Growing up, I was always intrigued by saunas. I'm usually not one for extreme temps in either direction, but there's just something about a sauna that speaks to the soul. They're relaxing, cleansing, and a great way to soothe your body after a long day's work in the winter.

I probably never would have pursued this had it not been for my wife. In 2011, we met in Scotland, both attending the same grad school. She's 1/2 Lithuanian, and 1/2 Russian and grew up going to saunas with her family.

In Russia, it's a right of passage. Men and women visit gender specific saunas, and it's not uncommon to find a grandfather enjoying a "bath" with his son and grandson while passing down the family's secrets.

In Lithuania, families can rent private sauna villas for the day. You grab your key from reception, go to your private room that looks just as any other hotel door would, but enter into a luxurious suite with a small wading pool, hot tub, sauna, and dining room. My wife has told me stories about her childhood when her mom, dad and brother would go for the day, and rotate between the water and steam sauna, playing with dad in the water while mom relaxed with a smile. You'd think this would be pricey, considering how lavish it feels and how well the craftsmanship is throughout, but they're actually quite reasonable. Even today, the nicest of sauna suites can be rented for under 20 euros/hour. Often connected to luxury hotels, you can also enjoy room service without ever having to leave the comfort of the suite.

Let me just say that after my wife took me for my first Lithuanian sauna experience, I was hooked. When she asked me to build her a sauna after we purchased our new home, it didn't take a lot of arm twisting for me to agree...

I started the project in October of 2016, had it weather tight within a couple weeks, and then it was just weekends here and there until I had a week off during the winter, making significant progress. By early February, it was insulated and had power, and by late march it was usable.

Sauna's aren't a lot of fun in the summer, so it sat unused, but we had a comfortable and mild start to the summer so my weekends were spent finishing up the details, siding, stain, etc.

I still haven't applied the poly finish to the pine in the changing room, but I think it's ready for me to start putting together this blog. As fall sets in, we're using it more and more, and are loving it...