The Dishwasher of Hope

Since I've moved in, I have not seen a clean dish come out of our dishwasher. It doesn't matter how many times I've put soap in and started it, and then redid a cycle and then gave up and washed the individual dish that I wanted to use. It took me...well, a while, to notice that when the dishwasher ran (which was not often) it would leave about 4 inches of standing water down at the bottom. When I made a comment about it to the roommates there response was basically an acknowledgment of that fact that it didn't work, but that didn't stop us from loading it - I only assisted in the madness in order to get the dishes out of the sink - and then, surprisingly, unloading it - to which I never did.

This is mainly the reason I have only eaten from a pink fork, spoon and knife, a pink plate or a pink bowl and a small number of glasses. Because I knew they were clean. I have often opened up the cupboard where their dishes are stored, or the silverware drawer in order to retrieve something, only to shudder and break out my own things. It took every ounce of.... determination? I had in me to sit down during roommate dinner and eat from the fork and plate, and drink from the big plastic cup (which I hate anyway)  without gagging a little bit. I just couldn't imagine those things to be that clean.

Finally, I took it upon myself and called the landlady of ST. I've heard some things about her, and while she seems like she can get a little cranky, she has so far been very nice to me. I told her about the dishwasher and suggester a little maintenance could be provided. Two days  later, a big box was discovered in our living room. The next day, we had a very pretty, shiny new dishwasher sitting under the counter.

Now, one of my roommates suggested that the whole kitchen situation (i.e. the sink of dishes) was in direct relation to the fact that there was a non-functioning dishwasher. I am hoping that the novelty of the new dishwasher will encourage a level of cleanliness that has not yet been achieved at this apartment. If C is correct, then the new dishwasher should solve all our problems. I am, of course, a bit skeptical as the dishes are not the only problem: crumbs and other remnants of breakfasts, lunches and dinners are always on the counter tops; overflowing trash and trash bags NEXT to the full trash can are often a concern; I'm fairly certain there are several rotting items in our fridge; etc. etc.

However, I must admit... when I walked out from the back of the apartment, I was surprised to see the sink empty, the counter top and stove mostly wiped down, and....at least there wasn't a bag of trash NEXT to the trash can. Can this mean that the dishwasher has begun to instill a little hope in me? Perhaps.

Or even more hopeful? I heard A trying to sell her contract to someone on the phone. K is getting married in April or May and C is planning on getting a house where she can have a dog. I think I might just make it until August - and that is hopeful indeed.