Why it is Necessary to Soak

R

Rummaging around my files (they are not a few), I came upon this poem I wrote some time ago:

Ode to Bath

Often necessary it is to retreat 

Where I, and water, and bubbles all meet

And vapors my strained spirits relax

And waters so warm melt my body like wax

As you can see, bath time holds a tender place in my heart. And although I like the rounded contours of the bath pictured above, this one has a certain effect to it:

But water flowing down from that height can hardly hold its warm temperature. And unlike Buttercup, (see The Princess Bride- the book), I am not fond of cold baths. Actually, after watching this movie, I did take a cold bath:

Because I wanted to feel like a Selkie. But, I discovered that while a cold bath in the open sea might be romantic, indoors it is kind of anticlimactic. It took me forever to warm up, and there was no super-cute fisherman offering me a thick, dirty blanket that once belonged to his deceased mother. Ooooooooh, speaking of movies, I saw this today:

I liked it. If any of you have philosophical issues with the nature and existence of free will (and who doesn't?), you might want to check this out. And, if you happen to love absolute mush (like me), you might also want to check it out. Also, if you happen to find Matt Damon attractive on any level (who can dispute?), you might also consider giving this movie a watch.
I might add, Emily Blunt is a lovely dancer, and captures the essence of dance as a form of expression.

Here is why I like to take baths. It is the soaking action. I mean, you get sprayed off in the shower, but what if you have spent quality time in the dirt that day? Does a shower soak off the mud under your fingernails until it is dissolved? Does a shower make your skin kind of slippery like a dolphin's, and then soft like a baby's?

Don't get me wrong. There is a time and a place for showering. When the moment is right, I like nothing better. But the distinction between when to shower and when to bathe- now that is an art.

Next time, we'll talk scent. It can't all be covered at once.




And takin' a bath in the creek. That's the stuff that really made it worthwhile. Anybody can stay in a motel.
Chris LeDoux