SANUM PER AQUA.  Latin for Health through Water.

My future husband, Blair Osborn, was a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Washington. I worked for the U.S. Department of Labor doing job training for the disadvantaged I had a $60 million dollar budget and 88,000 people on the payroll. In the spirit of the 70’s we decided to answer the question: “Can men & women work together?” by starting a business. So out of a desire to escape the bureaucracy and a half-baked idea that being in business couldn’t be hard, we began. I said, “Let’s start a business, how hard can that be?” “How hard could it be?” Our start up capital was $30K, my entire pension cash out, plus credit cards. Later the sale of a house netted another $50K. My father was appalled and my friends thought I was crazy giving up a high level government job with excellent benefits.

Olympic Hot Tub Company was founded as a retail wood hot tub business. Why hot tubs you’re thinking?? They seemed to be the “coming thing”. The entry cost was low because the “industry” was so new. We were the first- the Seattle Times credits Olympic with introducing hot tubbing to Seattle. Plus I loved soaking in a hot tub and thought everyone should have one.

Business was very slow at the start. The biggest obstacle? Nobody knew what they were! Customers would stop in and ask: “What’s that big cedar barrel in the window? My own banker asked if I liked beans. “Why?” I asked. “You’ll be eating a lot of them with this business,” she replied. I had to sell my wonderful collection of Oriental rugs and Victorian antiques just to keep afloat.

You’ve guessed by now that today is the 34th Anniversary of the day I met Blair, my partner in life and in Olympic Hot Tub Company. Through ups and downs we’ve stayed together and built a business we love with employees who are fantastic at what they do and are extremely loyal. We have almost 17,000 hot tub customers in Puget Sound and a referral rate of 45%-that is happy customers refer their friends to us. For a business that started asking the question: “Can men and women work together?” we answer “YES!” and are grateful for our success. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who has helped us on our journey-our employees, vendors and, of course, our customers. And, we’re still in it because not everyone has a hot tub…yet.

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

So take a cue from Rodin’s “The thinker”.  We all need a place to get away and think..if not to think, to calm the chattering brain and sort out all the input from the day. The world is becoming more complex everyday and as we try to keep up, our brains which were designed for far less input are not able to keep up.  Give yourself and your brain a break by soaking in your hot tub nightly to restore your mind and to let those great ideas bubble up. You really will get your best ideas while relaxing in your hot tub aka think tank.  I guarantee it!

If you’ve gotten a terrific idea while soaking in your think tank, share it, won’t you?

SANUM PER AQUA- Latin for Health through Water.

You’re probably thinking what does this have to do with hot tubs? I first heard of Earthcorps in 1998 when they came to restore the ravine behind our home. The neighbors on the ravine had all pitched in, but we didn’t have the expertise and skill to work on steep slopes. Earthcorps crew members did. To my surprise they used cardbard boxes to eradicate (control) blackberry.  First they hacked the blackberry to the ground-grueling, tiresome work. Then they dug the biggest root balls out. Finally they placed cardboard boxes flat on the ground, pinned them down with stakes and covered over with bark and mulch.  In 6 months or so, the area was ready to be planted in native species..right through the cardboard. Using the cardboard is ingenious! It blocks the light so the blackberry can’t grow and the native plants have a chance to survive with out competition from blackberries.

The cardboard comes from our Olympic Hot Tub cover boxes!  Giving the cover boxes to Earthcorps is only one of many things we do to reduce, reuse and recycle. Olympic chooses to be green!

We’ve been supplying Earthcorps with as much of the cardboard from our hot tub covers as they can take since that first meeting. They love the big boxes which are approximately 3′ x 7′.  What a relief to cover such a big area after using boxes from grocery stores which cover a much smaller area. The boxes are very sturdy. And, if there is a secret to getting rid of invasive blackberry, Earthcorps using this method, has found it.

So-a win/win. The cardboard doesn’t go to a landfill; Earthcorps has essential material for their restoration efforts at no cost and together we have seen restoration efforts blossom all over Seattle and the Eastside. It doesn’t get any better than that!

SANUM PER AQUA.  Latin for Health through Water.

Another major reason that parents of teens get a hot tub, is to know who their kids’ friends are.  How many times have you heard: “Mom, I’m off to the mall. ‘Bye!” You respond: “Who’re you going with?” “Friends.” And, they’re out the door.

You don’t know who they’re with.

I’ve had countless wise parents tell me they purchased a hot tub and all of the amenities so their backyard is the center of their teens social life.  The soccer team meets there after practice.  The Little League team celebrates every win with a soak.  After fall football practice, a hot tub is a must for aching muscles. The kids celebrate their birthdays with a hot tub party.

It may be noisy for a few years, but they know who their kids’ friends are. That peace of mind is priceless!  And, when they grow up, the hot tub and the backyard will be their own special haven.

Teenagers at home? A hot tub is the right choice NOW for connection and peace of mind.

Sanum per Aqua-Latin for health through water.

Last month I bought a pair of FitFlops TM that promised to give me a workout while taking a walk. Who doesn’t want that?

Developed by expert biomechanists at the Center for Human Performance at London’s South Bank University, FitFlops load your leg muscles more while you’re wearing them. In clinical testing, wearing FitFlops has shown to significantly increase gluteal muscle response, increase hamstring responce and increase calf muscle resonse. So every step you take in your FitFlops helps tone and trim your legs, improve your muscle tone, improve muscle activity and circulation, improve your balance and posture, and burn calories! I’m not making this up!

I will tell you that they look like two pieces of black styrofoam the size of a shoe box on your feet, but what price beauty? No visible results so far, but who’s to say it can’t happen?

Sure, you could go for a glam look..purple flip flops with fake rhinestones. But why not go for beauty on the trek to the tub? Go to www.thefitflop.com. They ARE comfortable.