Redux Bath
You come across the incongruous sight on the way, Jerry can in hand, to the stream. There, with sloping trees as proscenium arch and the woods around as backdrop, stands, beneath a washing line, a bath. It is a white bath, the kind you naturally expect to find surrounded by four walls; but, no, it is in full view of the sky in a grove.
The bath is perched and supported beneath its legs by rocks. Between the rocks there is the sign of burnt wood, denoting a fire having been built directly underneath the tub. A long hose-pipe runs from the bath out into the woods, through marsh towards the stream where it has been lodged in a brook that feeds it. Apparently building a fire beneath a bath of spring water is very effective and after a short while one is ready, out of sight of any dwelling, in full privacy of trees, birds and the odd deer, to lean back and luxuriate while the steam swirls and dances like an Icelandic hot spring bath.
So incongruous was the position of the household object that deer wander right by unsuspecting and if one keeps absolutely still the bather is able to observe the normally shy animal chewing at buds. The only disadvantage, or trouble with paradise, is that the metal the bath is made of is prone to overheating, so it is advisable to lay a quilt in the bath to pad it out as it were. This has the effect of preventing the bather from scalding his or herself.
In fact, I must have a go. I have been very non-committal. I must try out a bender; Maybe Jenny’s’ for a couple of days; at night, at least. Then I must have a bath. I am going to try that tomorrow. Sunday papers wouldn’t go amiss.
Flora Stewart owns the land here and around; running 8 farmsteads. Apparently, she is a quiet woman living alone in the castle. It is turreted. She has a cousin, Jonny Dumfries, a former racing driver, who, when he inherited his estates, evicted all of his tenants and sold the land!
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