I just had a moment of divine clarity: soap suds bring me to a state of grace.

I’m a bit rusty on my religious terms (rusty…or never knew them), so state of grace is perhaps a little off the mark. But I can rub my soul a little clean, rinse out my mind and put it on the drying rack of reflection all just by washing a cup.

Things were a little tense in our house this evening. Nothing major, just one of those nights where everyone is in a bad mood and everything seems overwhelming. I had no idea what to make for dinner and I couldn’t even conceive of cooking until I’d washed the dishes in the sink. Pulling on my rubber gloves and muttering under my breath, I reached for the “Dishomatic” and instantly felt a little calmer with the wand in my hand. I prefer the “Italian Method” of washing up, as taught to me by my beautiful friend, Jessicat. Rather than dunking the dishes in a sink full of water, you scrub them individually, and rinse them one at a time. It’s less of a commitment that way. With each cup, or spoon or bowl I soaped up, I started to feel a little better. The act of getting in there and digging around with the Dishomatic, really putting in a bit of frantic energy, cleared my mind. The suds, the hot water and the sense of achievement. I may not be able to control the world but I am the master of that kitchen sink and dammit if I don’t feel better after a bit of Suds-Time.