It's Not Fair

       I have been working on Martha's daily rule to "clean while you cook". And it's going okay, so far. Now, when I take something out of the refrigerator, I'll put it back when I'm finished with it, instead of leaving it on the counter. While waiting for butter to melt in the frying pan, I'll put the knife I used into the dishwasher. While waiting for water to boil, I'll wipe off the counters.  It's all rather easy, actually, and I don't know what I used to do before with all those little moments.

       But all the same, I've been considering some ways to be even more efficient. For someone who doesn't like cleaning -- but does like things to be clean -- surely there is an easier option. Why not just stop cooking entirely, and thereby stop the need to clean as well? Take breakfast, for instance. Couldn't we just snarf down a granola bar each day, instead of dealing with things like eggs, cheese, butter and toast? It seems so easy!  The only cleaning would be putting the wrapper into the trash.  With some training, even my husband could keep up with that.

       Now that I think of it, I have been in the homes of friends whose kitchens are always spotless. And if I look into their refrigerators, all that's there is perhaps some bottled water, some expired milk (from the last time they made coffee at home) and maybe a half-empty bottle of white wine. These people clearly never cook, and they get to have a clean kitchen all the time. Is that fair?

       It doesn't seem right that because I go through the effort of cooking, I have to also make the additional effort of cleaning -- and even cleaning at the same time, according to Martha's rules.  Surely, there should be some more fair way of distributing labor.   

       Or maybe it's just time to gather up some take-out menus and make life both easier and cleaner at the same time.