Growing up in Youngstown, Ohio, without air conditioning and a backyard swimming pool, made for long sultry days and evenings in July and August. Of course, at dusk not only was our yard filled with fireflies, but devil, cannibals–AKA mosquitoes. Thus, water fun was limited to stifling hot, ice-cream melting afternoons.

My enterprising mother with three young children would occasionally insist we shower during our water fights. She’d lather our hair with shampoo and hose each of us down. At the time, we thought that was great fun. Fun? We were 3 and 6 years old; our baby sister was still a clean infant. My brother and I were walking Petri dishes!

Last Saturday, the demon of home appliances struck again, and my pricey, tankless hot water sprung a leak on the red pipe. The plumber simply turned off the hot valve and said he’d be back on Monday. Fine. I can wash clothes in cold water. But Monday I was informed it would be Friday. Damn! I had a meeting to go to on Wednesday and was beginning to smell a bit ripe. My swimming pool was too cold, plus I couldn’t use shampoo in the pool anyway. Aha! Arizona garden hoses bask in the sun. Hot water abounds!

I donned a swimsuit, gathered body wash, shampoo, conditioner, a razor, and a beach towel, and proceeded to the patio to shower. I washed, shaved, and rediscovered my childhood joy of the garden hose. Much to my personal pleasure, my stench was replaced with lavender, and I swear my hair shone with brilliance. And as long as the warm Arizona fall days continue to hang around, I may do more alfresco showers.

Sometimes I get so caught up in the present, I forget what a great adventure my childhood was. As we enter the most wonderful time of the year, let’s pause to remember our magical youth.