What New Water Line?

There was still one project left connected with the installation of the steam shower unit; patching the hole in the guestroom closet.  I really don’t like drywall projects.  It’s an art/skill to do it right meaning applying the right amount of mud so you’re not sanding to infinity and beyond.  I don’t have that skill set, but it’s done and now I can thoroughly enjoy the shower.

I kept the hole as small as possible, finding the middle stud with my Walabot Stud finder.  I’ve bragged on this product before and I think it’s a must have for DIYers.  They sell 2′ x 2′ drywall patches at Home Depot and Lowes, which is what I bought for the patch.  I still had 20 and 90 set drywall compound left from the drywallers, so no new purchases for that.  Thanks to Camp Washington Hardware store I was able to by just a handful of drywall screws.  In two nights this patch was a wrap.  My corner actually looks better that the corner the drywall crew did.

Are you curious about my steam shower?  I need more towels, lol.  With the exception of two weeks spent in Shaoxing, China (not a shower, but 100+ temps and massive high humidity) I don’t think I’ve ever sat in a steam shower.  I’m a sista girl, we don’t get our hair wet on a daily, at least this one didn’t.

The article I shared in my last post from the SteamSauna for your healthy lifestyle blog,  said the temp setting for results is 110 – 115 degrees.  On my first endeavor I stayed on the low end.  I stepped in, wrapped in a towel, and turned on the unit.  The first blast of steam scared me, it came out loud and it stayed loud until the dial reached my setting of 110 degrees.  My first thought was, it’s too loud to call it relaxing.  However once it hits the temp the forceful sound of steam trickles down to a tranquil hiss.  I do stretches and yoga poses while I’m in there.

The article also said that a person new to steam showers should start off with about 10 minutes and build to an optimal level of 20.  The Thermasol dial times out at 45 minutes.  Since I have never been in a steam shower and I was taking this first leap by myself I somehow got it fixed in my mind that I should take my phone in with me.  Not my brightest idea as even though Samsung phones are water proof, the heat must have impacted my MusicCast app as right when it reached the full temp the music went out in my speakers.  I ended up getting out to investigate to no avail (the next morning the speakers worked fine) and missed most of the 45 minutes as it cut off within minutes of my return.  I stayed in to wash my hair and at that moment realized that my hair was already pretty well saturated.  What did this possibly mean for daily use.  That night I slept soundly, relaxed beyond what I had imagined.

I used the unit four nights in a row.  The second and third tries I wrapped my head in a bandanna scarf.  My hair wasn’t saturated, but I had curls going into the second night and I’ve been wearing my hair flat ever since.  After the fourth session I washed my hair again, so I guess I’m now a sista girl that wets her hair on the daily.  In the four sessions I’m now at 114 degrees.  It’s hot.  Since I’m in the shower alone, I keep my legs up on the bench during the hard steam blast as you can feel the heat.  I actually take a hand towel to sit on and use my body towel as a drape when it’s blowing out the steam.  I still don’t care for the forceful, loud sound the unit makes in route to the desire setting, so now I wait to get in until it’s 2 – 3 clicks from full temp before getting in.  The temp drops in that 45 minute session, so the unit kicks in again with the loud sound, but not long.  At that point I’m so relaxed I don’t notice it.  I’m definitely staying in it longer than 20 minutes, perhaps 30-35.  I’ve used all three essential oils and don’t have a favorite.  My friend Patty suggested I buy a fresh twig of eucalyptus and leave it hanging in the shower.  I’m going to try that.

Overall I love having it.  It’s a great place to reflect on my day and life.  It’s a great place to have a cathartic cry, which I’ve been doing a lot lately.  I definitely feel that toxins are exiting my body.  My eyes are bloodshot red when I get out, but with each session they are less red.  I think I’ll close and take another steam.