Let’s Talk Tubs For A While…

Every since 1994, my greatest source of comfort and joy at the end of the day has been “a tub”–as in bathtub.  Why 1994?  Because  1994 is the year I first became ill with Rheumatoid Arthritis.  If you know anything at all about arthritis, you know that heat is the greatest source of comfort and relief.  Nothing provides more comfort and relief than a great big tub of steaming hot water.

Back in 1994, we had one bathtub in our home, and it was only a standard-sized one.  There were also five people sharing that shower/tub combination.  Once I became ill, it didn’t take long to figure out that Ed needed to work a little of his “magic” and create a second bathroom.  As usual, I drew up the plans, and Ed went to work.

We decided to wall-off a small section of our bedroom and put in a private bath at one end of it.  The space wasn’t very big, and my over-sized bathtub, built for two, filled up most of the area, but oh, how I loved my bathroom!  We added a toilet, and a pedestal sink at the end of the tub area.  We didn’t totally close the bathroom off from the bedroom, but used “saloon doors” to create a private area.  This gave  privacy, without giving the feeling of being confined in a small space.  We  special-ordered my massive, whirlpool bathtub, and paid nearly one thousand dollars for just the tub!   It was money well-spent!  I sought comfort many days in that bathtub filled with steaming hot water.  I’d light some candles, rest my weary head on the  pillows attached to either end of the massive tub, and let the hot water just take my pain and cares away…

I have to get off-subject here, for a moment, and tell you a couple of things about that bathtub.  First of all, I was “sweating bullets” when Ed was installing this very expensive bathtub.  I can’t tell you how hard my heart was pounding while Ed was drilling the fixture holes into the side of my bathtub!  One slip of the hand could have been a disaster, but Ed’s good!  The other thing was, after finally getting the tub totally installed, we realized there was a “small dip” in the bottom of the tub, which prevented it from completely draining–a manufacturing defect.  A small puddle was always left in the bottom of the tub.  We contacted the manufacturer, and were told that they would replace it–if we uninstalled it, and brought it back.  We weighed our options, and decided that it just wasn’t worth the effort!  I figured I could just dry out the bottom of the tub with a towel, which I did–for twelve years.

Flash forward about a dozen years, when Ed and I were building our second home.  I had to leave my lovely bathtub, built for two, behind.  I was a bit sad about leaving my bathroom, as it had become my favorite room in the house.  I’d found so much comfort there throughout the years…

Although, we were working with limited space, and a limited budget in our new house, there was no question that I still needed a larger-than-normal bathtub.  In my search, I was able to find a tub that, once again, filled my needs.  It was smaller than my old one, but was very deep, so I could still get lost in its steamy waters…and of course, it had whirlpool jets, too.  Once again, I sweated bullets while Ed drilled those holes, this time in the corner of the tub.  Once again, Ed didn’t disappoint.

Nothing brings me more pleasure at the end of the day than soaking in my bathtub, filled with hot, steamy water, and perhaps a few bubbles.  I light a candle, turn on some music, and I’m in heaven for a while.  No matter how good–or how bad– the day has been, a nice hot bath always makes things even better.  Thank goodness for bathtubs–and for husbands who know how to install them!