Eoe
I love that arrangement. I love to cook, but hate the clean up.
On the big holidays, the closest she came to clean-up was directing the put-away of her china and serving pieces.
Now that's my kind of woman :-D
Here is another 'Agree with Pheonix' vote! lol! You do need to politely ask people to do specific things. They will catch on!!
I have noticed that depending on who's home you are going to, what the rules are. I tend to be like my mother in-law. If I invite people over, I assume all cooking and clean up and don't care if anyone helps me. I even chaise them out of the kitchen and mean it.
I do feel it is the polite thing to do by helping out without being asked at all, which I do at anyone's home. I don't let my mother in-law chaise me out of the kitchen and clean up everything. She does try, but in a half hearted way. I don't mind. I clean up everything. I chaise her out her own kitchen! I know that she does appreciate the help, but does not expect it.
My mother is not in the greatest health and needs the help. She gets tired with holiday family meals, just cooking and I know it. I trained my sister in-law! She saw me, every time, remove dishes from the table, clear them off, and start washing dishes. I covered leftover food and put it away. Finally, she is getting the hint!! It is only polite to do things to help without being asked. My mother is thrilled that she is not stuck with clean up.
I litterally chaise anyone out of my kitchen, even with large holiday dinners. I wash all things used for cooking as I go. There is only food to put away and dishes to be put in the dishwasher. I do not like my guest washing dishes at all and will toss them out of the kitchen.
To me, it is a big deal that all my guest are comfortable. You have to figure that I do things ahead of time and always clean pots and pans as I cook, so we are only talking about rinsing dirty dishes into the garbage disposal and tossing them in the dishwasher, after everyone leaves.
No wonder I keep getting stuck with holiday dinners!!
