:) i don't know if you'll ever need to know this, but just in case you do:)

I'm going to show you what you need to know should the occasion ever arise that you need to take a bucket shower and are unsure how to proceed.

Step # 1: Make sure you have the essential pieces for your shower. The 3 items in the photo, plus the usual cleaning products should all be nearby.

Step #2 Locate the bucket. In this case, it's a lovely bright blue color, very cheery. Fill the bucket about 2/3rds of the way with tap water, or pumped water, or rainwater...for best results it's try not to use the toilet water (though it might be tempting if you're having to go far to collect this important ingredient).

Step #3: When you've accumulated enough water, locate the water heater- in this case the bright yellow plastic thingy with the fashionable brown cord. <Please read all of step 3 and 4 before plugging in this stunning piece of technology to avoid being electrocuted in a cartoon-like moment you'll be embarrassed to admit later.> Place the heating element (the yellow part) into the water to the point that it is submerged, but not all the way to the bottom of the bucket. This ensures optimum water circulation. Using your best girl/boy scout technique, wrap some of the brown cord around the faucet to hold the plastic in it's position. Now it's time to plug in the water heater and then go make some coffee, check your email, pick your nose...

Step #4: After about 30 minutes return to check on your bucket. Please do not thrust your hand into the bucket to see if it's hot enough. You will die. Or smoke. Or at least it will hurt. Alot. Simply feel the outside of the trusty blue bucket. If it's warm, you're ready to unplug the heater and move on to step 5. If not, wait longer. But remember: a watched bucket never boils. :)

Step #5: Check to make sure the water heater is unplugged.

Step #6: Now you're almost ready to take your nice hot shower. Locate the dipper, in this case a marvelous, ladylike fuschia pink plastic scoop. <Please note that anything that scoops can be used if you can't locate this exact item. Things I've used: coconut husk, bottom half of plastic liter bottle...my friend Susie tried to use a live turtle, but that's another story. :)> It is imperative that you check the water temperature before dumping water on your head. Start by touching the water with your finger. Then mix it with the scooper, assuring that the heat has been thoroughly distributed. Add cold tap water as needed to get your preferred temperature.

Step #7 You are now ready for the actual shower. Squatting works best, since the water is limited. Soap up. Rinse. Wash hair. Rinse. Condition. Rinse. Rinse. Rinse. Rinse. Please note that at the bottom of the bucket you might find chunks of what looks like clay. It's gunk from the water heater. It's best to not use that for rinsing. Cause you just end up full of chunkies...which is I think what might have started this process in the first place. So, as tempting as that warm water looks, don't be drawn in...walk away. Find your towel. You've just accomplished your goal. Congratulations!

At this point I think you should know that tonight, after almost 5 years of bucket showers, for the first time I stuck my hand in the bucket to test the water while the heater was still plugged into the wall (220volts). It hurt. I didn't like it. But I did laugh at myself. And I thought maybe some of you would laugh at me too. Which led me to this post. :)

Hmmm.

So. It occurred to me the other day as I was pondering what to post on this blog that even common things that happen here could be interesting to the people who read this...

I've posted several photos below to share some common things...things like what I see when I walk to the road to get a tricycle (in New York they would say "hail a cab")...a tricycle...a street scene...

in the above photo, my house is the one with the grey fence...and a coconut tree in front...(if you enlarge the photo by clicking on it, you might be able to see all the papaya in our tree just inside the fence....

here's a couple of the local alarm clocks...oh, I mean roosters...it's very common to find roosters tied to trees by a piece of string or rope...they're kept for "cock fighting"...the *lovely* sport where you strap a small blade to the ankle of two roosters, then throw them into a "cock ring" and let them try and kill each other...people bet on these fights and lose all their money...One more thing to notice, on the left, a fantasmic papaya tree with a lovely papaya almost ready to be picked...

no need to adjust your monitors...the colors on the building above are accurate...these lovely one room apartment were just completed recently and there are large signs advertising them as "Bachelor Pads"...secretly I think it would be really fun to live in the purple one...:)

our road...the tricycle drivers won't come down it anymore...WAY too bumpy...we've almost tipped over a few times...

here's Lota (our college student who lives with us) and I inside the back of the trike...as you can see, they weren't really built with foreigners (me and Teresa) in mind...

The little orange trike...the main transportation here...there's a bench next to the driver and in the back, one seat on either side...powered by a motorcycle...costs 6.5 pesos (15cents) per ride, which takes you anywhere in the city...I've taken a half hour ride to church with seven people in one of these little guys!!...in the Philippines there's a saying- "There's always room for one more!!" :)

And finally, I'll leave you with a look at a smooth, beautiful, uncongested part of Butuan City roads...This is just around the corner from our house...the vehicle on the right is called a multi-cab...it goes for longer distances...it you come visit me, I'll pick you up from the airport in one of them...:)

That's all for now...leave a comment and let me know you're reading this blog...:)