LIFE WITH A BATHY

When I come home, my nose is greeted in the kitchen by the smells of cookies, gingerbread, or cinnamon apples. Moving through the house, I find the scents of lavender, hibiscus, or evergreen. While stopping to clean my hands in the bathroom sink, I am washed over with the unmistakable aroma of pumpkin spice. If you're starting to think I live with a green-thumbed master baker, you might be surprised. It just happens that I actually live with a "bathy" - a woman who enjoys surrounding herself with delicious scents in the form of candles, soaps, and lotions.

It started off simple with a candle here or there, burned on a special occasion. But "here or there" has turned into every room of the house. Soon, the generic liquid hand soap in the powder room was replaced with a cadre of scented soaps and lotions that alternate seasonally. My own bathroom, a room where form used to follow function, saw the additions of items that look as though they came from an apothecary shop. Things I never knew existed.... scented salts, scrubs, and bombs, all offering the promise of peace, tranquility, and serenity. She has explained to me that taking hot baths and smelling the scents of the season is relaxing to her. Releasing endorphins and helping her to release the stress from her challenging day at work.

So what is it like for me, living in this new world? Well, for starters, I know that one of the easiest ways to lift my wife's spirits after a long day is by lighting some of her favorite candles. And trying to find the perfect birthday or holiday gift? It's a snap! I'm lucky her favorite brand is B.Witching, and a refill of some of the favorites, add in a new scent or two, and I'm sure to take home the prize for Best Husband Ever. As a reward, I sometimes I even pick out a candle I like too!