We love our hot tub!

We love our hot tub!

Today, we are especially loving it this late October afternoon. After a brisk 1 hour and 45 minute walk around Lake Murphysboro, a long, long soak in our hot tub was the perfect end to a perfect afternoon.


Nothing compares to that initial, "YESSSSSSSSS" you exclaim upon first entering that blissfully hot water.

During the colder part of the calendar year, we prefer the temperature set at 104 degrees. (Fall/Winter/Early spring) While most hot tub owners prefer 100 - 101 degrees, to us 104 is delightful. Ten years ago when we were new to the hot tub experience, we set the temperature to 99 degrees. Within a year we had grown accustom to gradually higher temperatures. Currently, the only time of the year we lower the hot tub thermostat is in the summer. 90 degrees is the perfect temperature for soaking early in the morning and late in the evening in the summer. Too many people quit using their hot tubs during hot summer months. In our opinion that is a huge mistake! The benefits of hydrotherapy are not to be missed. Relief from back and neck pain can be experienced any time of the year. All you have to do is adjust the temperature setting up or down as the seasons change. Then forget about it, the tub maintains its set temperature. So when you're ready..the hot tub is ready and waiting for you.

Needless to say, hamstrings, quadriceps muscles...relaxed! Lake Murphysboro has some very, very steep hills. (We have been told that some people actually run instead of walk around the lake!)  The foot massage does its magic on the soles of our feet. You know -  you don't realize what stress you place on your feet after pounding the asphalt that long - until your feet hit those floor jets.

And so there it is. Just closing our eyes, floating and soaking in the vigorously, bubbling waters. Hmmmm.We both knew...this wasn't going to be a quick 5-10 minute soak. We're staying in here for awhile.

Note: Our hot tub maintains the quality of the water so well. No showering afterwards. We just towel off and get dressed and we are on our way! No lingering chlorine odor on the Carvells. Nothing magical about that. You just need a quality made hot tub and you need to follow preventitive maintenance.

More on those topics in later posts.