Season 4 just ended, and as always, I'm left in a dreamy state. There's something so attractive about Downton Abbey. You can't help but wish to be a part of the British aristocracy and feel pity and admiration for the working class that run the estate. So appreciate PBS's attention to historical detail, capturing the drama that occurred as the world changed its course in the early 1900s.
In Season 4, Episode 5, the Countess of Grantham says to her maid Baxter that she was attending a charity function. When asked what she would like to wear, the Countess said she does not want to make anyone feel bad.
The scene, though minor, caught my attention. It shone light on what we knew but hadn't brought to the forefront of our minds: Image is so important to the aristocracy. What you wear, who you marry, how you talk, what words you say. The package that you present to the social public is important. You have the choice, even if you are of a higher status than the rest, to be thoughtful about what you wear. It was a business decision to make sure that you carry yourself a certain way. It was a way of life.
THE UPPER CLASS IN AMERICA
This sounds shallow to us with a 21st Century American middle class mindset. We value freedom, individuality, being able to be who we want to be.
But the reality is that mindset still exists with us today.
Holidays are good things. I love reasons to celebrate, reminders to appreciate blessings in our lives, opportunities to commemorate special events. Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Thanksgiving are definitely my top three holidays for those reasons.
Remember in elementary school when we made Native American head-dresses and pilgrim collars out of construction paper? We were taught about that Thanksgiving commemorate a time when two opposing cultures came together to celebrate survival, community and blessings. We were told to take the opportunity to remember everything we have.
After the turkey and the pumpkin pie, we're told to count our blessings, make lists of what we're thankful for, and to celebrate family.
I've been asked the question by more than one person: "Cheryl, what do you do for fun?"
I have to pause and think about it.
They are asking the question seriously, and I guess its a serious problem that they have to ask that. Most people have a hobby. And I do have hobbies, things I enjoy doing. It just seems like there is always something more important that my hobbies.
A few days ago, I started telling of my journey through Lent. Check it out here! It was the first time I've given up anything for Lent, and I chose coffee.
So, Lent is not quite over yet, but you're probably wondering with my overly dramatic intro in part 1 how I've been doing without caffeine.
I started off Ash Wednesday in Hawaii, the capitol of the decedent Kona coffee. We arrived at the resort and for breakfast, the server offered us coffee. We smiled and said, "Tea please." The server seemed startled that we wouldn't want coffee.
We returned from Hawaii and got back into the swing of things at work. I missed walking in and making my trip to the Keurig maker for my cup of hazelnut or vanilla coffee. The first few weeks continued similarly; I was always thinking about coffee.
This year was the first time I've ever given up something for Lent. I gave up coffee.
Lent, the 40-day time of preparation for Easter, is a period celebrated by Christians. The tradition of giving up something for that period of time is often observed by Catholics and some Protestants as a way of showing penitence or to symbolize Jesus' sacrifice (in some small way) in their own lives.
Giving something up, now, is supposed to somewhat difficult for you. If I gave up mountain biking or going to the gym, the sacrifice would not be the same. I don't mountain bike, and I don't enjoy going to the gym. So, coffee. Why was that a big deal for me?
A few weeks ago, I discussed a teenager's common search for identity...complete with a picture from my high school graduation! (Check it out here.)
That post sparked a walk down memory lane. I hope I never forget what it felt like to be a teenager. There is something so valuable about that time in our lives, even if we are a bit embarrassed (okay, a lot embarrassed) by some of the things we did.
For instance, remember when you were so passionate about EVERYTHING? And not only were you passionate about saving the whales or proper treatment of teenage workers, you wanted the ideal. You worked toward how things should be and you did not stand for how things were.
aka How to Appreciate Modern Plumbing & Hot Water More aka First World Problems
My water heater recently broke. The hubby said the pilot light wouldn't light and all that. Most of it went over my head. All I knew was there wasn't hot water for my shower, and it was winter. As for me, my skin and scalp in less than 24 hours get as greasy as a bacon pan, so I need my shower every day.
Desperate and unwilling to take a shower in the frigid waters of the Arctic, I did the following:
1) I took my largest pot and filled it with water. I lugged it to my stove and brought it to a boil. Took awhile. It was a large pot of cold water, so its understandable.
2) I filled my tub with about two inches of cold water. I dumped about a quarter of the hot water in, so it would be tolerable to sit in the tub.
3) I used a pitcher of water to pour the hot water on myself. I would mix it with the cold water from the bottom of the tub at first because the water was so hot. Later, it cooled enough.
3.5) My husband had the absolutely BRILLIANT idea of pulling the room heater into the bathroom. He turned it on high, and because the bathroom is such a small room, the room heated up in a few minutes.
4) Washed my hair twice, conditioned it, washed my body, and washed my face. Felt a little exotic, like bathing underneath a warm tropical waterfall. Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration due to the fact that I was relishing in the hot water. (And note: it had only been 36 hours since my last hot shower.)
5) I had a third of the pot left at the end of the day to just pour over my face and body and indulge!
So, that is how I did it, for anyone who was wondering. And for those who are thinking this is "TMI" for you, my apologies for making you feel awkward.
Funny how taking one "simple" thing away as a hot water heater made me that much more thankful for hot water. And funny how living for 48 hours without a water heater can cause such a disruption in my life when people across the world don't even get clean water on a daily basis, much less clean hot water to shower in.
According to the first link on a quick Google search, the average shower head is using 2.5 gallons of water per minute. So a 10-minute shower uses 25 gallons of water. And I just used less than probably three gallons to wash myself this way.
I'm not here to bash the wastefulness of America or harp on our society's water usage. I'm just concentrating on thankfulness. 48-hours and a new water heater later (Yay for my hubby, my water heater hero), I can say that I have a new appreciation for my hot showers.
And just to be super appreciative of this piece of technology, here is a picture of our new water heater. Ta da!
And if you also from FWP, check out this video to help you here!
