Laundry

It's laundry time. I need to wash my clothes. I don't even want to tell you what I'm wearing. The day I was evacuated I was wearing heavy winter clothes, in layers. My final destination was a complete change in climate and land. Off came the long sleeve polo, tunic and long johns. Off came the winter coat. My undies I'd change on a regular basis. Some days I'd even forgo the bra. 

As I said before, it's wash day. Today I'm wearing my two piece bathing suit because I know I WILL get wet. I put my dirty clothes in a large trash bag and added water to it, then closed it up. I shook up the bag to make sure my clothes were fully wet. I reopened the bag and added only a half capful of hand washing detergent. I closed the bag, again, and shook it, hoping the water and clothes would suds up. A few minutes later I, once again, opened the bag and looked inside. Hmmm. Interesting. "Do I need to add another half a capful of detergent?" There were suds, but not too many. I really didn't want too many suds, because then I would need a lot of water to rinse them out. 

Phase two in washing my clothes had me transferring clothes from the bag to my bucket. One item at a time, I put the clothes under water and finished washing them out by hand. When I was done I rung them out completely before placing them in a bucket of clean water. Once again I rung out the clothes. Because water is such a commodity I still had some soap suds in my clothes. Still, the majority of my clothes were now clean. What did I clean? Five pairs of socks, all my briefs and bras, short sleeve polo shirt, tunics, navy blue leggings and shorts. I considered a second "load" for the polo shirt and leggings. But I decided, "Why do a second load for two pieces of clothing?" A full load is what's needed. 

My winter clothes will be washed later. I need to save water for now. 

I

Cooling Down

How do you cool down when there is no electricity? No electricity; no air conditioning... Way back when our ancestors used fans, individual hand fans were seen on the hands of Doñas, and southern ladies alike. Servants and slaves were made to fan their masters, mistresses, and bosses, during the day. They would be the ones to fetch the water. When it was time they drew a bath for them as well.

Well, I don't have servants, and I definitely don't have slaves. I have to draw my own water or pay/trade someone to do it for me. I have made a personal fan to cool myself with. If only there were electricity or even a pool. There is no pool here at our campsite. There is no lake, nor a creek or brook. Instead a bucket of water is what I have.

A bucket of water, a wash cloth and a spray bottle. I fill the spray bottle with water and mist my arms, legs, face, and chest. Ah a bit of relief. Then, I dunk my cloth in the bucket and quickly splash water over me.

First I squeeze water on my head to help cool down my brain. Then I dunk the cloth again and put the wash cloth on my chest for a while. My chest requested cooling when I started overheating. It's at this point that I take a drink from my filtered water bottle. In a few minutes I dip my towel again and place it directly on my back.

Ah, already I feel my body cooling down. Once again, I leave the towel there for a few minutes. During this whole process the spray bottle has not been forgotten. Mists of water is constantly being sprayed on me while I fan myself with a hand fan.

Oh, when will this heat end?

THE BATH

     Try as I might there is no privacy in this camp.  I enter my tent and close the flap.  While in this perceived privacy I take off my jeans, t-shirt, socks, and underwear.  I put on my tankini.

     Already I have heated water cooling in my bucket.  I've asked a few friends to watch the door for me.  There were some people noticing I was getting ready for a bath.  I don't want or need Peeping Toms focused on me!  Hopefully they have forgotten since I put the bucket of hot water in my tent 15-20 minutes ago.  It was BOILING HOT!

     The heat of the water was finally tolerable.  I grabbed my wash cloth in my left hand and the soap bar in my right hand.  I wrapped the towel around the soap and dunked them both in the water.  I lathered the towel both in and out of the water.  I then put the towel down on a nearby folding chair.  I picked up the clean spray bottle and filled it with water.  I twisted the cap closed and started to spray out.  Nothing came out.  I looked at the nozzle and noticed it was closed.  I turned the nozzle three times, testing to see if it was finally on.  On the third twist it finally turned on.

     I sprayed the water on my arms and chest.  Putting down the spray bottle I picked up my lathered wash cloth.  I lathered first my left arm, then my chest with my right hand.  I transferred the cloth to my left hand and lathered my right arm.  I make sure to lather my armpits aggressively.  I pick up my spray bottle, again and sprayed my back. 

     Quickly I lathered my back.  I could hear the voices of men talking boisterously outside in the next camps.  The ladies outside continued to talk amongst themselves.  Their voices a comfort to me.  I take the spray bottle and quickly sprayed both legs and thighs as well as groin.  Hurriedly I wash the left thigh, then the right thigh.  I can hear the voices getting closer now.
 
     I quickly wash my groin front to back.  I rinse out my wash cloth and use it and the spray bottle to rinse off the lather.  It takes many applications of dunking the wash cloth in the bucket and passing it over my body.  It works fine on the legs.  For the groin I simply decide to pour water over the groin area.

     The men are now in front of the tent.  They are boisterous and rude.  Expeditiously I grab my selected clean clothes already set aside and put them on over damp skin.  The clean t-shirt only bunched up at the neck and shoulders when I put them on.  The pants bunched up at the legs and thighs.  PHEW! Not easy when you're rushed!.

     I walk out fully dressed leaving the men slack jawed.  They backed away realizing there was no longer a peep show readily available.

     Of course maybe the gun in my holster and the pepper spray from the ladies might have discouraged them as well.