Dishes

Perhaps life was easier when we ate off of leaves.
Then we wouldn't have dishes to wash. Just toss the leave (or eat it- a wrap you know) and you were done. Cold food too. That is a great idea, no prep dishes to wash. Or perhaps even an automatic (as in do absolutely nothing) prep dish cleaner upper. Wave a magic wand and everything was cleaned and put away (Merlin had the right idea, evil spirits or not).
Dishwashers were supposed to do those things, but they don't.
Even when the makers "tout" just place on the rack.
But, back to leaves...they were like our paper plates of today only easily replenishable, except in the winter, a bit in the spring and after fall. Maybe not so good an idea after all.
And dishes were and are a great chore item. They can also give you a great time to chat with the children,
teach the children how to cooperate or in some cases delegate.
There is a pecking order to dish washing.
Dish washing does not just involve washing dishes...it involves

• clearing the table/counters,
  
• putting away,
  
• gathering,
  
• scraping,
  
• mixing the soap water just right,
  
• washing,
  
• rinsing,
  
• stacking (an act of art in itself),
  
• drying,
  
• putting away,
  
• wiping down,
  
• scrubbing out,
  
• taking out and
  
• sweeping.

Oldest generally gets to choose their job. And on down the list it goes. Sometimes it just happens to be what happens to be their favorite,
other times it is the best of what is left.
Dishes are also a time to catch up and enjoy what is happening in a child's life or have a one on one chat.
Or, if it happens to be a single day,
it can be a time to look out the window and enjoy the gorgeous view,
a time to reflect,
or a time to make plans,
a time to dream or sing,
or a time to completely "veg" out,
it can be a time to escape (playing with bubbles can be rather fun). Dishes can become
a reflective, chatty, teaching, learning, listening, rewarding experience.
But some days, I think I like leaves best.