DAY 129 A Trip to India

Stephanie and I swam in the lake today for the FIRST time.  Probably should have jumped on that a little sooner....but better late than never!  Its definitely a little colder and subsequently takes longer to warm up.  Also a little choppier, with waves and all.  Perhaps that's why they suggest getting into the lake earlier than two days before the big day!

I had scheduled a massage for today, anticipating I would need some help relaxing...HELLO!  The massage place is just around the corner, a two minute drive at the most.  So, I wore my pajamas.  Not anything with polka dots, or coffee pots on them, but ratty sweat pants and a tee shirt that I love.  No bra. Print my Group On certificate and I am out the door.  I get into the studio and it seems a little warm, but then again its probably just me.  I sign a waiver stating if they kill me with oil, its not their fault and I can't sue.  Fair enough.

I hand over my Group On certificate and start walking into the massage room.  The guy behind the counter says, "why did you just hand me a piece of paper saying that your delinquent parking tickets are now paid in full"?  Good question.  Evidently I pulled the wrong piece of paper off the printer.  Thank God for smart phones.  I was able to quickly look up my certificate and the wah was back.

The massage therapist tells me to take off my clothes, wrap the towel around me and sit on the table facing the windows.  It is now feeling really hot.  I do as instructed.  She gently knocks and enters the room.  Very lithe and seeming to float in rather than walk in.  I am now slightly sweating.  Let me take a little break here.  Women, you will understand my next statement.  Before going to the gynecologist or the massage therapist, I cleanse myself to the point of creating a sterile field on my body.  One step short of the autoclave.  So now I'm not so happy that I'm sweating because, even though I'm going to be covered in oil in about 5 seconds, I like to start from a pristine place.

"Its a little warm in here.  Do you not have air conditioning"?,  I inquire politely.

"Oh! Well, we like to create an environment similar to India.  Its all about India."

"The country of India?  The sweltering, poverty stricken country of India? In the summer?

"Yes.  It is the seat of wisdom.  We also do hot yoga here so we keep it quite warm.  Would you like me to turn on the air conditioning for you?"

Well, shit.  I'm not going to upset the wah and question the seat of all wisdom.  Plus, I truly have always wanted to go to India.  Been fascinated by India my whole life, ever since watching missionary movies in grammar school at St. Martha's.  However, I did picture myself wearing a beautiful, ethereal sari, not a heavy brown towel.

"No", I said, "Its fine.  I will just transport myself to a cool place in India". (Not sure one exists, but its the idea of the whole experience.

"Now do you realize Mary Jo, I am going to put oil in your hair"?

"Bring it on"!  I had just sat, two days ago, for an hour and a half with a head full of burning chemicals in my effort to look like Gwen Stefani with platinum hair.  My head was screaming for oil!!

From that point on, it was sheer bliss.  The woman is also an energetic healer and it was a wonderful massage.  I was in the mood for talking and she was fascinating, as well as being very good at what she does.

Once the massage started, I was completely unaware of feeling warm.

Interesting.

I scheduled another appointment for Monday afternoon, the day after the BIG DAY!!!!!

Going to bed early.  Tapering has begun.

Breathe.  Breathe.  Breathe.