well, then I can roll with it but if it has all gone to hell then it sends me off on one and my children are left looking at me as if I have lost the plot over this little thing but no it was the straw that broke the camels back!
I have found the dishwasher works much better if you run the items past the dog before loading.
Yes, yes! What CWMartin said.
I get it. of course, my kids are grown, husband does the cooking so that makes the dishes mine. but I remember back when I had kids in the house. and now that my daughter is grown with kids of her own I wonder who raised her. her kids (and her too) don't even scrape their plates off into the trash, much less rinse them off before leaving them on the counter. they do at my house though.
On occasions when I have been unable to take command in the kitchen I have found that there is no one who cleans it to my satisfaction. I don't have a dishwasher, so it is my hands and soapy water cleaning up the plates. I know this is more about not being able to do it yourself than dirty plates, though. Hoping you have a good day today, my friend.
I still luv ya.
I always say that my family's arms must be broken. Or their finger, since they can't lift a finger to help. Funny, their fingers seem to be working fine when they play Wii.
amen, amen, amen! i am so with you all on this! what my family failed to understand is that the dishwasher is NOT the garbage disposer. you have to RINSE the remains off the plate/glass/bowl before it's put into the dishwasher.
I just love how you solved the problem (using those dishes anyway). But do tell, you DID eat the pie despite the no-appetite-anymore, right? Please tell me you ate the pie?? So I gotta tell ya, about a month ago, I pull out a big pot from the cabinet with a HUGE glob of mac & cheese still in it. I'm talking enough to feed two people. So my kid says, "I didn't notice it was dirty". REALLY!? xo
Oh Skippy, I'm so sorry that you lost your appetite, after you had prepared that wonderful meal (home made apple pie as well!) :( I'm so with you on this one as well. Apart from Odie, how is it that it is mostly only women who can see what actually needs doing?! Another one of my pet hates is when crumbs aren't cleared off the worktop, when a sandwich or something has been made! That drives me mad. It was probably good that you could get this off your chest via your Blog! Take care my little friend. Sending you a big virtual hug! x
While I totally hear you Skippy, its my daughter who yells at me when I put the gravy boat in the same cupboard as the drinking glasses.
And its your blog - you can rant and rave however you want!
Big hugs to you - my daughter is coming home on Sunday so its going to be a great weekend! :D
I am so sorry. What made this so crummy is you so wanted everything to be special for your anniversary. You did your part by cooking the meal, so it must have been beyond frustrating to find all those dirty dishes. I'm so wacko about dishes, I practically wash them (in a sink of soapy water) before I put them into the dishwasher! (But the dishwasher doesn't get run every day, ya know?) I hope today is a better day.
I bet there isn't a wife and mother among your readers who doesn't get this. If it isn't the dishwasher, it is another point of contention.
Bill and I are at the point in our lives where we comfortably get along and know which things can be ignored and for how long. ;-) We each have a few sticking points though, and because they are only few, we each feel they should be respected.
He is driving me crazy lately with cigarette ash in the bathroom sink. He has always smoked, I never have. I don't nag him about quitting but I won't buy them for him. Now that he is home full time, he sometimes takes one into the bathroom with him and uses the sink for an ashtray. If he would rinse it out, I'd be none the wiser but finding ash in there lights my fuse every time and that fuse is getting shorter and shorter.
I'm lost. DO they think they're clean and put them away, or are they suposed to be clean but the dishwasher did a bad job and they just don't notice?
Either way, NO ONE puts away dishes here any more clean or dirty, so consider yourself one step ahaed of us. :)
You know, you could keep a clean plate for yourself and have eveyone else eat out of the pots and pans...
strategically placing new food over the dirty parts of the plates? You must have used to work in a restaurant. LOL i know ya did, glad he liked the emails!
Oh my, I know that scenario has happened in our household more than once. The other strategy to try other than CWMartin's dog prewash, is to rinse and scrub prior to putting in dishwasher. But, if you want it done right the first time...
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