adminFadzayi Maposah
Correspondent
It has been a very cold week.
Tuesday in particular was cold. I am not here to talk about the weather phenomenon. I will leave that to the weather experts.
I may not fully understand the weatherman’s explanations but all I know is – it is cold.
There is a Shona saying “Charova sei chando chakwidza hamba mumuti?”
The saying begs for an explanation as to what kind of cold weather has prevailed that caused a tortoise to go up a tree. It looks at an issue that is close to impossible that has happened.
I always tell people that July is the coldest month and many choose to differ.
I hope that now they believe me.
So this week we were exposed to many clothes as people sought to keep themselves warm.
The Eskimos can learn a few lessons on keeping warm from Zimbabweans.
The adage that a gentleman has no weather was not applicable this week. Men like women and children responded to the cold weather in amazing ways!
Never have I seen men wearing all sorts of woollen hats. I am sure that some family members who were at home when the male members went to work, were shocked to discover that their relatives had worn their hats to work!
From the way the hats were worn in some cases it was obvious that those who were wearing them were not the owners.
It was also refreshing to note that there are so many types of woollen hats.
There were some that come together with matching scarves and gloves.
For many matching or being fashionable was not a priority. The issue at hand was to keep warm, mixing and matching was thrown out.
The idea could then be colour blocking by default!
There were knitted hats, crotched hats, fleece hats, big hats and small hats. The hats had just to cover the ears so that the wind would not hit against them. Ears are sensitive. One can almost hear the wind doing major whirlwinds in the cold.
Those who did not have hats, improvised, scarves were wrapped around heads. If there had been a contest for the most creative, judges would have had a hard time coming up with the winners.
A workmate came to work on Tuesday without a hat. By tea-break he had bought a hat and was wearing it proudly. That it went against what he wore was of little importance to him. The goal was to keep warm and prevent any colds that are so prevalent at this time of the year.
I shall not talk about the amount of loads that people are going around with these days. Everyone has suddenly gained weight. No one is slim these days.
People are moving with many abnormal loads in terms of the clothes that they wear so as to keep warm.
It takes much time to layer the clothes. There are people who have mastered the art of layering and they do it so expertly. Then there are those who are in the layer beginner class.
These class members have different pieces of clothing showing in the wrong places. When layering is expertly done, people only get to see the top colours that the individual intends for public viewing!
After every bathroom visit, one needs to take their time to ensure that what should be hidden remains so. The things that the weather forces us to do!
It requires much time to peel off the layers. The peeling must be done quickly so as not to allow the cold to get anywhere close to the body. Dressing and undressing this season requires a lot of skill and technique!
So while there is so much care around dressing and undressing, how are people bathing if they are bathing at all? Maybe it is just peeping into the bathroom and then leaving quickly… Am I talking to anyone out there?
When we were small and others did not like to bath, my grandmother would inspect the back of our legs. Then we did not know that she could find traces, little lines against the dusty legs. Then there would be individuals who would be sent back to the bathroom.
The question would be “How is Gogo able to find out that we have not bathed?”
I confess that at some point in my life I thought that my mother and both my grandmothers had some supernatural gifts! I did not know then that they simply picked on the tell-tale signs, peanut butter on the cheeks, sugar on the lips…
Back to bathing. Some people these days just get shivers just hearing the word bath!
Bathing remains important despite the cold weather.
Some people have resorted to passport size picture bathing, just washing their faces! The full body wash will be done when it is a lot warmer!
Menstruation like hormones never goes on holiday. Menstruation simply happens even when it is cold.
Bathing is a crucial component of menstrual health.
Today I salute the heroines who are making the bold steps to bath despite the cold weather.
Not only for their own health, but for the good of those that they stay with or will meet. Continue to bath, bath more when the menses present themselves.
It is a phase that comes to pass. Not bathing especially when one is on their menses may result in one always being edgy when another person walks into a place and asks: “What is that smell?”
If you must avoid a full body wash, make sure that the essential private parts are bathed adequately and appropriately.
Courage for a few minutes will ensure that during your period, you still have your confidence and can walk with a bounce in your step.
While bathing you can leave the kettle on for a cup of tea when done!
Online Reporter