THE BATHTUB
CLICK PICTURE FOR ACTUAL SIZE
FROM: Peter, on Oct 25, 2000
If this is the original bathtub it was
procured for Sunnyridge by Michael and Bruce, two lovable speedfreak friends who, in the early days,lived with the Fanatic Family in the valley. They occasionally would borrow the Fleshmobile from us, overnite. One time
they asked whether there was anything we wanted and being the clean hippies that we were and having all these children that we wanted to be brought up healthy, we asked for a bathtub. It was promptly made to materialize the next morning in the back of the fleshmobile. I have a dim memory that it may have lived in the old Sauna (older clothes closet) before being moved to the Laundry room, but I maybe wrong about that. The process of bathing was quite a thing and is partly described by Stuart in one of his reminiscences. I will wait to give my version for another time when I have more time to spend in memoryland.
FROM: Mikey Engem, on Oct 25, 2000
Not sure who the first SunnyRidger was that got into the tub when it was installed, but I'm sure that it was Peter who had the last bath... Dogbite soak, Rem........
FROM: Teddy, on Oct 25, 2000
What's the bath schedule this week?
FROM: Trudy, on Oct 26, 2000
So, where was this bathtub? Indoors or outdoors? Was the water heated or did you all shrivel up and freeze in it? Hmmmm?
FROM: Teddy, on Oct 26, 2000
Fleshmobile was before my time, Peter...elaborate, please?
FROM: Teddy, on Oct 27, 2000
The bathtub was in the "laundry room", which can be seen in the couryard 1 history photo...or by clicking here . Certainly not private, it sat in the window and was most definately heated. By barter and trade, the heating system for the tub was created by Mr. Ed, our seventh-day-adventist eccentric down in town. The system consisted of a large 55gal drum with a coil of pipes inside. The inlet and outlet attached to a real water tank and lots of hot water was produced by the burning of lots of firewood. One tub and so many hippies was interesting. I believe we had a sign up list on the wall. In addition to the tub I imagin there were sinks...but I can't remember at the moment. I do remember I invented some weird drying method...a large rack with clothesline strung in rows was suspended from the ceiling and was lowered down to hang clothes on. The laundry room was usually one of the warmest places in winter. In summer?...you didn't have to fight over the tub...we had a cold shower outside, and of course...the river.
FROM: SIG, on Oct 27, 2000
This is the tub's renovated location, set in a platform up above the floor. Before the Laundry Room's expansion, it was in the tiny laundry room, on the floor....I was the late-night type, usually the last to bed. One night I wandered into the old laundry room to see if there was enough warm water left for a bath. There wasn't--but I found JAF asleep in his bath. The stove was cold, the water was cold--but JAF was NOT cold---until he woke up.....
FROM: Nina, on Nov 1, 2000
This picture was taken at Mike's place in Takilma during the time of the first reunion.
FROM: alice, on Nov 2, 2000
Looks like the way it was set in the raised platform in the a laundry room, but we did not have those lush plants in front of the tub. We had the barrel wood stove and hot water heaters that kept it going. If memory serves, there was a double washtub sink to the right of the stove/heaters, and another set of double sinks perpendicular to that wall.
Being a clean hippie, i remember getting up early on many days to get an early fire going and taking a bath before anyone got up... that sign up sheet was long, and since hot water was in short supply (lots of laundry with all those kids) we ususaly shared the bath water; nothing like being the third one in the tub!
FROM: alice, on Nov 2, 2000
Teddy - the fleshmobile was a chevy panel truck painted flesh colored. it had running boards you coud hand on to driving down the road instead of getting insdie the cab. it was used for woodruns, town trips and hauling bathtubs. i don't remember that it died. What replaced it? Was it that old pickup with the headlights on the fender?
FROM: alice, on Nov 2, 2000
that old BRIGHT RED pickup
FROM: hash, on Nov 5, 2000
realy
it's a lost of time
a picture of that?
com'on find somethin' better
FROM: Rita, on Nov 5, 2000
The bathtub was originally in the sauna room as Peter recalls. We had to haul water and heat it up to have our weekly baths. Got good at estimating how many buckets of hot water it took to get the temp just right!
FROM: Teddy, on Feb 20, 2002
What I really liked about the bathing at Sunnyridge was the great view out the windows while soaking in the hot water. Also enjoyed the interesting visits.
From: Ted 11/20/2002
8:39 P.M.
That ax looks a little ominous.
From: Patty patriciachambers@earthlink.net 6/22/2003
9:34 P.M.
Jimmy Melnik sat in that bath tub one day for 3 hours. Leah had
come in while he was bathing and asked him how World War II
started. He began with WWI and it took the rest of the day to finish
the story. She was sitting on the little stool. I'd come in occasionally
and stoke the fire and warm him up.