Day 206, July 24: Sent to the Showers

My All-Time Top 10

Most Memorable Showers

Strange list, but it came to mind the other day when Shawn told me the Bodine family sold the mansion on Lake Geneva. Never again will I be able to take a shower in my No. 1 most memorable shower.

1. Lake Geneva mansion shower: Not only was it spacious, it had the biggest shower head and flow of water I've ever seen. You literally were immersed. I wrote about its therapeutic power in my first book.

2. Napier Street, Dubuque: I took more showers there than any other place on earth. A solid, dependable place to clean up and also seek refuge after my first wife died of breast cancer. Spent some very tough times in there.

3. Current one on Hill Street: First off, Kris was nice enough to allow it to be put in before her kitchen! And now, one of our new kittens, Woody, hangs around outside until I'm done, then goes in and plays in the water (Tabby NEVER would have done that).

4. Stoughton, living downstairs of Jeff: For a few months just out of college, I rented the downstairs of my brother's house. It had the tiniest shower ever and was quite decrepit. (I didn't say these were my favorite showers.)

5. Trailer in Gillette, Wyo.: Believe it or not, bigger than the one at Jeff's. Actually pretty nice. In fact, the guy I roomed with, Joe, would spend 45 minutes or more in there per shower!

6. Stoughton, Page Street: My first shower ever (bath tubs up to then). As a young teen, I remember going in there one time crying after my mom gave me a short haircut and I tried stretching my bangs down further on my forehead.

7. Old Central School showers: Classic old showers we shared as junior high kids, where I actually picked up a case of athletes' foot. Years later, used them during an alumni basketball tournament. 

8. Kieler house shower: Part of the bath tub that I shared with my boys when they were infants. If I ranked just tubs, this one would be No. 1 or 2 for the same reason. It's a wonderful bonding thing for a parent.

9. Basement apartment in Stoughton: Lived downstairs of a little old lady while working at the hub. The second smallest shower ever, the floor around it was frigid in the winters.

10.Dubuque YMCA showers: Used them - only out of necessity - when I used to play basketball at noon hours 20 years ago. I'm one who thinks it's just weird showering with a bunch of men of all ages.