Clear skies. Low 51F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Clear skies. Low 51F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.

About 20 years ago, I decided to try owning a hot tub. I knew going in that there would be maintenance and increased energy costs, but at the very least I thought that it was worth a shot. I found a small used hot tub in Guilford, and hauled it home. There was a learning curve, but it wasn’t very steep. I had a choice between using bromine or chlorine to keep it clean, and I chose bromine because it maintained PH levels a little better than chlorine, but both chemicals work well. There are many factors to consider when making those choices, so I read up on them and made my choices accordingly.

The small hot tub was enjoyable and worked well. After a couple of years, I purchased a four-person roto-molded one-piece hot tub. It was a good choice, although more water was required, which meant higher chemical and energy costs. I used it quite frequently.

In a fit of downsizing, I decided to eliminate the hot tub and increase my use of an infra-red sauna I had purchased earlier. I worked out a trade with one of my neighbors for some excavation work. Their family uses it frequently. They appreciate the relaxing power of jet-powered water at one hundred and four degrees. It has been gratifying to know that my extra hard-working neighbors appreciate what it does.

Over time I have missed the soothing benefits of a hot tub. Arthritis in my hands and feet has gotten progressively worse in those years, and now I need the soothing heat of a hot tub back in my life. I started shopping them online and found just the right one. It is a two-person unit that takes 50 fewer gallons than my previous model. It has an Ozonator, which injects ozone into the water to aid the bromine in keeping it sanitary. That should make it efficient and easier to maintain. I took a deep breath, clicked “buy it now” and it is currently on its way to Vermont.

This will also become problematic. Where the four-person hot tub once sat, there is a pile of “stuff” that includes leaf blowers, books, a nice workbench with a built-in vise, golf clubs, and various other stored items. This all resides on my enclosed porch which has a lovely view of distant hills. To say that the space is wasted is an understatement, but it is a real jig-saw challenge to find places for all of those things if I intend to keep them. However, I am determined to soak in that warmth again, so the hassle of rearranging and disrupting will be worth it.

There was a time when I viewed a home spa as a huge luxury. I thought it was in the domain of the sybarites among us. It smacked of a lifestyle that bordered on decadence. We didn’t have things like that when I was growing up, so why would we need them now?

So, is a hot tub an indulgence? It depends on your perspective. When I thought it was a luxurious indulgence, I eventually chose to let it go. Now that I know that a hot tub will have significant therapeutic value, it doesn’t seem like an indulgence.

The Morning Almanac with Arlo Mudgett is heard Monday through Saturday mornings on radio stations Oldies KOOL FM 106.7, 96.3, and 106.5 and over Peak-FM 101.9 and 100.7.

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