Cleansing the soul ... with dish soap

Standing there in the aisle at the grocery store, I could almost feel the little angel and devil on my shoulder.

No, I wasn't deciding whether to get the bag of Oreos (always yes) or the pint of Ben and Jerry's (again, always yes).

No, this question went to the very core of my being - to my very soul (whereas the Oreos and Ben and Jerry just ends up on my thighs).

I was staring at the dish soap. Dish soap you might say? How would that evoke any kind soul searching question? I'm glad you asked! Let me share my over dramatized dilemma with you ...

As I stared at the various brands of plastic bottles in almost every hue of the rainbow, my eyes settled on the two bottles in which I have very mixed emotions. One a pretty light pink bottle - like that a rose or a big puff of cotton candy (my mind is never far from food). The other a deep blue - like the color of the ocean near a beautiful Hawaiian beach (or cotton candy).

Please tell me your dilemma over dish soap did not involve color you might want to say as you roll your eyes and you will be happy to know that no, color was not what had me standing like an idiot in front of the dish soap for five minutes. Nor was it the brand of dish soap, nor was it the scent of the dish soap (of which I discovered there is much more than lemon and none) or even the price of the dish soap.

No, it was what was inside the bottle that was the question and even past that, what the liquid inside the bottle would do. Curiosity peaked I hope ...

No before I go and tell you the reason why the simple choice of a dish soap has caused me to look inside myself and decide what type of person I really am let me give you a little back story. My family and I recently moved and in our new house there is no dishwasher. And while my husband is wonderful and does the dishes as well, I feel like I am constantly at the sink washing the many cups, mugs, bowls, plates and silverware that accumulate during the day. I don't like doing dishes (and I have yet to find someone who does) but it is a necessary evil.

Now, here is another fun little fact about me - because you were just dying to know! I have dry hands. A lovely little feature and as much as I have tried to curb the problem, no lotion has yet to bring me long term relief. And of course washing dishes every day does not help in the least.

So now here's my dilemma ... do I buy the dish soap with the lotiony (I know it's not a word) ingredient that is said to help heal dry hands while you're doing dishes, OR do I buy the dish soap with the cute little ducky on the bottle which says that for every bottle purchased a proceed with be given to help little duckies and seals and other birdies that get covered in oil during maritime oil spills.

Save the duckies, save my hands? Save the duckies, save my hands?

Seems like a over dramatisation of seemingly non-problem right? Well, maybe ... but this is a BLOG and not a meeting of Congress.

For those of you holding your breath to see what I chose you may now exhale .... I chose the duckies ... Saving animals from poisonous oil is MUCH more important than my silly old hands ... At least that is what the angel kept telling me ...

And just so you know, I HAVE thought of the alternative in which I could save the duckies AND my hands - washing with rubber gloves. And while I know that would help and it would keeping me from touching any of the food bits floating around the dish water - something that grosses me out to no end - I don't like having my hand smell like rubber gloves afters I'm done. To which the suggestion would be, just put on some scented lotion, silly. Yes, yes, you are right. You are much smarter than me and probably are a better dish washer than me too ... I think you need to come over and show me what I am doing wrong ... but be prepared - I am a VERY slow learner ...