The Kitchen Sink Window
My dishwasher broke recently so I’ve been washing dishes by hand while staring out the kitchen window. My last house did not have a dishwasher, nor did it have a kitchen sink window. Thus, I’ve just now come to realize the entertainment value of the kitchen sink window.
In the past few weeks I’ve discovered neighbors I never knew. My window is on the side of my house so I can see the driveway and all the comings and goings on the street in my neighborhood. There is a continuous flow of walkers: Older couples in comfortable shoes, new moms with their strollers, runners getting ready for a 10K, kids on skateboards, and the occasional entrepreneurial kid selling cookies, coupon books, or cheesecake. I buy from every kid that comes to my door because they do the same for mine.
There is another couple that walks slowly every evening around 6 pm. They look at my house and not straight ahead. I am certain they are the ones who are reporting my mailbox and me to the HOA.
Despite the dishpan hands, I have not missed the dishwasher. It forces me to be still and keeps me away from other chores. Sorry! I could not possibly vacuum or fold laundry because I’m doing the dishes. There is surely a health benefit to staring out the window while your hands are in warm, soapy water. Does this count as meditation? Reflection? Avoidance? Either way, my dishes and my hands are clean.