The 60 Second Shower
Disclaimer: If you haven't read the August 29th toilet blog, this may not make as much sense to you. I would go back and read that one first.
For those of you with power following along at home, I'll tell you about last night. David called over to Dan and Linda (two VERY GRACIOUS and kind people) who own a generator. They had some running power....the water worked, the microwave, a few lamps, the tv, etc. And they graciously allowed us to come over and join their already full house to take showers and eat dinner.
We all brought over items that might spoil or we had around the house....nuts, grapes, chips, salsa, etc. They grilled chicken and hotdogs and boiled pasta on the grill side-burner for a fresh tomato and basil pasta. (It was YUMMY!) So we sat and talked and ate in the glow of flashlights. It was actually really nice. The kids got to watch a little tv...a nice change after a couple of days without power.
We all brought over items that might spoil or we had around the house....nuts, grapes, chips, salsa, etc. They grilled chicken and hotdogs and boiled pasta on the grill side-burner for a fresh tomato and basil pasta. (It was YUMMY!) So we sat and talked and ate in the glow of flashlights. It was actually really nice. The kids got to watch a little tv...a nice change after a couple of days without power.
They are two VERY GRACIOUS and kind people!
As you know, I like to tell the comical...the silly...the embarrassing. Mainly because it's the most fun to write and I imagine the most fun to read. Sometimes it's all my fault and sometimes it's more a lack of knowledge. Occasionally, I blame my husband ... this is one of those times.
(For those of you who think he's getting thrown under the bus as I think the phrase was, let me throw this in: David is absolutely a good man, good husband, good father, good care-taker, good friend, and tons of fun. And I wouldn't want to go through a power outage with anyone else. We've actually had a relatively good time the past few days. But I'm blaming him on this one.....I'll let you be the judge.)
We haven't really been without electronics ... our cells phone work. David gets emails and some internet access on his blackberry. I have a computer at work to blog and email and facebook. We have watched West Wing in bed at night on the computer. I can charge my camera battery. In fact, everything gets recharged at work the next day. It's great. If we were truly out of all power, we'd be hurting a lot more than we are now. We are only out the television (which is not necessarily a bad thing) and I can't upload my ipod podcasts which I REALLY miss. No worries there.
We have eaten like kings with this whole outdoor grill device. Genius! Fresh tomatoes and lots of fruit. No real worries there either.
The weather has been simply gorgeous after the storm ... not too hot to sleep at night. We can sit out or grill out and enjoy the weather.
(For those of you who think he's getting thrown under the bus as I think the phrase was, let me throw this in: David is absolutely a good man, good husband, good father, good care-taker, good friend, and tons of fun. And I wouldn't want to go through a power outage with anyone else. We've actually had a relatively good time the past few days. But I'm blaming him on this one.....I'll let you be the judge.)
We haven't really been without electronics ... our cells phone work. David gets emails and some internet access on his blackberry. I have a computer at work to blog and email and facebook. We have watched West Wing in bed at night on the computer. I can charge my camera battery. In fact, everything gets recharged at work the next day. It's great. If we were truly out of all power, we'd be hurting a lot more than we are now. We are only out the television (which is not necessarily a bad thing) and I can't upload my ipod podcasts which I REALLY miss. No worries there.
We have eaten like kings with this whole outdoor grill device. Genius! Fresh tomatoes and lots of fruit. No real worries there either.
The weather has been simply gorgeous after the storm ... not too hot to sleep at night. We can sit out or grill out and enjoy the weather.
We've played lot of games. Gone to bed early.
There is no dishwasher or clothes washer and dryer. No iron. (Hey, no chores!) But needless to say, we've been going to work a little messy and rumpled. When the clothes (and by that I mainly mean underwear) run out, we might have troubles. We can wear flip flops and don't have to worry about socks. So for now, with paper plates and a drawer of t-shirts we never wear, even that hasn't been too bad.
We really can't complain. The scenerios could have been so much worse on so many levels. It could have been a snow storm without heat, or there could have been flooding or house/water damage. We could have lost trees or been really in the dark without any electronics. This has just been more of an inconvenience than anything terribly tragic. We've been fortunate and we are very grateful.
There is no dishwasher or clothes washer and dryer. No iron. (Hey, no chores!) But needless to say, we've been going to work a little messy and rumpled. When the clothes (and by that I mainly mean underwear) run out, we might have troubles. We can wear flip flops and don't have to worry about socks. So for now, with paper plates and a drawer of t-shirts we never wear, even that hasn't been too bad.
We really can't complain. The scenerios could have been so much worse on so many levels. It could have been a snow storm without heat, or there could have been flooding or house/water damage. We could have lost trees or been really in the dark without any electronics. This has just been more of an inconvenience than anything terribly tragic. We've been fortunate and we are very grateful.
But all that being said, the thing that makes it a little more painful than I'd like it to be, is the lack of warm water. The thing we all absolutely miss the most, hands down, is a long hot shower. We are counting the days until we have our plumbing back in working order. Sunday it was "washing down in the sink" and Monday morning more of the same. But by Monday night we were really wanting to shower. So I was pleased when David came in and said, "I called Dan and Linda. They have a generator. We can take a shower over there."
But then he said this: "Now it has to be a really quick shower. Just a minute or two. You can't stay in there long. Dan was saying something about pulling the handle and rinsing while you turn it on and off, so just make sure it's really quick. Conserve the water. Just a minute or two."
"A minute or two?" I reply trying to not sound too ungrateful, "Do you know how long it takes to shampoo all this hair?" I guess shaving and hair-conditioning is out too. I better not shampoo it, I'll run out of time.
"A minute or two?" I reply trying to not sound too ungrateful, "Do you know how long it takes to shampoo all this hair?" I guess shaving and hair-conditioning is out too. I better not shampoo it, I'll run out of time.
"Well, it has to be fast," David matter of factly responds as he scrolls through his blackberry looking at emails, "like an army shower".
Like I know what that means, I think.
"Maybe Evan and I can just go in together real quick," he sort of half mumbles and puts down the blackberry. "Get your shower stuff together. We are leaving in about 15 minutes. I'm going to take the cooler so we can contribute to the meal."
"Grab the chips too," I say, "there's good salsa in the cooler."
I go downstairs. Flip the light switch. Nothing. Oh yeah. I've only done that every time I've walked downstairs. I walk back and grab a flashlight. (Thanks to my sweet husband, there are plenty around.) Back down and pull back the shower curtain. I hadn't noticed before, but there is a few inches of water in the bottom of the shower. (It must have sprung up when I was pouring the water from the toliet to the sink and back into the same place. Ugh....I cringed. Stupid toilet.) I took soap and shampoo (in case I changed my mind and decided to shampoo...I'm still debating that in my mind.) Better leave the razors and the conditioner. No time for that. I threw a t-shirt (Get Your Goat On......thanks Grandmommy) and stretch pants in my purse. Grabbed my toothbrush and toothpaste and deodorant and headed back up. "I'm ready."
Like I know what that means, I think.
"Maybe Evan and I can just go in together real quick," he sort of half mumbles and puts down the blackberry. "Get your shower stuff together. We are leaving in about 15 minutes. I'm going to take the cooler so we can contribute to the meal."
"Grab the chips too," I say, "there's good salsa in the cooler."
I go downstairs. Flip the light switch. Nothing. Oh yeah. I've only done that every time I've walked downstairs. I walk back and grab a flashlight. (Thanks to my sweet husband, there are plenty around.) Back down and pull back the shower curtain. I hadn't noticed before, but there is a few inches of water in the bottom of the shower. (It must have sprung up when I was pouring the water from the toliet to the sink and back into the same place. Ugh....I cringed. Stupid toilet.) I took soap and shampoo (in case I changed my mind and decided to shampoo...I'm still debating that in my mind.) Better leave the razors and the conditioner. No time for that. I threw a t-shirt (Get Your Goat On......thanks Grandmommy) and stretch pants in my purse. Grabbed my toothbrush and toothpaste and deodorant and headed back up. "I'm ready."
We left shortly after.
As we are pulling in the driveway David says, "Oh, I forgot a towel. I can use yours right?" Ummm...towel? "No, I didn't bring one. I don't really have any. Mine are all still soaked out on the back patio. They are probably growing black mold as we speak and I'm going to have to replace them anyway."
After the initial hellos and whatnot, Linda asks me if I want to take a shower. I can go first. "Sure," I say and follow her up the stairs for a shower tutorial. It's really SO NICE of them to let us use their shower...their water....their generator energy. REALLY NICE! She shows me how to work the shower. Pull here. Twist there. No problem. She leaves me and the typical Kimberly drama begins.
I was wearing jeans, a black tank top and a shirt over that. I had forgotten to bring a towel, so I needed to make my first plan. I suppose a "normal" person would have just asked to borrow one, but we are in their house and they don't have a washer that works either and I should have brought my own and I already feel bad because we are using their resources and .... well you get the idea. I put the tank top and the over shirt near the base of the shower. I'll use those. Good enough.
On to Plan #2. I have to figure out how to bathe, shampoo and get out in a couple of minutes tops. Fast. "Army shower." Now if you think for one second that there is ANY WAY in the world I am going to be the girl that came over and broke their shower, their generator, their plumbing system, you are out of your mind. I'm not going through that drama. And you can take that to the bank. I'm not going to embarrass David either. He said fast like 2 minutes, I'm doing it in a minute and 50 seconds. I am overly sensitive at this point to the fact that there is plumbing stuff up here I don't understand. And I may have incurred a plumbing bill back home, I sure don't want to pay for theirs too. And I'm VERY aware that "things don't occur to me". I would never break anything on purpose. I would never mean to do it, but sure enough I'd do something and run things too long and something would break, leak, tear or burst into flames right there in front of me. If you think for one second that there is ANY WAY in the world I am going to be the dumb southern girl that David married and then came over and broke their shower or their generator because I don't know nothing about these "Northern homes" and these "Northern storms" or the the mechanics of motors or these rigged up toilets then you are out of your mind.
After the initial hellos and whatnot, Linda asks me if I want to take a shower. I can go first. "Sure," I say and follow her up the stairs for a shower tutorial. It's really SO NICE of them to let us use their shower...their water....their generator energy. REALLY NICE! She shows me how to work the shower. Pull here. Twist there. No problem. She leaves me and the typical Kimberly drama begins.
I was wearing jeans, a black tank top and a shirt over that. I had forgotten to bring a towel, so I needed to make my first plan. I suppose a "normal" person would have just asked to borrow one, but we are in their house and they don't have a washer that works either and I should have brought my own and I already feel bad because we are using their resources and .... well you get the idea. I put the tank top and the over shirt near the base of the shower. I'll use those. Good enough.
On to Plan #2. I have to figure out how to bathe, shampoo and get out in a couple of minutes tops. Fast. "Army shower." Now if you think for one second that there is ANY WAY in the world I am going to be the girl that came over and broke their shower, their generator, their plumbing system, you are out of your mind. I'm not going through that drama. And you can take that to the bank. I'm not going to embarrass David either. He said fast like 2 minutes, I'm doing it in a minute and 50 seconds. I am overly sensitive at this point to the fact that there is plumbing stuff up here I don't understand. And I may have incurred a plumbing bill back home, I sure don't want to pay for theirs too. And I'm VERY aware that "things don't occur to me". I would never break anything on purpose. I would never mean to do it, but sure enough I'd do something and run things too long and something would break, leak, tear or burst into flames right there in front of me. If you think for one second that there is ANY WAY in the world I am going to be the dumb southern girl that David married and then came over and broke their shower or their generator because I don't know nothing about these "Northern homes" and these "Northern storms" or the the mechanics of motors or these rigged up toilets then you are out of your mind.
I survey the room. I get the soap out and open the top. I get the shampoo out and open the top. The plan is to shampoo first and if I run out of time, I'll just hope the shampoo runs down me and gets me clean. If not, I can wash off in the sink with cold water later at home. I've thought this through and it makes the most sense to wash my hair in the warmer water. If I can go fast enough, I'll have time to do both. I pour the shampoo into my hand and put the bottle back. I place the soap bottle in front....ready to go. That's 10 seconds that I have before the water turns on. With my free hand, I pull the knob and dunk under the water immediately.
Have you ever seen Minute to Win It? Contestants have 60 seconds to complete these silly games for money. The 60 seconds seems so long and so short at the same time. That was me now ....army shower... I put the shampoo in before my hair was completely wet. I frantically try to shampoo wet/dry hair. Whatever....just get the smell out or at least cover it up with shampoo smell. Getting the shampoo in is easy enough, but it's not coming out of my hair fast enough. Thick hair...you don't understand unless you've got it. Soap clinges to your scalp like nobody's business. It's like trying to "unsoap a loofah". It takes a minute. I try to get out as much as I can. FAST! I decide to soap and rinse at the same time. I put my head under the water and grab the soap. I try to multi-task. One hand frantically trying to work through my hair and one trying to clean the rest of me. I'm sure I'm running out of time. How can you really know? Has my 60 seconds gone slow or fast? Where's the stop watch? I was too frantic to try to count to 100.
But at the end of the day, I'd rather get out of the shower fully soaped than break something. So, I turn the water off as quickly as I turned it on. And there I stand, something like a ragged wet dog. Hair brittle from shampoo and no conditioner. A little soapy, but not too bad. I'm clean anyway. I've been fully soaped. I reach down and dry off my body with the shirt and attempt to tie the tank top around my head to sop up the water. I'm impressed by how absorbant it is. I dry off fairly successfully and change into my comfy clean clothes. I knot the brittle hair in three ponytail holders. I really want to brush my teeth and go to the bathroom, but again, I'm not sure "the rules". Is the generator involved there too? Do they have a pump? Is there anything that "didn't occur to me?" It seems harmless enough, but then I think if you think for one second that there is ANY WAY in the world I am going to be the girl that came over and broke their plumbing system, you are out of your mind. I decide I can hold it. I find a piece of gum in my purse. Good enough.
I stuff everything back in my purse and I walk back down stairs with a feeling of satisfaction. I've attempted the near impossible for me .... I took an "army shower" and shampooed and got back down in mere minutes from start to finish.
Have you ever seen Minute to Win It? Contestants have 60 seconds to complete these silly games for money. The 60 seconds seems so long and so short at the same time. That was me now ....army shower... I put the shampoo in before my hair was completely wet. I frantically try to shampoo wet/dry hair. Whatever....just get the smell out or at least cover it up with shampoo smell. Getting the shampoo in is easy enough, but it's not coming out of my hair fast enough. Thick hair...you don't understand unless you've got it. Soap clinges to your scalp like nobody's business. It's like trying to "unsoap a loofah". It takes a minute. I try to get out as much as I can. FAST! I decide to soap and rinse at the same time. I put my head under the water and grab the soap. I try to multi-task. One hand frantically trying to work through my hair and one trying to clean the rest of me. I'm sure I'm running out of time. How can you really know? Has my 60 seconds gone slow or fast? Where's the stop watch? I was too frantic to try to count to 100.
But at the end of the day, I'd rather get out of the shower fully soaped than break something. So, I turn the water off as quickly as I turned it on. And there I stand, something like a ragged wet dog. Hair brittle from shampoo and no conditioner. A little soapy, but not too bad. I'm clean anyway. I've been fully soaped. I reach down and dry off my body with the shirt and attempt to tie the tank top around my head to sop up the water. I'm impressed by how absorbant it is. I dry off fairly successfully and change into my comfy clean clothes. I knot the brittle hair in three ponytail holders. I really want to brush my teeth and go to the bathroom, but again, I'm not sure "the rules". Is the generator involved there too? Do they have a pump? Is there anything that "didn't occur to me?" It seems harmless enough, but then I think if you think for one second that there is ANY WAY in the world I am going to be the girl that came over and broke their plumbing system, you are out of your mind. I decide I can hold it. I find a piece of gum in my purse. Good enough.
I stuff everything back in my purse and I walk back down stairs with a feeling of satisfaction. I've attempted the near impossible for me .... I took an "army shower" and shampooed and got back down in mere minutes from start to finish.
"Wow, that was fast," Linda said. "I can't get out of the shower in less than 20 minutes. I guess I have a more complicated routine. You were really fast."
David walked around the corner. "Hey honey," in his typical laid back voice, "You didn't have to be that fast. Dan was just kidding." He reached for a chip.
Now I haven't been married long enough to figure this out, but there has got to be a way to give your husband a "DROP DEAD" look without anyone else in the room knowing you are doing it. "WHAT?" I say as quietly as I can with my eyes bulging ... hoping he can read in my eyes "WHAT??? You told me back at the house ... do you know how nervous I was that I was too long? WHAT?? Just kidding? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"
"Dan was just kidding. I mean, you can't take a half hour shower or anything, but you didn't have to be that fast," he says in the same tone. He clearly didn't read my eyes. He grabs another chip. "This salsa is so good. Is there a difference between these two?"
I turn and go to sit on the couch. I'm going to have to practice that look in the mirror.
After David came down from his leisurely 7-8 minute shower, about 4 other people took showers as well. They came down looking clean and relaxed and refreshed - Not frazzled and winded from being in a race against the clock.
Whatever.
I think it's inevitable that I am always going to be the Southern girl that David married. There are always going to be things I don't know. There are always going to be times I'm at a loss. There are always going to be days I wear the wrong shoes or get caught in rollers. But this is my first hurricane and my first experience with water pressure and generators and I'm learning. And Dan and Linda were very kind to let us wash off ... however we opted to go about it. And I was grateful for the fun dinner and good converation that followed. And I was glad to crawl into bed that night and watch a West Wing on the little laptop with the Northern Man who married me and loves me .... whether I break things or not ... whether I'm still learning or not ... whether I get it right or not.
Whatever.
I think it's inevitable that I am always going to be the Southern girl that David married. There are always going to be things I don't know. There are always going to be times I'm at a loss. There are always going to be days I wear the wrong shoes or get caught in rollers. But this is my first hurricane and my first experience with water pressure and generators and I'm learning. And Dan and Linda were very kind to let us wash off ... however we opted to go about it. And I was grateful for the fun dinner and good converation that followed. And I was glad to crawl into bed that night and watch a West Wing on the little laptop with the Northern Man who married me and loves me .... whether I break things or not ... whether I'm still learning or not ... whether I get it right or not.
And that was Monday, Day 2 without power.
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