…and take a hot bath
It was a good night for a bath. To stretch out, surrounded by bubbles and replay the letter. Maybe she would even think about what she’d write back.
She’d stayed in the guest room she and Carter Anne had chosen that first night and the bath just down the hall. Chris had wanted her to sleep in the master bedroom with the bath right there but, Angie shook her head at herself. Nope. Chris’s room needed to stay just that.
Wrapping herself in her robe, Angie wandered to the bathroom. This was perfectly functional. Just fine. So what if the tub was a kinda shallow. And just a little too short. That big ol’ claw foot soaking tub was Chris’s. “Aw hell.” Angie muttered under her breath. Gathering her bubble bath and towel, she padded down the hall to the master suite. ~ Falling In Love
I know. Most of us feel as if we are simply too busy to relax and soak in a tub. This is the kind of thing we save for rare and special occasions. But guess what? A hot bath can be an evening ritual, if you’ll let it be. Even if you don’t have a lot of time. This whole event can be done in 20 minutes – but you’ll feel as if you spoiled yourself rotten. Seriously. You’ve heard of power naps and power lunches? Consider this a power bath.
What you’ll need:
- something nice for the bath
- a cool drink
- a kitchen timer
- a towel
First, go start the bath. Get it nice and hot. Add the something nice to the water and get your cool drink. Now, if you are busy enough that you just don’t have time to wait for the tub to fill, then use this time. Load the dishwasher, make the kids’ or your own lunch for tomorrow, or fold some laundry. Whatever you need to do so you can give yourself over to the next 15 minutes.
Once the tub is full, set the timer for 15 minutes and hide it under the towel. The goal here is to not hear it ticking but be able to hear it when it goes off. Now? Now lower yourself into the tub, close your eyes and relax. Don’t think about what you aren’t doing, what you need to be doing, the project at work or the state of the house. These 15 minutes are yours and yours alone. When the timer goes off, the bath is over.
Ideally, you will be able to slip out of the tub and into bed. Because you did use the time while the tub was filling, right? Of course you did. Even if you can’t get right into bed, you are now relaxed, warm and happy – a far better condition in which to deal with the last stuff before bed than stressed, uptight and tired. After a few nights of this, you’ll find yourself relaxing as soon as your toe hits the water.
For the disclaimer…don’t make the water so hot you burn yourself or pass out. Don’t put something in the water you’re allergic to. Be smart about all this. Just remember to enjoy!
It’s a champagne life…on a beer budget.
Tags: 15 minutes, bath, relaxing
January 26th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Sounds delightful. With your book almost out (squee!) I bet relaxing is pretty tough
Head’s up: The excerpt didn’t link, although I’m on a slow dialup so maybe the problem is on my end.
January 28th, 2009 at 10:19 am
A reminder to your readers with children: unless someone is bleeding profusely, whatever it is will be there to be handled when you get out of your lovely hot bath. Try to make it clear that this is Your time and you will be available for the rest of the family again shortly ~ consider this the voice of experience
– with blessings
February 1st, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Oh yes! But for me it was a morning routine. My shower time. Breakfast done, Sesame Street is on so now – Mommy’s time. Nobody – nothing – disrupted my shower time!
Today – with all 4 girls now grown and gone, it’s still a morning thing for me, my spa time. We’ve had a nice hot tub on the covered back deck for almost 10 years. It’s still only 20 minutes, I don’t bother with books or drinks. I just turn on the bubbles and savor!
Everyone should spend at least 20 minutes a day nurturing themselves, their soul.
February 7th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
Sounds fabulous!
February 9th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
[...] the cloudy, foggy, snowy, rainy, shortened daylight, longer nightime months. Make this bath your Power Bath at least once a month in winter and your skin, as well as your soul, will thank [...]