Having A Bath – Steptoe Style
One the funniest episodes of the 1960s TV series; Steptoe and Son, is when the father has a bath.
In this episode, amongst other things, he washes his clothes in the bath, whilst washing himself.
I had a mask that needed a quick wash, and as my washing machine has died, I thought why not?
So armed with some Fairy Liquid, the mask joined me for a wash.
Incidentally, I like to have a hot bath every day, as I have very dry eyes, that always get bunged up with sleep. An optician in Vision Express suggested the bath to improve my eyesight and it seems to help.
Details Of My Bathroom
I’ve now got some of the bathroom as want it.
Note.
1. The hooks and the towel ring are stuck on with a special epoxy. The tiles are so hard to drill one hole costs at least a tenner in drill bits and the good temper of the driller. So far the glue is performing, as I hope it will.
2. The grab rail is positioned in line with the right side of the bath, so that it steadies me, as I get in and out.
3. I probably need a shorter grab rail on the other side of the bath low down for my left hand, as I sit and stand up.
4. My bathroom is off the front hall, so it doubles as a wet clothing and umbrella room.
5. The stool is one of Suffolk Six and one was in our last bathroom in Suffolk. I’d sit on it, whilst talking to C, as she luxuriated in the bath.
6. The towel ring stuck by the side of the bath is big enough to hold a towel, that a lady with long hair might use after washing it. To get the towel size right, I asked an assistant in John Lewis for her opinion. She tested the size, whilst serving me at the till.
7. I use a ceramic tray for my soap and shampoo, as until I find the right one, I’m not going to drill the tiles and so avoid Jerry’s problem.
7. I never use a mirror in the bathroom and forget to put one in. My stupid builder didn’t spot the omission either! So now I’m looking for a compatible stick-on mirror, so that the tiles don’t have to be drilled.
The fittings are the Bond range from Miller of Sweden. They look good and are very easy to put up straight. They supplied the special epoxy.
This bathroom has been a long time coming, as work started in Oct 2012 and I even had my first bath in the new bath in December 2012.
Decadence?
I took this picture with my waterproof camera this morning of the newly installed Aquavision television in my bathroom.
Decadence?
What the picture doesn’t show is the two naked blonde handmaidens giving me glasses of champagne and gluten-free bacon sandwiches!
Trying Out The Bath
I thought some people would like to see a picture of my toes in the bath.
Trying Out The Bath
The only problem so far, is when it starts, you get a few jets of cold water, that has been in the pipes, since you last used the bath.
My First Bath In The New Bath
I gave the features of the bath a test.
Everything seems to be fine.
Obviously the television and the side of the bath still need to be fitted.
Should I Put A Camera In My Bathroom?
My bath, which is on the ground floor, takes about thirteen minutes to fill and usually I time it by the clock on the BBC Breakfast News.
I’ve had the odd overfilling problem, but normally it’s spot on!
I did think about putting a camera there so I could watch it fill from upstairs, where I normally sit, whilst it was filling.
But such a camera, might make guests think, I had a dark side!
On the other hand, it would certainly make filling a bath easier, but it wouldn’t be as good as the self-filling bath, I proposed earlier.
I wonder whether and if so where I can get an Internet enabled load cell?
It would be wonderful to click a button on my computer screen and then a few minutes later be told that my bath was full.
January 2015 Update – As the television is now working properly and I generally have a bath during BBC Breakfast, I now have a reliable clock in my bathroom.
I’ve Finally Got A Washing Machine In A Convenient Place
Ever since I’ve lived in this house, the washing machine has been perched on a crude shelf beside the boiler. You can get a glimpse of the installation here. It was impossible to get anything in or out of it without giving yourself a bang on the head or getting your hand trapped in the cupboard door.
So now the washing machine is in the garage and my excellent plumber has threaded the pipework through the floor.
Note the Sanivite to pump the water away. What surprised me about this device, was that it will pump grey water five metres vertically and fifty metres horizontally. So it might be ideal, if you want to put a sink in the shed at the bottom of the garden! Other devices from the same company, will cope with toilets!
One good thing was that the plumber found that the infamous Jerry had installed the underfloor heating correctly.
Obviously, I do have a scar in the tiling after the installation, but when the hall is finished, it will be carpeted.
A First Proper Bath In Ages
I had a proper bath tonight.
A First Proper Bath In Ages
The bath may not be finished and the whirlpool bits aren’t connected, but it was nice to lie in warm water for half-an-hour or so.
I feel properly clean and refreshed.
Hopefully, it will be tiled in and finished in a couple of weeks.
But at least itb was safe and the plumbing worked as it should.
Removing The Old Bathroom
It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
But some of the wood was a bit rotten and probably was causing a smell.
Confusing Bath Taps
This video shows my bath taps.
I thought it was just me, but then my lady who does finds them just as confusing.
i suspect Jerry, picked them up cheap in a car boot sale. The bath is bad too as getting in and out isn’t easy.
The Anonymous Widower 