The Illustration Friday topic http://illustrationfriday.com/ is 'Prepare' suggested by Susan Sorrell Hill. Remember the old-fashioned term to draw a bath? Doubt anyone under the age of 40 has heard of it. What a strange term for preparing a bath. Anyway, here's my take on the subject, with a bit of artistic photo manipulation.
I've lived in 20 different addresses, from one bedroom flats to farmhouses, since I left home at 18. That's a lot of packing preparation!! In that time, there have been many bathtubs I've known and loved, and some not so much.
I remember preparing baths in the Riverland where the water was without fail, the colour of milky tea or coffee because it was water straight from the River Murray.
It was all we had,no choice, and baths in Adelaide were a luxury of pristine clarity in comparison.
Over the years, my sister-in-law and myself had a series of Christmas Day photos taken in the bath-tub, don't know why, probably because we'd had a few too many drinks. The tradition continued over the years, until we found it increasingly difficult to prepare to both get into the bathtub and out of it.
Christmas 2011 found us admitting defeat - all too hard. Brittle bones and joints.
I suppose we could have managed to sit sedately (us?) on the side, but somehow -just not the same really.

All good things must come to an end. Preparing now for 60+. She's ventured into it, and I'm heading for it in 2013. When this photo was taken a relative nearly did his back trying to haul us out! Here's to the sedate years. Well not too sedate.