Knowing that your kitchen sink is adorned with the overflowing of dirty dishes causes one to linger in bed a little longer on a Saturday morning. Even to get to the coffee maker means some dishes need to be washed. 😦 My husband snuck out of bed early to head up to work for a bit. On any other Saturday morning, he would be helping, but today, it’s up to me.
I’ve never been one to fret about going to bed with dirty dishes in the sink. I know I should as it’s certainly not a pleasant way to start the day by peering into the sink wondering where the wash cloth is. My mother would be horrified, although, I’ve also heard her say that she often wishes she could ignore the sink dishes and go straight to bed. She has a lot of German in her, so I understand.
Her mother ironed sheets.
It doesn’t bother anyone else in the household enough to do them before bed, so why should I be concerned? I ask for help, sometimes, and I get ridiculous excuses:
“I’m charging my phone right now.” (24 year old son)
“Actually, I was just going to watch this hunting show. How about after?” (husband)
“But, I didn’t dirty any of them.” (23 year old daughter)
“I was just about to take a nap.” (20 year old son)
“I don’t even live here anymore!” (26 year old daughter)
“Are there any scraps on those plates?” (dog – Sandy)
I will hear my Grandma Killian’s voice, “Oh, the hell with it,” and I just leave them.
I guess I have more Irish in me than German.
I have not decided if it’s a good trait or not.
Shari 🙂
Image above is from https://www.etsy.com/market/dirty_dishes. I think I need to buy it as a reminder.
I’m participating in twowritingteachers March Challenge of posting a blog post every day for the month of March. While I’ve missed a few days, I’m still in it for the long haul! To check out other writers, visit here.
Islands of My Soul 
I love the meme. It’s so true.
I hope you’re kidding about the grown children’s responses.
I don’t like awakening to a big pile of dishes in the sink, but a random bowl used for ice cream the night before is fine. I’m more of a germaphobe and can’t stand reusing the dish rag from one day to the next. I have to have a clean one every day.
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All of those grown children’s responses have been heard before. Even the phone charger. Seriously. I honestly do not know how that washcloth even gets into the bottom of the sink as I tend to hang it on the faucet. Ghosts, I guess.
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The part of me that’s Irish now has a great excuse – ha!
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I loved this! I also woke up to a sink of dirty dishes. Thank you for helping me laugh about it!
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That meme is fantastic! I love the snippets of excuses from your family–isn’t it funny how the mom always assumes the role of dishwasher and anyone else who may chip in is “just helping”? I love how you’ve so thoughtfully approached something that’s just a part of everyday life in a fun and meaningful way.
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I agree. I failed somewhere as a mother because it seems that after all this time someone would have learned that the end job of washing dishes is the most exhausting of the entire meal. I know in some families, if you make the meal, you don’t have to clean up.
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I have written about dirty dishes many times for my slices! They irk me! I always say I wish there was a dish-fairy!
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Your Great Aunt Geraldine had the THANK HEAVEN FOR DIRTY DISHES poem taped to her cabinet near the kitchen sink. Her daughters passed it on to their cousins. So maybe the Irish a generation ago had a hard time getting the dishes done at night too. You work all day Shari. Leave the dishes…or start using more paper plates. I am enjoying your 30 day writing challenge. Mom
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Most of the time you are my ONLY reader, Mother! 🙂 I did not know she had this poem – it’s funny that it was the first image that popped up when I googled dirty dishes images as I refused to post a picture of my own sink. And, maybe I should just stop eating. Haha. . .
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Poignant and funny – I love this post. I love the move of taking an everyday occurrence and studying it so deeply. I’m going to now think about why I can’t seem to leave dishes in the sink. Maybe I need to a little bit more!
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Maybe you need to be around more Irish people, Anna!
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Great slice! I especially enjoyed hearing the responses from the grown children as I think I’ve heard a few of them, too. Nice also that your mom responded. Keep writing!
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So funny – kids come up with the most unusual reasons why they can’t help. I leave the dishes in the sink. I wash them in the morning when I’m more awake and energetic. Nice post altogether!
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If it makes you feel any better – I had dirty dishes in my sink for 3 days. I had to empty the clean dishes in the dishwasher, which is why they sat there day after day. I finally tackled them this morning:( Now the sink is empty. My mother would be horrified though. She NEVER goes to bed without doing dishes. I wish I had more of her in me, but I can leave them for days. No one helps in my house either:)
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My dishes can also go undone for 3 days, Janie. This morning, I actually did 2 loads in the dishwasher, waiting for the first one to be done to reload for the second. At least we are not alone.
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This post made me laugh because your children sound amazingly similar to mine. 🙂
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I saw another meme somewhere about the cleaning, dishes, laundry, etc. will always be there but the children will only be little for so long. So…that’s my excuse. I’ll have to find another once they are older, since I’m not Irish. 😉
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I’m so Irish it hurts then. I just gave a FaceTime cribs episode to my BFF across the country to make her feel better about the mess her baby makes and the dishes in her sink. I love the Irish vs German internal battling you have going. Really funny and culturally true. I’m stealing this meme. I need it. 😊
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At least you haven’t resorted to paper plates. 🙂
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I can not go to bed with dirty dishes which is sooooo strange as in all the rest of my life I am a total slob. I have a real fear of getting cockroaches and I think that is what keeps me up doing dishes. Living alone now there are never that many (and never anyone to share the job). My kids were notorious excuse makers when it came to dishes. Great slice!
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Oh, my, my I am thinking as the mother of 2 13 year olds – I have years and years of this excuse making ahead . . . Nobody in my house but me cares about the kitchen being clean at the end of the night. I know this from when I have been super busy and ill and am told, “the kids will clean up” This means, I have learned, that within 5 minutes they are done and I will be cleaning the kitchen in the a.m. But, if I so choose, I can pretend that the kitchen is clean. It sort of works. I do really hate dirty dishes in the light of day . . .
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Inspiration in dirty dishes–brilliant! I nearly fainted the other day–my son volunteered to wash dishes. YES PLEASE. My husband does them most of the time, but I feel guilty. It’s astonishing how many dirty dishes three people can make. I feel like I might be the only person in the world without a dishwasher, though I’m sure I’m not.
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