Way down, at the very bottom of my email inbox is an email that I received from my friend Lucy on August 9, 2010.  It’s a list of topics that she suggested I write about here on Instead of the Dishes.  I’ve kept that list for all this time, planning to someday check them all off, and still I haven’t.  So, this post is for Lucy, to tie up some of those subjects she sent me so long ago.  It’s her list, with not quite a whole blog post for each, but at least my thoughts. Lucy’s email specified that these subjects are in no particular order: 1. Why do you stay at home with your children instead of have an outside job? Wow, things have changed a lot since you asked me … Read entire article »