A lazy afternoon and the dishes wheel

The sun was warm through the window, and the house was quiet in that slow, post-lunch way. I’d been putting it off, but the little stack of plates by the sink was starting to feel like a silent accusation. I pulled out the wheel, just for something light to do.

Spinning the wheel on a quiet day

I gave it a flick with my finger. It spun with a soft, plastic whir, the colors blurring into a little rainbow circle. I found myself leaning closer to see the result, my shadow falling across the counter.It slowed, clicking past the more energetic options. I wasn’t hoping for anything in particular, just a nudge. The silence felt full, not empty, like the house was waiting with me.

When the pointer stopped

It landed on ‘Wash while listening to a podcast.’ Not a chore, then, but a little pocket of time. I put my earbuds in and turned on an old episode of a show I’d half-forgotten.The warm water and the familiar voices in my ear made the task dissolve. It wasn’t about getting it done anymore. It was just my hands moving, the suds, the clink of ceramic, while my mind was somewhere else entirely.

A different kind of finish

When I was done, the sink was empty and shining. But the feeling wasn’t one of accomplishment, really. It was more like a gentle settling. The afternoon felt properly lazy now, earned in a small way.