Posted by Dinah on September 18, 2004, at 19:08:32
In reply to Baths for (are a?) pain - Caution: rambling, posted by fallsfall on September 18, 2004, at 17:07:55
Prior to having a child at least. Now they're a bit more utilitarian.
But ahhh in the old days, I'd spend every moment I could spare in the tub with a book. Paperbacks were easiest of course, but hardbacks were fine too. Give me a highlighter, a notebook, and a pencil & I could even study with textbooks. During the summer I'd get in the tub at 9 or 10 at night (so that no one would complain) and get out at 4 am or so. Unfortunately I suffered a bathing injury that occasionally still flares up, and in fact is bothering me today for some reason. Where one of my vertebrae, the most prominent one below the neck, hit the tub wall too often. I bought a bath pillow and reduced the time in the tub to 3-4 hours. :(
Anyway, some of what you say is unavoidable. My husband bought and sold a newish house with a biggish tub before we married and gave me the chance to try it out. It was lovely of course, what bath wouldn't be, but I missed the little tubs from the 60's that I'm used to. A true bathlover finds the inconveniences negligible in comparison to the soothing lap of the water. The mesmerizing flow from the faucet as you turn your hand this way and that under it. The bone warming heat that nothing else can compare to in the colder months. And the peace and quiet. Ahhhhh.... Baths.......
But ok. Out of my reverie.
The unsightly beached whale problem. Ok, I probably have that too, but don't notice. But the easiest solution (and most pleasant one too) is to prop a paperback on your breasts. You won't be able to see a thing.
Heat regulation. I sit down with only a few inches in the tub and run the water with me in it. I know all the movies show someone sliding gracefully into the tub. But for one thing it's easier to get up and down in an empty tub. For another, you have total water temperature control. And finally, if you miss running the water over your hands as you move them back and forth under the stream, you're missing the very best part of the bath. I can't tell you how many solutions to problems, insights, decisions, etc. were made with the water running over my hand.
Foot placement. Well, I must use the bent knee position, because I get indentations on the outer side of my knees. But you don't have to limit yourself. Feet on the head (by the faucets) of the tub works for a change of pace. I've got a shower door now :( so I can't play with hanging the feet over the tub side.
A bath pillow reduces the pressure on your neck. They have all sorts including inflatable plastic ones.
Company is fun. All sorts. :) But my dogs often accompany me and lie on a pile of my clothing (which is *their* very favorite and most soothing place to be). They walk over every once in a while and check to make sure I'm adequately cleaning my shoulder. And they make an excellent audience for reading aloud. They always think my point of view is just the one they would take. And since they're absolutely certain that towels do not work adequately on ankles, they help me out there too.
Not sure I'd like the Epson salts though. I'd feel like a chicken getting ready for the barbeque.
poster:Dinah
thread:392387
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20040914/msgs/392410.html