One man stands (not idly) by his dishwasher

I THANK Terry Prone for bringing a broad smile to my face with her sexist rant about men and dishwashers (February 11).

Mind you, I’m now racked with self-doubt as to the true extent of my masculinity, given my regimented behaviour around my favourite kitchen appliance (after the razor-sharp knives and the Gaggia).

The dishwasher must be loaded to my exacting standards — plates from the same set grouped together to ensure adequate passage of water between them; mugs stacked from the back, starting at the side that has an overhanging tray for long knives and larger utensils; spoons carefully arranged so they don’t assume the close-hugging spoon position, and knives (almost fully) pre-washed because the dishwasher fails miserably with those that are food-encrusted, turning previously adult specimens into spotty adolescents.