Bath Time

When I was growing up we didn't have a shower, only a bathtub. We finally got a shower, well a fake shower, when I was about 10. The shower was a hose hooked up to the faucet and it ran up to a shower head that was like a hanging lamp over the tub. You had to have a shower curtain surrounding the tub or there would be water all over. Of course in my house there was always water all over anyway.

But I remember enjoying my bath time as a kid. I remember spending so much time in the tub that my fingers would get all wrinkly and the water almost cold. Being from a big family it was probably the most time I spent alone.

Although we didn't get a shower in our home until I was about 10, I still remember the first time I took a shower. It was at my Aunt Ruth and Uncle Tom's house in Deer Park, Long Island. There's a big blog behind Aunt Ruth and Uncle Tom and their family, the Young's. There's a book in them! They are not related by blood, they were our neighbors when we lived in Long Island, and I will get back to them someday soon. But I was probably about 6 or 7 and we had gone to the beach, probably Jones Beach, and I was taking a shower when we got home, just to get the beach off of me. I remember being nervous, like water was going to hurt. Aunt Ruth just told me to get in the shower, not realizing that I had never done it before. I didn't say anything, just went upstairs and did what she said. I didn't know what I was doing but somehow figured it out and I remember putting my hand under it, when again, it was just water. I got under and was in my glory, it was awesome! After I took my first shower I told Aunt Ruth that it was the first time and I remember being so proud of myself. Big deal right? Taking a shower. It's funny the things you remember, huh? But having a shower was a big deal when I grew up.

I started working as a secretary at RKO Radio Networks when I was about 20, so 1980. I met a friend, Cindy. When I first met Cindy, she had an apartment in the west 50's, just a few blocks away from Central Park in New York City, with two roommates. I remember one night going out after work and being invited to stay over. Don't worry Tricia, they told me, we'll find something for you to wear tomorrow to work. They did, only nothing fit! Cindy and her roommates and pretty much the rest of the world are taller than me, every pair of pants I tried or skirt looked ridiculous, I finally ended up wearing my clothes from the day before. There are worse things.

Cindy eventually got her own apartment, on the east side of Manhattan in the 80s. A walk up, only second floor, but it was hers. One tiny drawback, no shower. Okay, no shower, so what. Well also, the bathtub is in the kitchen. The bathtub is in the kitchen? Really! Yes. See taking a shower was a big deal.

It was a beautiful apartment, great neighborhood and though Cindy was a bit put off by the tub in the kitchen, she decided it was worth it. Also, the rent wasn't that bad either. Cindy eventually did some handy work in the apartment. Raised her bed up to a loft, kinda, and her dresser and desk were underneath, with a closet too, it was a nice sized bedroom. Then she took the closet, which was next to the bathroom, bathroom being only the toilet, and installed a shower.

The tub in the kitchen was one of those old fashioned ones and she put a big finished wood block over it and it was a great counter top, and a great conversation piece!

Well even though I grew up taking baths all the time, after our shower was installed, that was the end of bath time for years. Showers were faster. And you know how we all get caught up in faster. And you also know how that catches up to you and you slow down, smell the roses. I eventually got back to bath time. Bath time is longer. Things change huh!

Go take a bath!

PS, I created the card above. The kids had taken a bubble bath and were having so much fun as you can see. I added the caps and then had them all sign their names and tried to match it into the bubbles as best I could though I don't think it matters, their signatures do. I love them all, but especially Bella's, it looks like a foreign language. Someday I hope they love looking at their signatures from this age.