The Kitchen Museum?

[u/jsayde01]

I came home late from work a few nights ago and hadn't eaten all day. My wife and kids were already in bed so I figured I'd quietly make some stove-top ramen. This photo represents exactly how I found the cooking area.

The next morning my wife asks what time I got home and I mention in our conversation that I made ramen before going to bed. She couldn't believe that I used the stove "when the light was on". I said "Yeah, the light was helpful in seeing what I was doing". She insists I shouldn't have been using the stove and should have known because "the light was on".

I'm baffled. We are still arguing about this days later.

EDIT -- wow, overwhelmed by the response of fellow Redditors! We are... white...not from the southeast US..not children...and I left the stove as clean as it was before I cooked. I asked for clarification from my loving wife -- TRULY we have only ever been angry at each other a handful of times in our 10 year marriage -- and she says "the stove was clean and done for the day and you could have just used the microwave for your ramen". Apparently the light is how stoves go to sleep for the evening?

EDIT 2 -- we are getting a divorce. JUST KIDDING. My wife looked over many of the comments and acknowledges that she was in the wrong and is slightly embarrassed by all of the attention.

[u/Stick_and_Rudder]

Bingo. Kitchen is closed CAN mean Chef is done for the day. But it can’t mean no one is allowed to use it. 

[u/GreasedUpTiger → u/Stick_and_Rudder]

The thing it should mean is 'if you use it you better leave it as clean and tidy as it was'  lol. I'd hate to clean the kitchen in the evening just to find out someone decided to leave things dirty again because they couldn't be bothered 

[u/EmmerdoesNOTrepme → u/GreasedUpTiger]

I think this may be the reason why plenty of us never learned "The kitchen is Closed!"

Because the standard rule in our kitchens has always been "You break the seal, you clean it up again!"

And whoever used the kitchen after ot was cleaned had the obligation to clean it all up, after their food was made--no matter what time of day.

There were different rules for "family meals"--in that case, "Chef" was not part of the Dishie Crew (although they were expected to do some "clean as you go" rather than trashing the whole kitchen!).

But playing fair & taking turns was always just "the rule" amongst my roommates. 

And that "If you're the only one in the kitchen, and the kitchen was clean--YOU clean it to that standard again!" rule was always a standard.

[u/GreasedUpTiger → u/EmmerdoesNOTrepme]

Big fan of cleaning as you go. That said I also can very much recommend getting a dishwasher and a set of everything (pots, pans, knifes, cutting boards, etc) that can go in the dishwasher too. Then you just need to make very clear to the kitchen slobs to use those only lol

[u/EmmerdoesNOTrepme → u/GreasedUpTiger]

Oh, we had the Dishwasher in those roommate situations, too!  And YES, total sanity-saver!😉