Feb
03
I can’t possibly write anything deep right now, because I’m on PINS and NEEDLES. Someone I know just may be having a baby sometime really, really soon. And I’m pretty sure they don’t want it announced HERE on the INTERNET before they get the chance to tell people, so forget I said anything.
EDIT (7:10am): Meet Mia Noelle (and her mommy Stephanie)! Born at 2:21am on 2/03/10. 7lb 15oz, 19in. I can’t wait to meet you Mia! Aunt Marla looooooves you!
Let’s talk about dishwashers. Do you have one? Do you like it? Has it made your life easier?
I used to love my dishwasher. Until it quit working on July 28, 2008. On August 6 (2008), I wrote this on my blog, “This zoo thing is so much fun. I’ve even decided to wash dishes by hand for awhile longer, because I’d rather go see a zoo than replace our dishwasher.”
Does 524 days (and counting) constitute “awhile longer?”
Here’s what I wrote on October 15, 2008, “My fingers are all wrinkly from doing dishes. Ugh. I hate that feeling. I know, I should wear gloves. But I don’t like that either. I’ll just wait for a new dishwasher.”
December 17, 2008? “No motivation. Mad that I don’t have a dishwasher. Ticked that I have to go to Livi’s Christmas/Kwanzaa/Hanukkah/Los Posados program at 7:00. Irritated that I thought I had a whole box of pasta and didn’t.” It goes on and on and on. I’ll spare you.
Skipping ahead to November 10, 2009, “Today I grumbled while I washed dishes for the second time in five hours. Because no one should have to go without a dishwasher for 1 year, 3 months, 2 weeks and a day.” This was tongue-in-cheek, and I said something really profound after it. You’ll just have to take my word for it.
I’ll tell you what. It’s actually not the end of the world not having a dishwasher. In fact, I’ll bet there are a handful of things that are even worse. I’ll even bet that some of you haven’t had a dishwasher in YEARS. Or maybe one or two of you have NEVER HAD ONE.
Maybe in some countries they barely have enough to thinly line their hungry bellies, let alone have a dish to wash.
And I know one thing. Little Miss Fill-Her-Plate-Too-Full-and-Multi-Task-to-Her-Own-Detriment (me) has benefited greatly from having to stand in one place and wash one dish at a time.
Changing the World One Stupid Plastic Tumbler At a Time. (I don’t really use the word “tumbler,” but isn’t it fun?)
And I’ve learned some other things too. That getting what I want right when I want it isn’t always the best thing for my spiritual growth. (It mostly NEVER is, unfortunately.)
Dish-washing time is also good for talking to God. I’ve brought lots of your names up to Him over a sink full of suds.
So, tell me: what’s the longest you’ve gone without a dishwasher? And what great life lessons have you learned while standing at the kitchen sink?
The dishwasher in my new house doesn’t work and I’m fresh out of extra money, so its the old fashioned way for me too. Oh and those brand new nieces are the best
I’ve NEVER had a dishwasher… growing up my parents used to joke that they had 3 dishwashers – me, my brother, and my sister. I don’t enjoy doing dishes, but I feel a lot better when they aren’t sitting on the counter!
Your niece is adorable!!! Also, I have been married for 7 years, and have never had a dishwasher.
I don’t usually mind, but there are those days…. 
Holy Moly…folks turn out for dishwasher talk, don’t they??? Jeepers.
Anywho…I have a dishwasher and it runs religiously once a day. Unless of course I forget to run it. And then I stand at the sink and say bad words in my head because it means I have to wash “tumblers” by hand.
I didn’t have a dishwasher when we were first married, but I didn’t mind. I was still playing house and thought that it was uber romantic to wash the 4 dishes we had dirtied up eating our microwave frozen dinners.
Ain’t nothin’ romantic about 3,456 sippy cups with nasty stoppers because they were hiding under the couch for 34 days. Ain’t nothin’ at all.
oh my goodness! she’s gorgeous! I love her!
dishwashers? Most of my life i haven’t had one. I once had maggots on some dishes. I should probably always have one from now on.
I’ve never not had a dishwasher. Growing up my parents had one, when I got married and we lived in military housing we got one too.
Now my husband’s mom and grandma never had one and still don’t. When we got married hubs didn’t know how to load one, I still remember the first time he tried to do it he actually stacked all the plates up in a pile..I was very confused as to why someone wouldn’t know how load a dishwasher and he was very confused as to why I would assume that he would know how to do it!
We learned a lot about each other that first few months of marriage
Heather! I know about your old house since I lived smack dab across the street from you! I used to plot and plan about how I could get a dishwasher in that kitchen!
I love being back in touch with you too!!
Marla, our wonderful happy home is old and there is no where to fit a dishwasher! So we do all the dishes by hand! It’s not pretty at holiday time, the whole family is here and that equals A LOT of dishes! It usually takes about six different sinks of soapy water but we get them done;)) I’ve actually thought about writing a book about the things I think about WHILE I’m doing dishes! I used to get frustrated but now I just know it’s a chore that must be done and dig in!;) No use complaining;)) Kaidy and I actually have had some great conversations over a sink full of dishes! I’m so thankful for my life, There could be worse things going on than a sink full of dishes;)) Your blog posts make me smile! Thanks. I’m so glad we’re able to be back in touch;))
i have gone 34 years, 4 months, and 12 days without a dishwasher. my husband of almost 13 years has offered to but me one, but i have politely declined. a few reasons why…i am ocd and want my dishes cleaned and put away right away…there is something relaxing about cleaning dishes while gazing over the back five acres of our property…it is my time to pray for friends…if i used a dishwasher, i would probably run out of dishes before they got clean…it seems like a lot of extra work to load and unload all of those dishes….
ok so enough about that, baby mia is adorable! congratulations!
Congratulations Aunty Marsy!!!