Since I let my cleaning lady go, I am now the person in charge of cleanliness at our house. And I’m up to the task. However, a recent conversation with a close friend was most illuminating in this regard.
I was whining about the amount of fingerprints and grease and gook that sticks to the outside of my cherry cabinets in the kitchen. On cleaning day, I spend considerable effort getting the cupboard doors spotless and dust-free.
I’ve never been a devotee of cabinet hardware, those knobs and handles that add to the cost of decorating a kitchen. Instead I usually opt for the “clean” look and doors that are opened when a hand pulls them from underneath. In fact, I can tell you the last place I lived where I installed hardware was in 1997.
As I ranted, my friend gently said, “Do you have handles or knobs?” “No,” I responded. “Do you.” “Yes” came the answer. And then it dawned on me. Keeping the cupboards in great shape is the purpose of the hardware.
Even with a Master’s degree, I am sometimes truly slow.






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