Tuesday 9 November 2010

22 Days of Thanks


22. a great shower
Is there anything better than a good shower?  I don’t mean just the act of cleaning yourself under falling water.  I mean the actual space of the shower as well.  The water pressure, the tile, the layout, the temperature control. 
I had a friend in high school that rated places based on their ice.  That’s right, the quality of their ice.  I rate hotels, homes, etc. based on the quality of their shower.  The hotel we spent our first anniversary:  awesome.  Our upgraded suite in Greece:  would have been awesome if the controls weren’t so confusing and we didn’t have to stuff a towel under the glass door to avoid flooding the bathroom.  Shower in Fiji:  the space of the bathroom (partially outdoors, screened with foliage) made up for the low water pressure and fluctuating hot and cold water. 
Then there is the camp shower.  I don’t expect much from shower blocks while camping so an unexpectedly great shower at a campground in Africa might just be the best shower ever.  I do not, however, enjoy the camp shower when not camping.  This is necessary when living in a motorhome on the circus, but should never be necessary in a stationary home with running water and boiler.  I recently learned that my mother-in-law has been taking camp showers everyday (in her ensuite) for the past 20 years!!  She is a stronger woman than I. 
A good shower can make all the difference.  The cleaning act and the space.  Taking those few moments to yourself, thinking about the day to come or washing off the day that just past.  I find the shower a great place to think. About anything.
Some sing, I think.  Sometimes imagine.
On mornings I have somewhere to be, it’s a quick scrub while thinking about the day’s outfit, what to take out of the freezer for dinner, what to throw in the laundry, what is scheduled for the day.  On days when I’m self-directed (most days), it’s a longer exercise contemplating the future.  Immediate and long term.  Sometimes it’s positive and exciting thinking about possibilities, sometimes it starts a bit of a worry spiral. 
The space can direct the thinking as well.  Our last shower made me think of mould and the need to move.  Our current shower makes me think of travelling.  We have a shower curtain with a world map.  I think I convinced Pete this flat was our next home partially based on the shower/corner tub.  It makes a difference.  When we were searching for flats (both times) I check the water pressure in the bathroom and this time I insisted on a bathtub.  Pete doesn’t understand the enjoyment of a bath, and I don’t take them that often, but I need to have the option.  When we were living in Watford, in a flat with only a shower, whenever we stayed in a hotel I took a bath.  I missed having the option so I took advantage of every opportunity. 
When we finally get around to owning a bathroom, you can bet it will have the most awesome shower and be a space that invites imagination and directs positive and fun thinking while scrubbing. 

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