How To Clean A Kitchen

 

It occurred to me as my oldest granddaughter, Q, was helping me clean the dishes that we aren’t born knowing how to do this job. Thinking back to my childhood, I recall my parents teaching us how. (My first job was to clean the spoons. It was probably more play than work.) At almost ten years old there isn’t any part of kitchen clean-up Q can’t handle, with the exception of the big heavy pots and pans. 

Now here’s the before picture of an “Advanced Lesson in Kitchen Clean-up”! This is my mom’s kitchen after a big holiday dinner. None of us really wanted to clean so we just stacked it up. Everything in this picture is dirty! Yes, definitely not the way to do it.

 

So, how to clean a kitchen – the ideal way:

• Start with a dish pan of hot soapy water. Then start cooking your meal or baking. Wash up as you go. When you empty a pan, fill it with cold water  and let it soak while you are eating. Cold water is especially good for soaking any kind of starchy food like potatoes or rice.
• After the meal, start a new pan of hot soapy water if the first one is cold or greasy.
• Put in all the silverware to soak as you rinse the plates and get everything stacked up.
• Put away any leftover food. Put a label on it. Even if it’s only enough for someone’s lunch, say     what it is or put their name on it. 
• Wash the silverware, rinse and put in the drainer to dry.
• Next wash the glasses or other stemware, rinse and set to dry.
• Next clean the plates, and then any  utensils (spatulas, wooden spoons, etc.) that you’ve used.
• While your dishwater is still fairly clean wash off all the surfaces in the kitchen – counter tops, the stove top, microwave, anything spilled in the oven, handles on the refrigerator, and so forth.
• Now do the mixing bowls or other preparation containers. (Prepare a new dishpan if necessary.)
• Finally clean the pans or the other messy, greasy, grungy stuff.
• Empty the dishpan and rinse it out. Scrub the sink and everything around it. 
• If you are on your own on this job, you could cover the clean dishes with a dishtowel and let them air dry. Then come back later and put them away. 
• But wait, there are still a couple more things to complete the job: take the garbage to the compost pile, sweep the floor and take the trash outside. 

When I was growing up there were four of us kids and this nightly kitchen duty was divided up. I’m sure, because we were young, we resented these jobs. But, my memory brings this time back as lots of fun – laughing, talking, joking and, I’m sure, the old swatting each other with dish towels routine. 

Now most kitchens have dishwashers and that’s a shame. There’s so much to be gained from these simple tasks. Even if by yourself, it’s a great time for singing and thanksgiving, prayer and meditation. Before the light is turned out on the kitchen, give thanks for it and the food therein. Sometimes the simple things bring the most joy.

For more of What Works For Me, visit Rocks In My Dryer.

Tuesday: Divine Justice

 

Teaser Tuesday asks us to pick two sentences from a current read and tease you into reading this book. Here are my two sentences for this week:

 

“One of the most interesting pieces of information he’d gleaned from the file had to do with the now defunct Triple Six Division of the CIA, or its “political destabilization” arm as it unofficially had been known to the CIA rank and file. The less polite term of course was “government assassin.”

This is from page 39 of Divine Justice by David Baldacci. For more teasers check out Should Be Reading.

 

It’s Tuesday, Where Are You? asks us to tell where we are and what’s going on in the book we are currently reading.  

 

 

I’m in a small town in Virginia. It seems like a nice, prosperous little town. But, strange things keep happening: there have been a couple of murders, people have beaten viciously, a home is blown up, to name a few. Things just don’t seem right. Not the place to hide out if you are on the run after killing two high profile Washington officials.

 

To connect with more “It’s Tuesday, where are you” visit An Adventure in Reading. Come back and read my review of this book on Thursday, January 15th. 

Two Childhood Favorites

This year  I’m going back and reading some of the favorite books I loved as a child. I shared them with my children and now I’m starting on the grandchildren. Today I am going to share two books with you by the same author, Robert McCloskey. The stories are different but the writing style is the same. And, no one can mistake McCloskey’s drawings. To re-read them again and again is a joy.

Make Way For Ducklings

Robert McCloskey

The Viking Press, 1941

A Caldecott Medal Winner

Summary: This is the story of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard’s search for a new home in time to lay with eggs. After the eggs are hatched and the new little ones learn everything from their mother, they are ready to travel. Mrs. Mallard takes them on a walk through Boston. Along the way they meet very busy traffic, some friendly policemen, and other nice people.

My reaction: Having this book read to me is one of my earliest memories. However, I still see the setting for this story as Lincoln Park in my hometown of Kenosha, Wisconsin. It must have been read to me that way. The story is still very simple yet very charming. All of the drawings are what I believe is called sepia. This may be different for some of today’s children who are used to bright, vivid colors. Based on my grandchildren, I see this as a good read-to book for two to four year olds.

Blueberries For Sal

Robert McCloskey

The Viking Press, 1948

A Caldecott Honor Book

Summary: Little Sal and her mother take their pails to Blueberry Hill to pick blueberries to be canned for winter food. Little Sal helps pick the berries but eats most of them. Meanwhile, on the other side of Blueberry Hill, is Little Bear and his mother. They have come to eat enough blueberries so they can grow big and fat for the long winter. Both Little Sal and Little Bear become separated from their mothers. I will stop the story right here so I don’t spoil it for you.

My reaction: This is another charming story with beautiful, simple black and white drawings. I read this book last Spring to my granddaughter when she was three. We both loved it. We could both understand what it felt like to be separated from our mothers. And, as two blueberry-lovers, we wished we could be on Blueberry Hill and eat all those berries. 

These are two strong recommendations for your young readers. Today’s post is part of Classic Children’s Boods at 5 Minutes For Books and one of my book challenges, Childhood Favourites. If you want more information, chlick on either title.