Summertime and the living is soapy.

Summer time is a bit of a reprieve for the spirit. We slow down our frenzied pace and take time to enjoy life. The long, warm nights, the fresh produce, the bright sunshine, we can look forward to all these things in summer. There are so many wonderful summer time traditions; swimming, picnics and barbeques, outdoor concerts and summer time treats like ice cream, watermelon and lemonade. In the cold Canadian climate, summer time can be an all too short season often made even shorter by poor summer weather. Fortunately I have found a way to sustain me through the long, dreary winters, Rocky Mountain Soap Company's Summer Lemonade Soap. It is summertime in a bar. Not only does it smell divine, like fresh lemonade, but it comes in a cheerful colour scheme too. The blue wisps are reminiscent of a summer sky, the yellow like dots of summer sunshine. Using this soap is like enjoying a summer afternoon in the country, sipping lemonade and relaxing in the sunshine, all while never having to leave your bath! It's a wonderful pick me up in the morning and a lovely reminder that summer is always just around the corner, even on the darkest and coldest winter days.

The obsession begins...

The thing about an obsession is it always starts off innocently enough, doesn't it? A little indulgence here and there. Sometimes an obsession can even blossom from a banal, every day occurrence. Something as habitual and commonplace as, for example, bath time.

As a child, bath time was one of my favourite times of day. I was "Queen of the Bath", as my father once proclaimed. I had bath toys galore and copious amounts of bath products; bubble bath, bath beads, bath crayons, and mountains of tiny hotel soaps. Anytime I was in a foul mood as a kid, which was often let me just say, my parents would run a bath for me and I was instantly transformed. Just add water!

Considering my long history with O.B.P.B. (Obsessive Bath Product Behaviour) it would only be right for my first post to feature my very first bath product obsession; Johnson's Baby Lotion.

I was introduced to the Johnson's line as a baby, obviously, and therefore I don't recall my initial reaction. The Baby Oil, the Shampoo, the Powder and the Lotion. These are staples in the daily care routine of most babies but, eventually they fall by the way side as we age. A pity really. To me there is nothing more wonderfully comforting than the smell of the Johnson's baby line.

I was "reintroduced" to the lotion when I was 14, thanks to In Style magazine. What I love about In Style is that they always have tons of products recommended by famous people. As a young girl in a small town, these product took on a glamorous sheen all their own but most were, alas, not available at the local pharmacy. Then I happened upon a product recommendation by Jennifer Aniston; Johnson's Baby Lotion for smooth, soft legs. Recommended by a star and available at the local pharmacy? I was elated! Since that day it hasn't left my vanity. Other lotions and creams come and go but Johnson's is forever. It moistuizes without being greasy or heavy. It comes in a friendly baby pink bottle, a design as iconic as the company itself. No fancy redesigns for this classic. And the smell.... It's hard to describe but you know it when you smell it. Not too strong, it takes you back to a time when all you had to worry about was which teddy to play with and what time to take your nap.

If I am ever fortunate enough to have children, and if one is a girl, I imagine that this will be the first bath obsession I pass on to her. Not a bad start.