Random rantings, ravings and grumblings or a few of my thoughts as I did the dishes

As I was doing the dishes tonight, I began to think. At first, I was doing a little self analysis. (This is what psychologists do when they aren't mentally engaged elsewhere, it's really kind of sad.) And I was thinking to my self, "Self, why do you have such an aversion to using the dish towel on the dirty dishes before you put them in the dishwasher. The purpose of the dish towel is to clean the dishes, so why are you so aversive to getting it dirty?" As I contemplated my cognitive misperception the thought occurred to me "I am not so much adversed to using it on the dirty dishes, as I am to using it on the dirty dishes that are going into the dishwasher." Carol and I have a long list of dishes that are to be hand washed, including but not limited to all cutlery, and pots, pans, etc... These, I have no problem cleaning with the dish towel, (so long as it goes in a logical order, with the dirtiest of the dishes waiting to be cleaned last). So, my cognitive misperception is not actually a cognitive misperception but actually a sub-concious anger at my dishwasher for not doing its job. Here is how I perceive it. The dishwasher has two functions: 1) clean dishes, and 2) drying the dishes. My dishwasher does neither. This upsets me. When I have left some small bit of food or heaven forbid, a chocolate milk ring on a plate or cup, my dishwasher does nothing. Ergo, I am putting clean dishes into the dishwasher so that it can splash some soapy water on it, and then rinse it, and attempt to dry them. I continued to think, "Why do I do this, it would be far more efficient to simply wash the dishes by hand and let them air dry. I would probably use less water, less electricity for sure, and they would certainly be drier by morning than they currently are when they come out of this POS." To that end, I decided the reason I tolerate this, isn't because it is efficient or saves me work, the reason I tolerate it is because I can stick the breakfast dishes out of site, not have to dry them and so on through out the day, until the next morning when I wake up to supposedly clean and dry dishes. If I had the room in a drying rack it would certainly be better to simply leave them out. Then my imagination got to working and I started thinking of products that would be better. I began with a dishdryer. Essentially looks just like a dishwasher but only dries, and ideally since it only has one function it should at least do that well (but if chalkboard erasers have taught me anything, it is not to rely on something that has one simple function to actually function). Then I started getting elaborate, and since it is my imagination, some day I may just build a cupboard system with a built in drying rack on a conveyer belt so that I can load wet dishes into it above the sink, and when I go to get out dishes by the range and or oven, they should be dry (however, this may take purchasing more dishes than it is worth). Either that or as Carol just suggested, we will just eat on paper plates for the duration. Anyway, small glimpse inside my continually overcrowding mind. Enjoy.

`Josh

Recent Happenings

A few weeks ago, we discovered a few ants in our pantry. By no means were they as nasty or ingenious as the Pharaoh Ants we had in our old apartment, but nevertheless, we wanted to put an end to that problem before it became a big problem. So we scheduled a weekend and went and stayed with Griselda for a night while I bug bombed the house. Griselda was super sweet and excited and got us tickets to Concerts in the Park in Fort Worth. We saw Asleep at the Wheel. The girls absolutely loved it, and for the first time we saw lightning bugs in Texas.

Emmett when he was still happy before we went to bed way to late (we got back at like 10:30).

The girls danced the night away, they had a blast, there were even fireworks after the show!

In other news, our sweet Jessica is now a Kindergarten Graduate! We are so proud of our sweet Jess. Her teacher raved about her all year long, and Jess is very proud of the fact that her behavior card never got changed from green all year. Can't believe how big she is. The Kindergarten teachers requested the PTA buy gowns for their graduation. Personal feelings about proper use of funds aside, they looked so dang cute! Way to go Jess we are super duper proud of our sweet heart!

Jess and Momma at Graduation.

Me and Jess.

Isn't she just adorable! We love this girl!

And here is a video from tonight. Emmett just randomly made this sound and it reminded me of something so I encouraged him to do it again, and eventually we go it on video. This is for you Michelle. Sorry there isn't more, once he figured out the camera was there he stopped doing it.

`Josh