WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH, 2025

 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2025 - NATIONAL DAYS

One of the National Days for February 5th is “National Shower with a Friend Day”.  

I’ve showered with my ex-wife only a few times (and then, not enough <grin>)

Can I really shower with Mary (who I take to lunch and grocery shopping most Wednesdays?  Can I shower with Janice, Paula, Ruth, Beth, Maxie, Bonnie, or any of my Granny Basketball Friends?

I don’t think so.  It seems to be a little strange.  Now, I have showered with “friends” before - maybe 60+ years ago when after gym class we were to shower before going to our next class.  

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Okay - it's about a totally different concept:  From the website we have:

NATIONAL SHOWER WITH A FRIEND DAY

On National Shower with a Friend Day on February 5th is a tongue-in-cheek way of educating people about the benefits of filtered, chlorine-free water. 

Winter is the coldest and loneliest season of the year. With dwindling daylight and Valentine's Day at its heart, February can often leave people feeling dejected and somber. The day injects a bit of humor into the season while also serving to educate people on the benefits of showering in fresh, filtered water (and the effects of chlorine).

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HEY - is there chlorine in my water?  

At the concentrations found in drinking water, chlorine is nontoxic to humans. Many municipalities add chlorine to their water to help kill harmful organisms such as viruses and bacteria that could make us sick if we ingested them. This disinfecting ability is also why swimming pool facilities add chlorine to their water.

People started adding chlorine to water as early as the 1800s, when they realized it had disinfectant properties. During that time, when water went untreated, it was common for people to contract waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and dysentery. The initial introduction of chlorine as a disinfectant helped to lower disease rates and keep city-dwellers safe.

We now know there are other ways to treat bacteria in water, such as with an Ultraviolet Light (commonly used by homeowners with well water). However, chlorine treatment is still the most cost-effective option for large-scale treatment, so the practice of municipalities adding chlorine to water to kill microorganisms persists. Chloramine, a “chemical cousin of chorine”, is also used by some municipalities and produces its own negative effects.

Even though diluted chlorine is non-toxic, it can still have harmful effects, which we’ll discuss below. Additionally, chlorine treatment does not guarantee that drinking water contains zero harmful microorganisms — some may develop resistance to chlorine treatment.

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So, take-aways, you DON’T have to shower with a friend, but you can use “fresh, filtered water” (without chlorine!!!)  

And, a question.  Have you just gotten out of a swimming pool and noticed the chlorine smell on your body?  Well - that seems to be the intent here.  Get fresh water - that doesn’t have bacterial and viruses.

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And, from yesterday, 

NATIONAL HOMEMADE SOUP DAY!!!

I’ve been making soup recently.  Some of it is homemade.  On Sunday, I made pasta Roni, rice, barley, water, chicken broth, chicken, onion, red bell peppers, salt and other seasonings - soup.  It was delicious..  

Some isn’t “quite” homemade.  I’m using a Bear Creek soup mix - but then adding <whatever>.  

So, let’s celebrate homemade soup day.  

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

Karen Anne White, February 2025