BLUE SAILORS

After my back injury we decided to put a Jacuzzi tub in the downstairs shower room. I was working long hours at the time and Gerald said he would go "online" and check out the tubs. He told me that he had compared prices and that he had ordered one. One day I came home from work and there was an enormous crate on the patio. I commented that it surely was a big box. Gerald arranged to have the shower removed and to have the tub installed.

The bathroom was tiled in lovely 1950's yellow tile which I wanted to keep. One day I came home from work and Gerald announced that the tub was installed. When I opened the door the tub almost filled the entire room. The tub measures 9 feet by 4 feet. To enter the tub, one must disrobe, sit on the edge of the tub, swing one's legs around and maneuver INTO the tub. Once in the tub, it's a wonderful experience with all those jets beating against one's aching back.

I had assumed that the tub would be white as the basin had been white. The tub is an enormous LAVENDER tub. When I asked Gerald WHY he had chosen that particular color he said, "You know, when we're driving along you always say how much you like chicory." How could I not LOVE the fact that he had chosen "chicory" because he remembered my loving the wildflower weed chicory color? How SWEET is that?

CHICORY--the color of the tub is not CHICORY because CHICORY is blue, NOT lavender! WHY is the tub LAVENDER? WHY don't they know what the hell color CHICORY is at Kohler?

Mother told me about using chicory root during the Depression to mix with coffee to make the coffee go further! When something was bitter, she would always say, "That's as bitter as chicory!" I knew she used chicory for different "potions". She always called chicory "blue sailors". I decided to research chicory and guess what?  Chicory (cichorium intybus) is also known as Blue Sailors (just as Mother said) and also Coffeeweed.  It is a bushy perennial herb with blue, white or LAVENDER flowers!

It's well known how I love Binney and Smith Crayola crayons; I am forever correcting people about colors and shades. Just last night someone said that something was "green" when it was obviously "chartreuse" and NOW, I am corrected about CHICORY.