Although the dishwasher is not my favourite object, there is still something very pleasing about going into the kitchen and seeing a whole lot of washing-up that needs doing and thinking that you will either a) have to wash it up by hand or b) unload the dishwasher of the last load before putting this lot into it, and then opening the dishwasher and finding that it hasn't been set off and therefore, if you stuff it absolutely to the runnels - or should that be gunnels? (and, whichever it is, what are they exactly?) - you will be able to avoid both tasks.
Of course, some hours later you may find yourself facing a dishwasher full of things that haven't washed properly because you shoved too many of them into it, but who cares about that. This is now. That is in the future. Here in the present, you've managed to avoid doing something really, really dull*.
(*I have to admit that this article almost persuaded me that washing up by hand is not really, really dull - but it is, if it is a twice or thrice daily unavoidable task, to be fitted in among other more pressing activities, rather than a discretionary semi-hobby, as it almost appears to be for the writer. It's a great article though.)
I think that the word you want is "gunwales", which of course is pronounced "gunnels"; just ask any boatswain.
ReplyDeleteI wash a lot of dishes, and agree that there is a satisfaction in seeing them done. However, when one balances satisfaction against time spent, I don't think that washing dishes makes it out of the chore range.
I agree with you, but the Spectator piece was a beguiling rave all the same
DeleteMy wife would perform hara kiri without the dishwasher. Insanely, she washes dishes so clean before they go into the dishwasher that you can't tell whether what's in there is 'dirty' or 'clean'. Utter madness, but I can't change the beloved leopard's spots, however much I say, 'Just rinse the bloody things!' It's a form of disobedience up with which I have to put.
ReplyDeleteAs to the gunnels, you'd find out just where they are if water starts coming perilously close to flooding in over the sides. There.
We have a whizz bang new (well new last year after the old hopeless one stopped totally) German one that cleans without any need for rinsing - it has really made me reconsider my views about dishwashers and their usefulness. I'm almost a convert.
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