Actually, I have gone six months without a microwave, television and dishwasher. The horror!
Once the Boo and I moved into his grandmother’s house we were instantly transported to the 1950’s. His grandmother is 91 years old, so, as you can imagine, she does things a little differently.
Mom-mom was born in 1919. She has lived through 16 U.S. presidents. She was raised on a farm in North Carolina. She lives on fried chicken, mashed potatoes and butter. Needless to say she doesn’t understand the need for a microwave, she has a dishwasher but she refuses to use it, and she thinks everything can be cleaned with “a little soap and water.”
When we first moved in we were sure we would help her come around to the 21st century style of doing things. Rob would say things like, “why can’t we just use the dishwasher? It doesn’t make any sense!”
We shared a small (and by small – I mean ridiculously small by today’s standards) television that was hooked up to a crazy antennae on the top of her roof. I mean, you should see this thing, it is archaic! Soon we got used to watching all TV on my computer. We kind of fell in love with Hulu and Netflix. This is an ongoing relationship. We don’t pick favorites. Mom-mom has a VCR player. Do you kids out there know what a VCR is? They are probably going to Google it right now. Once in a while we would watch The Sound of Music or Fiddler on the Roof with her. Or some old western from the 1940’s.
Each night we have learned to wash our own dishes right after food and not pile up our plates until somebody is ready to load the dishwasher. And by somebody I don’t mean Boo.
I cook everything in the oven or on the stove and I have started cooking a lot more things from scratch. Today I made a rice and lentil dish with fresh baby bok choy on the side. Sometimes when I heat something up in the oven, even though it takes longer, I realize how much better it tastes when it hasn’t been power zapped.
I remember my UD professor once said, “People think I am crazy when I say I don’t believe in microwaves.” He said he refuses to use them due to radiation and swears up and down that they emit harmful waves (which is true) and that he doesn’t want to have the food that nourishes his body go into one of those machines.
Honestly, at first, I thought that was a little nutty. But six months without it I have come to realize I can get by just fine. And maybe forcing myself to think about a planned out, cooked from scratch meal, is really what I need! If the microwave had been around perhaps I would be eating more TV dinners and frozen vegetables and synthetic, manufactured foods that are glamorized in shiny, colorful boxes and plastic wrap.
And not having a television has helped the Boo and I go out and do things! We have been on beach trips, gone walking, talked more, and reconnected. Our bond is stronger than ever.
What about the dishwasher you say?
Now let’s not get carried away.
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