Thursday, November 12, 2009

Bathing as of Late (by Nani)

Oddly enough, Mike hit the nail on the head... water pressure sucks because of the "drought".
So, after a couple of days of not showering because of the weirdness of our on-demand hot water situation, I braved the menopausal temperature changes and decided to make lemonade instead of fearing the process.

Well, it wasn't really lemonade, but I'm always up for some environmental challenge to see what I can make the best of and here was prime opportunity. I wasn't targeting the lounging sort of bath, but rather the Wild West type that the cowboys enjoyed after weeks in the crusty saddle. My needs were not so great, but I did require some level of cleanliness to visit our new friends and learn about bio-dynamic farming... or did I?

I had just about enough hot water to balance the need for enough liquid to bathe with a temperature that would be reasonably warm. And so my little mind calculated how much water I would need coupled with the priorities of body parts, with the one that God split down the middle - the last to be cleaned. I needed to see what I could pull off, so there it was. Approximately 2-1/4 inches of water. Approximately. I approached my task with a smile.... and nothing else.

And so, on my knees, firstly wetting the head/hair and thoroughly soaping with Dr. Bronner's tea tree (excellent for skin conditions and getting rid of microbes, should any be floating about on my nappy head). Secondly, (oh shit forgot to grab a wash cloth... my underwear needs to be washed... hmmm) grabbed the underwear from the floor without opening eyes and washing it as if I were camping down on the river. No doubt, cleaner than any washing machine could ever manage. Sure some of you may be saying, "ewww" perhaps, but in the grand scheme, I am a camper and we do what we need to under duress. Besides, who of us women have never had to get rid of an "accident" before, hmm?

Third step, fully lathering my newly converted wash cloth to soap the body, reserving the rinsing of it all to the end, and thoroughly washing the parts starting with the "cleaner parts" first: face, neck, ears, then arms, legs, middle, then pits and feet - of course, rinsing the "wash cloth" out along the way. And then, lastly, the aforementioned part that God made so we wouldn't poo all over ourselves. Check.

Of course I am rinsing, from the top down, using the somewhat clean water and feeling pretty happy with my accomplishment. I have conserved the triumvirate of time, energy and water and killed two birds with one stone. All in all, an excellent experiment-outcome, especially from one who has left her very deep tub/shower and bidet at home in New Hampshire.

I would liken our current living situation from where we came from, especially in this regard, as I would how we camp and how others RV.


Yup. This is me... sharing with you. Can ya handle it?

5 comments:

  1. I have been there! Our well occassionally decides to run dry, therefore leaving me in a pinch and gallon of water to bathe in! LOL

    You go girl!

    ~Kelly B in PA

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  2. Maura, not sure if you've commented on Baji's comment or the last question whether or not you can handle it... LOL

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  3. Bravo! You may motivate me to conserve some more.....I can never get enough hot water to fill a bath anyway. I am not so sure I want to do my laundry at the same time though. I am curious as to how you will do laundry....do you have a rock to scrub on (your laundry) down at the crick Cowgirl?!

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