washing dishes

We don't have a dishwasher, and I've many times felt like I was spending half my day at the kitchen sink. But I also know that, human nature being what it is, an unwelcome task tends to loom large and also seems to take longer than it really does.

Lately I've become aware of how little time it actually does take to get the dishes done with some sort of a system. With one of my absorbent cloths under the dish drainer and a bowl of soapy water, I would say that I can get most everything washed and rinsed in only ten or fifteen minutes. This was a very interesting revelation. Something I was complaining about takes far less time than my imagination was telling me it was taking! (Now, there are usually only two of us eating, but I do seem to use a lot of pans anyway, so I end up with plenty of dirty dishes. And if I bake, etc. it does add up.) After washing I leave everything to drain for two hours, at which time they only need a quick wipe before they're put away.

Which leaves me plenty of time for gazing out windows.