Hubs and I were pretty proud of this achievement. Friends and family would marvel as the kids performed this trick as, we, the adults finished dinner or imbibed on another glass of wine around the table.
We considered the war against dishes over.
We were wrong.
Something inexplicable happened.
They turned into teens... and lost their brains.
Apparently, rampant hormones wipe the memory and ability of all teenagers and young adults to accomplish anything more than to beautify and feed themselves on a daily basis.
One would think with two kids living out of the home, the dirty dish stack would diminish, or, at the very least, shorten in height.
Not so.
Our front door is revolving. The Collegiates coming and going... eating as soon as they come in, cooking a "quick and easy meal" and taking food with them as they leave, leaving behind a stack of dishes, glasses, utensils, pots, and pans. To that, add the "littles", our high school junior and 8th grader to the mix, and my sink overfloweth with cruddy dishes.
~Oh, the joy~
Replay this scenario every day. Sometimes, multiple times a day.
~Oh, the effing joy~
One evening last week, after feeding the family, and cleaning the kitchen, I attended a movie with a girlfriend. I came home well past my bedtime, and made a beeline to for bed, passing one Collegiate waiting for her laundry to dry, and High Schooler studying for an exam.
~Oh, to be young and have energy past 10pm!~
In the morning, I stumbled downstairs for coffee, fully expecting to be greeted by my clean and cheery kitchen. Instead, I came face to face with the one dish that broke me.
In a huff, I punched this out...
... and taped it on the window just above the kitchen sink.
High Schooler accused me of being sassy.
8th Grader took his dish and plunked it down per his usual. I yelled him back to the sink, pointing to the sign. He paused to read it, only to suggest, "I didn't even see that there. I think you should laminate that and tape it to the bottom of the sink."
I'm considering it.
I'm still waiting for my house elf to show up. I suspect I'll be waiting a very long time. We're still trying to convince the 17yo that she is capable of unloading the dishwasher and putting clean dishes away once a day or so.
ReplyDeleteThey're better when they're younger when it comes to housework!! When you find your elf, please tell him to send a friend to my house. :)
DeleteI, believe it or not, like doing dishes. But, every night before we sit down to eat I fill the sink with hot soapy water and the rule is when you are done, clear your plate, scrape it and drop it in the soapy water. I'll take it from there. Our kids have long been out of the house but I can not tell you how many times I have had to remind my husband that the rules have not changed in the last 32 years. ARGH!!!! So monumentally frustrating! Thanks for the opportunity to vent. I feel your pain!
ReplyDeleteLike dishes?! Oh, my!! If I ever said that to my husband, he would check my mental state for sure! :)
DeleteVent away!! That's what blogging is all about! :)