Washing Dishes

 You may recall my description of the only hall closet here containing the dishwasher across the hall from the bathroom. I have never used it. It is easier to just wash the dishes in the sink than to have to transport them down the hall to the closet opposite the bathroom. There is just something wrong with washing dishes across the hall from the bathroom. Like Kramer washing lettuce in the shower. Just wrong.

After much measuring and discussion, I had found a way to use the portable dishwasher (that I never wanted but was given as a gift for Christmas) in the same space and earning a tad more storage space. Once again, the location of said dishwasher would still be across the hall from the bathroom.

On a whim yesterday, I beckoned HeWho was going about his daily business of holding his recliner down to the floor, to meet me in the hall. He obliged me and when he was standing next to me, I opened the dishwasher closet and made my proposal. Having done my homework, I recited the dimensions of the closet. It is 30" wide and 30" deep, with the depth of usable space being only 28", due to the bifold door.

"Picture this," I said to HeWho was now looking suspiciously at me, "shelves across the back, 10" deep and shelves on the right side 12" deep. He nods that he is listening and comprehending. This threw me off my game a bit, because things do not usually go this smoothly when I am proposing storage solutions to the man.

"The dishwasher would have to go." he said. I agreed and mentioned again that it is just as easy to wash them up at the sink as to transport them to the hallway. He then starts telling me what he needs to go buy. I stop him and show him the 12" shelving board we already have that was going to be my sewing table (not a decent one, being 12"deep, he was going to put two boards together). "Do we have enough?" he asks.

I already had a diagram prepared with the shelf placement, then proved that we did, indeed have enough. Then, to my utmost amazement, he agreed!! Then he asked me what I wanted done with the 30" X 24" piece of Formica countertop that was atop the dishwasher. This is when I told him it would make a very fine sewing table!

He made a detailed list of necessities and headed to Home Depot. I declined his invitation to ride along, preferring some time to empty the closet and clean house. This was yesterday and I enjoyed my alone time immensely. Not only did I empty the contents of the closet, but I made two batches of cookie dough, cleaned out the fridge, prepared dinner and tidied the house. He still wasn't home, so I hiked up the driveway to check on my plants and piddle around in my gardens.

He returned while I was up the hill and unloaded more mulch for my gardening pleasure. All the while I was wondering how long it would be before he actually started the project. 

This morning I donned my work clothes, ready to mulch and headed up the hill. I came back down to gather tools and such. I went inside to get some water to take with me. HeWho was banging away in the closet, trying to remove the countertop. He was not in a fun mood, and I was happy to be on my way. "This is not going to work!" he shouted to me. I went back in, and he was displeased that he had damaged the wall trying to get the countertop loosened. I told him to just leave the dishwasher and put the new shelves above it.

I hiked back up the hill and started working. Not wanting to lay mulch in direct sunlight, I did the shady areas first, then did more clearing in the woods and tossed some frogs into the decor. I have a lot of frog stuff from the Kampground.

I reached a stopping point and came downhill for more water and material to cover ground before mulching and was met with a huge surprise!

The dishwasher and countertop are out! All that is left is to repair the wall and fill the hole that was there for the hoses to drain, then the shelves can go in! The big black cord goes to the dryer. It could be moved, but we can cut the shelves to fit. The square hole in the side was where the cord went to plug in the dishwasher. No big deal, it is a closet, after all.

The back wall and the right wall will have shelves floor to ceiling and the left wall will have pegboard from about 30" from the floor up. I will have room for towels, linen, the broom, mop bucket and vacuum! Plus pantry items!! We can sell the dishwasher, as well.