Holy moly batman.  Boxes in Fields has gone from cooler fall days to full on winter! Last week the Kid and I worked up a sweat on our 5mile bike ride.  The weather was cool enough to warrant a long sleeve shirt in the AM but nothing more. This week the doggo is demanding her electric blanket for her old bones.

This week, it is dark and gloomy, cold and windy, and wet.  Temperatures never reached above 60’s and the sun was missing in action.  Cold winter days are nice in winter.  Hello, it is not even Halloween.  South Texas children do not have the luxury of participating in warming Halloween activities such as spiced drinks and stewed apples.  South Texas trick or treaters want cold punch and air conditioner.  However with Halloween just a few days away and winter seeming to already be upon us, the Halloween may be a true fall event this year.  Winter gear was even needed for the weekly practices this week. Winter in October. Whoda thunk it possible?

The problem is not that winter seems to have come early with more cold weather on the way.  The problem is that winter has come early and the outside shower was not ready for winter temperatures. Cold showers when the temperatures are a thousand degrees outside is fabulous.  Cold showers when the temperatures are in the upper 70’s is manageable. Cold showers when the weather is cold (anything below 70 for me) is not fun. Add wet to the cold and I begin to long for the cramped space of the Rainstream shower.

To shower in this condition once or twice is not fun but can be done.  We’ve all done it.  Gone camping for a week with the only shower is in a cold creek.  Rented a room in a seedy hotel with no hot water.  Hot water heater dies on a Wednesday at 8pm.  It has been done, at least once.  Boxes in Fields did it just last year on our road trip to see the Solar Eclipse.  Bathing in a Colorado mountain feed spring was cold, cold, cold.  Cold, even on a “hot” August day.  even then we cheated. After a quick rinse off in the cold creek water, one pot of warm water was splashed over the body.  Kinda of like a jump start in reverse.  Have to say after a cold shower, the outside air temperature in CO did not seem so bad.  As they say, cold is relevant.

To shower when the wind chill is in the 30’s and is raining on your head with only cold water is NOT happening.  There is no amount of jumping up and down that will help.  Having a hot water heater outside has always been in the plan for the shower.  For some reason, it was not done last year. Winter showers were crouched low and managed in the Rainstream shower.  After great research, a on demand propane RV hot water heater was installed.  Two valves to control the water regulation of hot and cold water, a ball valve for easy off and on without having to adjust the water temperature, and the shower was complete.

Unlike all those other pins, feeds, posts, and images seen, this is a true working industrial creation. All galvanized to help against the ever-present salt air.  All easily modified if need be for future alterations.  All Planner created and designed.  All working and fantastically HOT.  Having a hot water heater will lead to an issue if not careful.  Standing in hot water feel fabulous and refreshing. Nice. Standing in hot water for no other reason than because it is hot depletes the water source. Not so nice.  Boxes in Fields will have to make a conscious effort to not waste water.  Maybe once the rain water collection system is up and fully working, then maybe a few minutes can be spared. Until then, it is still and in and out shower.  A nice hot in and out shower.

And let me say it was installed in the nick of time.  Feels like 46°, hah.  Let those weather forecasters come stand outside in the shower and tell me it only feels like 46°.  I think not.  I think it was more like 36°.  And do you see it, more rain?  Rain rain go away….

The second or third day after the water heater was installed it was commandeered by green tree frogs. Six of them in all colors and sizes.  Some inside where the wiring was exposed, some on top directly next to the propane outlet, and some just hanging on the outside under the tin cover so they were out of the wind.  Not that frogs in the shower are new, just having so many at one time is a little unnerving.  Taking a shower with little green tree frogs watching from between the slats is a new (not likable) experience.  The Kid felt as if they were waiting for the perfect moment to jump into the water stream and land on him.  As this happens occasionally with tree frogs on the top of the shower head, it is not an unfound concern. One every now and again is one thing.  Six at one time, not so much.  Time to relocate tree frogs.

But because it was already cold with this second or third sudden winter snap, the tree frogs were docile.  In attempts to relocate so they were not burned (frog legs anyone?), the green tree frogs did not resist collection.  They just squatted as ready for flight but stayed poised. How many times have you got to hold a green tree frog without being peed on and for longer than 2.3 seconds?  Not often, right.  This, the smallest of all removed, was the most curious.  He/She watched with cold sticky feet to the Planners finger as if this mode of transportation was the best thing ever.  Or maybe he was mourning the loss of the great shower location.  Understandably, it is a great shower.