I know, what a strange title, huh? But the other day, when I was taking a shower, I once again blessed the person who thought them up. Actually, it's probably people, rather than one person, and it probably happened over time, but whatever.
Think about how fortunate we North Americans are. Any time we choose, we can step into a tub or shower stall, turn on the faucet, and take a lovely, leisurely warm shower. Yup, water, hot water, with just a turn of a faucet. And we can stand there as long as we want, assured that the water will continue. We don't have to haul the water; we don't have to boil up pails of it so it will be warm.
And within the walls of that tub or stall, there's soap, shampoo, conditioner, net scrubbers or loofahs, and often moisturizers, all in lovely scents (or not--some like unscented products). Sometimes I have to force myself to turn off the water--it's so soothing it's like being in a warm cozy bed on a chill night.
I remember my dad telling me that after they finally made it off the front in WWII, when they got back to some type of camp, they were allowed three minutes in the shower. After all, there were thousands of them. But imagine trying to get clean in three minutes after a month or more of nothing (and that's a maybe) but a cleanup using your helmet.
And in one of the #1 Detective Ladies novels by Alexander McCall, there is a thought-provoking scene where Mma Grace Makutsi, who is Mma Precious Ramotswe's assistant and lives in a garage, walks to a neighbor's outdoor stand pipe and washes her hair in the cold water. And many in this world would probably consider that luxurious living.
Meanwhile, here at the resort, as I step out of the stall the real work commences. (Oh, how I often long for the carefree days of childhood when I toweled off and left the bathroom, never once giving thought of any cleanup other than hanging up my towel.) First, because we have our own well and our water, even with the new softener and iron remover equipment Dan put in last year still leaves spots and discoloration, we squeegee down the stall. Then we spray the stall with daily cleaner and finally, we wipe down the glass door with a soft towel. Only then do we hang the bath mat over the door.
Then it's time to do the same to this girl (again, how I long for the days of youth when all I did was towel off and dress!): Dry off, special lotions for the face, different ones for the ol' bod. Fluff the hair (at least no more rollers!), deodorant, dry the hair, apply hair products to shape, spray. Makeup. (At least my hair is short! My daughter tells me it can take fifteen minutes or more just to dry her gorgeous long hair!) And so, after thirty to forty-five minutes, I'm finally out of the bathroom and ready to get dressed.
I am blessed though. And don't I know it.
I remember when I was a young girl, our "showers" and "washing our hair" was when we dove into the lake. Really! I have a vivid memory (and all my memories are NOT vivid, LOL) of one time I had to dive in the lake more than once to rinse my hair because it was so long.
ReplyDeleteAnd now where we live water is something you appreciate. We live north of Phoenix (over an hour north) and the water table here is never at full capacity. Last summer EVERYONE was only allowed to water their plants and gardens3 days a week. And if you had livestock and went over 7000 gallons your water bill % skyrocketed!!! Needless to say, we know what it is like to limit your water intake.
We are truly blessed.
And I often wondered with all that the human race accomplishes, running gas pipelines from Alaska all the way down here - why can't we run pipelines from different parts of the US that have excess rain to areas that are less fortunate.
Okay, so my mind is overthinking this.
Hugs.
Wow Cindy, you give a whole new meaning to no hot water!! I hope it was during the summer!
DeleteMost places are being more careful about water, even up here where we have rivers and lakes everywhere. I glad we live outside of town and have our own well because in town they double the water rates during the summer and it's a huge expense. I like your idea of routing rain water!
I don't think Cindy is overthinking. Water consumption is a serious issue. California would love to pipe water from the Pacific Northwest, a controversial topic, since we of the Northwest don't think we really have it to share -- or to spare.
ReplyDeleteIn grade school we were taught about the water cycle, and my impression was that water could never be reduced. Now we seem to say that isn't so.
I, too, enjoy a comfortable shower every evening, but I'm afraid at some point we will have to get over it. With the exception of my shower, I try to conserve water as much as I can.
I was amused by your comments that you didn't clean after your shower. I remember several "discussions" with my mother when she was quite insistent that I should clean the tub. Like you, in my own home we are both meticulous about wiping down the shower and using that wonderful spray. And --you are ever so much more meticulous than I with your lotions and potions and blow dryer. (I actually have a blow-dryer.)
Thanks for this thoughtful -- and thought-provoking -- post.
Yup, I just showered and left. :-) Every once in a while on a cleaning day Mom would have me clean the tub and I hated it! We pretty much all took showers, but the tile and tub floor would need scrubbing to get the water marks off. What an ugly job!!
DeleteAnd that whole water cycle thing has me baffled, too.
And lastly, I have to be meticulous about the lotions and potions--my skin, perhaps because of our water, is so dry now that without them I'm miserable.
Bodily dryness -- I guess it's symptomatic of what ails us. I remember helping Mother shop for Nutrogena glycerin soap, thinking she was sorta over the top. Yesterday I bought some glycerin soap. I've never been a fan of lotions, though, and I should find something I like -- and use it.
DeleteI was well into married life when I discovered that keeping the shower clean was the secret to not having to scrub it. We keep a squeegee and an old rag in the shower, and then I spray it when we're both finished. If extra cleaning is required I do it as I shower.
I just use good ol' Vaseline Intensive Care. I like it because it soaks in and doesn't feel greasy. The Safeway knock off is just as good, too. Even over here I have dry skin sometimes. In Idaho my skin could get so dry it would crack. Ouch!
ReplyDeleteMy hands crack and bleed in the winter. That Dawn dishwashing liquid with Olay -- whatever they call it -- seems to help. And this year I had a little tube of "miracle" hand repair product that gave me instant relief.
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