August 29, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scotia, The Hot Tub.

We have owned a hot tub since 1980, when we lived on Old Spring Road in Kensington.  My friend Coleen was running the first charity fund raiser and auction benefitting the new Ronald McDonald house in Washington, D.C.  As Coleen knew we had attended lots of auctions in Pennsylvania, she asked us to keep the bidding active.  The organizers were fearful of having silent buyers.  The hot tub came up for auction, with a list price of $4500.   Andrew opened the bidding at $1000.   I had nodded to him to get it started.  But everyone laughed that a kid was bidding for the hot tub, and they stopped bidding.  The auctioned banged his gavel and Andrew had won the hot tub.  The price included delivery and set up, so for the cost of a new electrical outlet and $1000. we were proud owners of a new hot tub.  We loved it and have enjoyed our hot tubs ever since.

Late this afternoon, Ken and I got into our hot tub in Nova Scotia for the first time this season.   It is an understatement to say that we enjoyed it.  Last summer we installed a used hot tub, smaller that the old one that we removed because it was leaking.  I wanted to do without a hot tub and had already asked George our builder to fill in the tub.  But Ken agreed to the used smaller tub so it was installed before summer of 2016.  The kids used it every day but Ken and I used it only twice because getting in and out seemed difficult and dangerous.

This season, I waited for Ken to ask about getting into the hot tub.  It took until today for him to make the suggestion.  Before dinner but after anyone was likely to stop by, Ken and I took off our clothes in the garage and clambered into the hot tub.  I was delighted to note that both of us were able to easily get in and out.  He had George install a railing to help us get in and out.  Ken had turned the rail with handle into the tub which make life easier.  I must say that the tup was delightful.  We both wondered why we had not used it before now.  Now we will see if we use it before we leave for the season.