Last night, we threw a little dinner party for a few friends–fried chicken, classic summer-in-the-South fare straight from the garden, cocktails, espresso. Sparkling conversation with good food is the perfect way to spend a Wednesday, don’t you think?
Then, after everyone had gone, we took a little time to clean up the joint. Sure our tummies were full and our heads were a little light, but if there’s one thing that can absolutely ruin a perfect dinner party, it’s the morning after!
So we loaded the dishwasher, changed the tablecloth, and neatly stacked the freshly washed china to dry.
This morning, we came down to a tidy dining room and then steeped our coffee beside all those clean dishes.
I think half the battle of having a peaceful home (& mind) is discovering little things like this that set you up for success.
Yes! Love this. The little rituals and extra steps that bring more peace to our lives are so worth it. I’ve been trying to make our bed every morning before leaving for work and coming home to that extra bit or order is so calming. Weird but wonderful.
I couldn’t agree more. There is nothing worse than waking up to sticky dishes, stale cocktails and a messy kitchen. No matter what time my parties end I always take the time to clean up then so the next day all I have to do is run the dishwasher a few times. You don’t mind as much when you’re still on the party high, but you really mind the next morning especially when you may be struggling a little bit.
I learned the hard way.
Too tired after a Christmas party at our house in 1977, I rinsed and stacked all the dishes to wash the next morning. Your daddy and I didn’t own a dishwasher. That morning, an unexpected trip kept me from doing the dishes. That was okay…I’d get to them that afternoon. But I fell on ice in a parking lot and was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital. I was admitted and remained there for ten days. (that was back when insurance allowed that sort of thing!) Guess what? The rinsed and neatly stacked dishes were still waiting for me when I was discharged from the hospital. I’m awfully glad I rinsed them so well!
Since that time, your daddy has learned to wash dishes when I’m gone. It took a while…