The kitchen is not a wonderful place for those who dislike cooking or cleaning. This house contains no humans who like such things.

Do not misconstrue that statement. Every person in this house LOVES to eat and prefers that others prepare it in exquisite ways. The heat of small peppers, the smoke of the bar-b-que, the smell of garlic can send some into a gastronomic swoon.

But the rest of it–there is no swooning there. Maybe groaning but no swooning.

This became abundantly clear when the COVID pandemic hit our shores. No more glorious dinners at our favorite restaurants. No more runs to town on errands that would end with grabbing the take-out dish of the day. The virus even kept us from the grocery stores.

And one of us had to cook.

The task, for various, legitimate reasons, fell to me. I used to cook. I cooked for my dad when mom fell ill. He was a meat and potatoes person. I could add peas or corn. Nothing else. But I cooked it.

Enter boxed meals. As I opened and prepared each box I learned how burn vegetables. I learned how to avoid raw meat (MICROWAVE!) and I learned how to use the dishwasher.

The dishwasher was old when COVID hit. It needed help draining. Occasionally, it refused to start.

Then one day it quit. Spectacularly.

It had just begun its cycle. I was standing two feet away. There was a BOOM! There were SPARKS! There was a sizzling sound.

The dishwasher went out with a bang.

I learned about handwashing.

I was getting very good at the cooking under the tutelage of boxed dinner instructions. So much so that I ALMOST enjoyed it.

Then the stove revolted. Two years of constant use was too much for the old stove. The oven decided that 100 degrees (Fahrenheit) was a far as it would go. Two burners decided that they would hold out for better working conditions.

I wanted better working conditions. That led to a brand new, shiny stove!!!!!

The first thing I cooked was a prime rib roast. Oh, yeah! Now I began to think I could cook. The convection oven was amazing.

The kitchen was getting better.

But the hole in the cabinetry (where the dishwasher had been) was still there. Granted, it was a nice place to put the garbage cans but I was quite weary of hand washing.

We had purchased two dishwashers over the two year period. Neither fit. The previous owners had put in a tile floor around the old dishwasher and newer ones were about 1/2 too tall for the space!

Then we found one that would fit (according to manufacture’s specs) Our plumber believed he could get it in. He found us a dealer that carried the brand and we ordered it.

They told us it would be three months. Not surprising–COVID delays.

Three weeks later it arrived. The plumber came and Voila!!!

The kitchen is now a friendly place. The dishwasher can be run with either or both drawers. It is quiet. Not like the quiet of lower decibels. The quiet of “Honey, is the dishwasher running? The lights are on but I can’t hear anything.” Seriously. You can’t hear it most of the time!

As an added bonus, each drawer uses only 3.5 gallons per wash! The septic tank loves this and the well is ecstatic.

Me? I want to go out to dinner.

Maybe someday.