Everyone has their “thing,” right? That one thing they just can’t do.
Mine is dishes.
It’s not that I just hate doing them. It’s that it is that one thing that grosses me out. Give me vomit to clean or a farm animal to slaughter and I’m good to go and probably a little too interested. Show me a sink full of soggy, slimy food particles floating in warm water and I’m going to gag. Heaven forbid one of those food particles actually clings to my hand. I’m getting chills just thinking about it.
This is actually a two-fold issue:
- Food particles = indescribable yakking reflexes
- I don’t really like the sensation of wet hands…or feeling wet in general. Especially if it’s cold water.
I know this makes me slightly weird (although I’m adamant I’m not alone) and I do manage to take showers. 
Mostly I think it’s just a sensitivity thing (I don’t like air blowing on me either) and well…a weird thing. Whatever. I can own it.
One of the first things I miss in the RV is the dishwasher. And not just for the washing aspect; having a place to put dirty dishes until you have enough to wash is just as beneficial. As such there is almost always a dirty dish in the sink, taunting me relentlessly.
Thankfully I have a husband who humors me. For the past several months without a dishwasher, Justin has been handwashing like a pro. Occasionally I can overcome the water issue to rinse and dry. It’s hard and it involves a lot of hand-drying (yes, I actually dry my hands between the dishes I rinse – like I said, I can own my weirdness) but I do it.
He loves me (and he knows I have serious issues), so it’s never really mentioned. And I love him to the moon and back for it. But when Justin was taking his blacksmith workshop over the weekend, he’d come home on cloud nine and I knew nothing would ruin that excitement like dishes waiting to be done.
So today when I faced a sink full of dirty dishes, I didn’t think about the particles of stir-fry floating by or the soggy rice cascading between my fingers (oh dear lord). I took a really deep breath and focused on offering this as a gift of love to my husband.
And you know what? With my husband held firmly in my mind, it wasn’t so bad. This was my gift and nothing changes our perspective like wholeheartedly choosing to give from our hearts.
I didn’t clean out the food trap though. I do have issues, after all. Thankfully, he didn’t mind. 
My name is Tara. I am a mama and a lover, a full-time nomad, a passionate devourer of Life and an Organic Life Coach.
The food trap makes me want to gag too. It’s grossing me out just thinking about it.
That is EXACTLY what I hate about dishes and gloves leave a funky feeling also. I also hate to vacuum because of the way it sounds. You’re a lovely wife for facing your foe.
I’m right there with you. I dislike getting wet. Every since I was a little kid, I couldn’t stand the tactile experience. Fortunately, my two little ones seem to love the water.
Ha, I feel like that a lot. My particular thing that I cannot do is clean my own room. I’ll clean the kitchen and bathroom before I even look at my bedroom.
Hate it.
Though I do feel wonderful once everything is clean and in its place.
Oh, I hate this, too, though maybe not enough to write a post about it! lol. The one time I lived without a dishwasher, I realized just how much I hate it. Piles and piles of dishes in an otherwise clean home. If I have to wash something by hand, I will use a dish brush with a scraper on one end to scrape as much food as possible off first. Then I use the scrub side and scrub more food off. Both steps done under running water (yes, I waste a lot of water due to this ‘issue’ of mine). Once the dish is scraped and scrubbed of food, I will then put it into the soapy water to be cleaned. Floating food debris is very minimal. I even rinse my hands in between dishes and dry my hands if I have to step away from the sink.
I think the only thing that grosses me out more is cleaning all the nooks and crannies of the toilet.
HAHAHAAHAHAHAHA! Oh man I love this post. I actually do like doing the dishes because it’s sort of helps me zone out for a bit. I HATE cleaning the bathroom. I feel like my whole body is dirty after even though I’m wearing gloves and everything. OH man, I just got chills.
I don’t like air blowing on me either. I’ll crank up the ceiling fan so I’m not hot and then cover up with a sheet. Drives Dad crazy.
Some suggestions. Scrape those puppies off so there’s not food floating in the water and getting stuck in the trap, soak as you cook so it’s easier, and do them right away.
Remember Martha Dyer? She loved to do dishes, wouldn’t use her dishwasher. She called it water therapy. I understand, I have laundry therapy several times a week. And don’t even get me started on my organizing my closets therapy!
A wonderful post about love’s gifts, I have issues about unloading the dishwasher. No sensitivity, it just drives me nuts. I also have this inability to fold and put away clothes-again no sensitivity. I just don’t like it. I can wash clothes until the cows come home. Luckily my husband doesn’t mind. I am so with you on the washing dishes and the food trap-just one big universe of grossosity. You are so sweet to brave your issue and wash the dishes. I am sure he appreciated it too!
Haha! That is a great post! Toast says the two of you are going to get along crazy well when you (hopefully) stop through Decorah!
I so relate, except my husband doesn’t do this dishes. My dishwasher broke down months ago and I kind of let the dishes go a while before getting it over with.
Loved this post!
Owning who we are and loving ourself for being that way.
And the bonus of overcoming “us” to show love towards others.
What a gift indeed!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tara Wagner, Wings To Fly . Wings To Fly said: RT @OrganicSister: Blogged….Small Gifts of Love http://bit.ly/bkmwtn [...]
Oh my. Totally understandable!
Awww… how sweet is that!!! Doing dishes for each other even if it creeps you out. Yikes, I remember our pre-dishwasher days and we entered a Newly Wed contest at a vacation resort and won. One of the questions was “What do you argue about the most?” Most people would have said money or something but we both said “DISHES!” We both hate doing them. LOL!
I don’t mind dishes, but I do dislike air blowing on me, it urks me… I can’t stand being near a fan, not only for the air blowing on me and in my eyes, but the vibrations of the spinning and how loud it gets in my brain drives me nuts! You’re so sweet to post this honest post about how you show love to your hubby. It’s the little things that really make us smile, and remind us of how much we’re loved. Blessings on your journey together… ♥
I used to love doing dishes but I hate my sink. HATE IT! Something about it just …ick. Dont know why! Its a normal sink. I think its the way the trap thingies are. Food particles dont bother me.. I scrape the plates extra good and soak. You are a good woman to do the dishes:) I highly dislike scrubbing the bathtub… way ick.
love how honest you are and open. Would rubber gloves help ? Personally don’t have an issue doing dishes, but do hate putting out the rubbish, and always hope that hubbie will do it – had to do it myself this morning and hated it, but will try to look on it as a service of love for him next time (since he’s not exactly a big fan of having to do it everytime) and see if that makes it any better.
So happy to learn I’m not alone in the food trap thing!!!!!!!!!!!!
i hear ya! wouldn’t say it makes me gag, but floating bits in water is gross to me too.
but girl, you gotta get the scraping system improved. scrape and scrape, then rubber gloves and a long brush.
that WAS an act of love, lol.
LOL, I’m about to begin experience the RV kitchen as well, and I’m surprised by just how small the sink is. *Sigh*. Have to give up some things to live this adventurous life. I think I can live with it.
Oh, I should say … I go back and forth between loving and hating. Loving when I’m not feeling rushed to clean. Hating when I am rushed and feel I could/should be doing something else.
I_am_so_glad_someone_else_feels_like_this.__Especially_the_drying_hands_thing!
I feel that same way about dishwater. I won’t do dishes without my handy dish doing gloves.