"There's Just No Place Like Sauna"

I hear these words from my Pirate Husband almost every night. Being married to a Finnish man of the generation who was born in a sauna, it's the first thing he built in our home.  

For the most part I had planned to write about my adventures and not my lamentations, however, it may take some getting used to, this being alone.  Bear with me please, I do intend to grab life by the horns - maybe go out and have some fun.  But I'm still in the adjustment phase.  This too shall pass.

Sauna is - well, how can one describe sauna?  First of all, Americans do not pronounce the word correctly.  It is said like, "sow-nuh" not "saw-nuh" and there's a lot of steam going on in the place - an infrared sauna? - pffft - please, that's not a sauna!  You need rocks that are nearly glowing with heat and you must hear that sizzle when you throw water on them.  Aahhhh...the steam.  Things in your body that are toxic are pushed through your pores and carried away with all the sweat.  You never feel so clean as in a sauna.  Hot bath?  Hmph - "you're soaking in it, Madge."  (Does anybody remember Palmolive's Madge?!)  Hot steamy shower?  No, you never sweat out the toxins as you do in sauna. Most Finns go to sauna totally nude; even with business acquaintances - there's nothing you'll hide in the sauna.  Me?  I like a towel; it's an American thing...or maybe it's just me. 

1. Saunas relieve stress.

2. Saunas relax muscles and soothe aches/pains in both muscles and joints.

3. Saunas flush toxins.  Some toxins do not leave your body but through sweating.

4. Sauna cleanses the skin.

5. Saunas can induce a deeper sleep.

6. Saunas bring about recreational and social benefits.

7. Saunas improve cardiovascular performance.

8. Saunas burn calories.  Ah, yes, please!

9. Saunas can help fight illness.

10. Saunas just feel good.

The best sauna I've ever experienced was in the middle of absolutely no-where Finland.  My husband's uncle - who is a man I dearly love and cherish - Uncle Eero, prepared his 200 year old smoke sauna for our visit a few summers ago.  Oh my word, the aroma of smoke and birch leaves and tar on the walls; you can only know if you have been in a real smoke sauna.  

I miss Finland.

This was an amazing day.  It was raining outside and the rain water blurred the windows in which Uncle Eero had placed candles. It was a totally sexy thing to do for someone in his 80's (I do love that man & his precious wife, as well!).  Some Finns like to roll around naked in the snow between sauna sessions; the heat and cold shock the circulatory system like nothing else.  Well, I've done that once.  It worked. I was shocked.  I just hope the neighbors weren't watching! This is irrelevant to my perfect day memory! Kissing my Pirate Husband in the rain, hot and steamy from a 200 year old sauna, sans the towels....oh - my - word.  I do miss that man!