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My dishwasher's possessed

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3 Life Lessons My Dishwasher Taught Me

January 31, 2016 By Kathy Radigan

3 LifeLessons My Dishwasher Taught Me

Five years ago I stepped into my kitchen to grab a cup of coffee before the kids came home from school and was greeted with a flood of almost biblical proportions.

My seven-year-old dishwasher was the cause. Once it was declared officially dead a few days later, Joe and I went out and bought a new one. Little did I know that my brand new, and not inexpensive, appliance would not only become the name of my blog and start my foray into writing, it would also be one of my greatest teachers on taking care of myself.

I fear I may be losing some of you. Let me explain.

Our dishwasher started showing its demonic personality the first night we had it. It worked perfectly when Sears delivered and set it up. About three hours later it started beeping and lighting up like a pinball machine. This would occur at all hours of the day and night. As for washing dishes – one minute it would work, the next it would just stop. No lights. No sounds. Nothing.

This was just the beginning of countless electrical and mechanical problems that have required many, many, repair appointments. As each problem has been diagnosed and repaired, I have found lessons that are relevant to me as a mom of three and wife to one.

The lessons are as follows:

1.) Don’t overload the machine. This seems pretty obvious, but somehow it’s a lesson I never seem to remember with the dishwasher or myself. In trying to get everything done I tend to overload both of us. Unfortunately that means the dishes don’t sparkle, and I become a mom who is in desperate need of a dental cleaning, physical and a haircut.

We both work better with a little more care and attention.

 2.) A dishwasher needs to be on level ground to work properly. This was not discovered until the third repair appointment. Apparently our kitchen floor is not level. This meant the dishwasher was not balanced properly.

I too need to be on level ground to be there for my family. This is much easier said than done. I’ve never been good at finding balance.

This was confirmed one day a few years ago. It was an extremely crazy time in our lives. Our daughter, Lizzy, whose special needs have always been complicated, was having a particularly tough time. It seemed we were either at the doctor or hospital every other day.

As if this wasn’t stressful enough we were also dealing with sick parents, jam-packed calendars filled with activities for the boys, and the craziness of the holiday season. Just to add to the fun, I had sheared off the passenger side mirror on my minivan the day before while I was between picking up Peter at preschool and rushing to get Lizzy, who I had just been informed was throwing up, at school.

The following day was Saturday, and Joe took the car to the garage to get it repaired.

I have always prided myself on not really losing it very often with my kids. I accomplish this by going to therapy. With everything going on, I barely had a chance to breathe — not to mention keeping something like a therapy appointment.

While Joe was gone, I was snapping at the kids in a way I just hadn’t before. When Joe called from the garage, Tom asked to talk to him. I overheard him say, “Quick Dad, get home. Mom has flipped.”

Thankfully that made me laugh, and I was able to stay calm long enough for Joe to get home and for me to see my therapist a couple of days later.

 3.) If something is wrong, make noise. Unfortunately my family doesn’t have the power to read my mind. If I need help, I have ask for it, which I hate to do. I’m a control freak, and I find it easier to do a job myself rather than explain how to do it.

I’m working on this, and I have been pleasantly surprised to find out that I’m not the only living person who can make dinner or help Lizzy get dressed.

I love my life, and I love being a mom. But, I’m a mere mortal. I need to do a much better job of caring for myself.

Who would have thought that one possessed dishwasher could teach me so much?


 

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Filed Under: Motherhood Tagged With: marriage, motherhood, possessed dishwashers, self care, special needs children, special needs families

Comments

  1. Janine Huldie says

    January 31, 2016 at 10:02 pm

    What great lessons that your dishwasher has imparted and honestly just couldn’t agree with you on all three 😉
    Janine Huldie recently posted…15 Simple Ways to Reconnect Romantically Just in Time for Valentine’s DayMy Profile

    • Kathy Radigan says

      January 31, 2016 at 10:04 pm

      Thank you sweet friend! xo

  2. Andrea Brovetto says

    February 1, 2016 at 8:57 am

    So true Kathy great post

    • Kathy Radigan says

      February 2, 2016 at 12:21 pm

      Thanks mom! xo

  3. nancy@skinnykitchen.com says

    February 1, 2016 at 11:20 pm

    I’m so glad you needed a new dishwasher, 5 years ago, Kathy. I can’t imagine not having your great posts to enjoy. Thank you for sharing your life with all of us. I learn something all the time.
    nancy@skinnykitchen.com recently posted…Skinny Kitchen Weight Loss Meal Plan Now Available as an App or Email Subscription!My Profile

    • Kathy Radigan says

      February 2, 2016 at 12:21 pm

      Nancy that is so sweet!!!!!! Thank you so much my dear friend. I’m very glad I have a possessed dishwasher to because meeting you has totally been worth the hassle of the crazed appliance! xo

  4. Lisa Weinstein says

    February 2, 2016 at 7:19 am

    Hi Kathy – I think women, and especially mothers, are born with the martyr syndrome in thinking that nobody can take care of their house or family as good as they can! We have to allow ourselves to rest and let our husbands and kids help out once in a while. They may load the dishwasher differently than I load it, but the dishes get cleaned nonetheless – and I do not, I repeat I DO NOT, take the dishes out and reload them 😉
    Hugs!!

    • Kathy Radigan says

      February 2, 2016 at 12:19 pm

      Lisa you are so right!!!!! Thanks! xoxo

  5. Kim says

    February 3, 2016 at 1:46 pm

    This so true. If only we paid attention to ourselves, the same way we do for our appliances. I have my eye on my dishwasher, lately. My appliances all seem to take turns in needing some TLC. (At least they are not on the fritz all at the same time.)

    • Kathy Radigan says

      February 3, 2016 at 1:52 pm

      It really is horrible how easy it is to take care of everyone and everything but ourselves!!! Good luck with your appliances!!! And yes, at least they are taking turns!! Lol! Thanks so much for dropping by!

  6. Kisma says

    February 6, 2016 at 9:44 am

    This is great! I am really, really guilty of that first one!
    Kisma recently posted…Wordless Wednesday – My daughter’s “doodle”My Profile

  7. Sheila Qualls says

    May 7, 2016 at 4:51 pm

    Great post, Kathy! Amazing where we can pull lessons from. If your dishwasher has a problem, it will let you know. We need to be able to do the same.
    Sheila Qualls recently posted…Parent Fails: Aahh. . . The Stuff Childhood Memories Are Made OfMy Profile

  8. John says

    May 9, 2016 at 10:27 am

    Thanks for sharing this, Kathy. Overloading was a serious problem at my place until it got to the point where someone had to rewash some of the dishes after they had just come out of the dishwasher. At that point, we definitely had to reevaluate how we were loading it, and everything has been okay since.

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Much thanks to Joseph Radigan, who besides being a great husband and father, also uses his talents to gently and ever so tactfully edit my blog. Joe is a business editor at Thomson Reuters in NY.
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