In which we achieve extreme relaxation
Hot tubbing is the best of the best when it comes to relaxing. But a hot tub and a massage - now that's taking things to the extreme.
I'm leaving for Myrtle Beach for two weeks on the 12th. Chris and I scheduled a date beforehand to get some quality time together. We drove up to Hot Sulphur Springs after dropping Evan off at school. We arrived at about 11:00, which gave us about an hour of soaking before massages. We both had the Rain Dance treatment, which is a full massage with the addition of de-toxifying essential oils. The therapist sprinkles the oils on your back, and then covers the oiled skin with hot moist towels. The effect is one of intense heat, which I found at the edge of tolerable at the time, but which served to deepen the relaxation effect.
I had a facial while Chris relaxed in the lodge with his Magic magazine. We'd cruised Tony's Tuesday night and had brought a picnic lunch. It was very cold, in the teens, so we picniced in the lodge. BBQ pork roast and eggy buns, hummos scooped up on rosemary crackers, olives, little crispy onions marinated in balsalmic vinegar, and cheese were the fare. We'd brought a bottle of wine, but the rules excluded alcohol so it stayed in the car. Drank Diet Cokes instead. I finished off my carrot juice, which I really enjoyed. After our delightful lunch we headed back out to the tubs.
The sun was still high in the sky, and after my conversation with my facial therapist, I was acutely aware that I was totally unprotected. I had packed two towels each, and so felt that I could drape one over me in the tub. If it got wet, I'd have the other. Which worked pretty well. We did spend a lot of time in the Backyard pool, which has a cover, and so it wasn't needed for most of the time. Our last hour was graced with a couple of munching bunnies and a parade of mule deer along the margin of the property. I presume that the forage is good there, where the hot water warms the earth from below. When the sun went down, I opined that I was ready as I would likely be to head home, and we collected our things.
I had left one of my towels draped across a handrail while we were getting massaged. I figured that in the sunshine, and with the low temps, it would dry, or at least the moisture in it would evaporate. No such luck. Three hours later it was still wet - and stiff in spots. The towel I'd gotten wet in the draping was stiff as a board. My sandels - which of course had puddles inside them - were now containers of ice. No matter the outdoor temperature, you don't really want to wrap a frozen towel around yourself for warmth. Or put on ice sandels. But the wind had kicked up and the spa had put down salt everywhere, so both were somewhat necessary although I don't really think that there was a whole lot of benefit. We scurried toward the locker rooms.
Really I had been drinking water. And most of a litre of carrot juice. So I don't know why I felt so bad in the locker room. I had a hard time getting undressed and redressed. Lots of fatigue, or maybe just a lot of relaxation. I lotioned up (soak and seal) and met Chris in the lobby, who of course had begun to wonder what was taking so long. He had me drive home (I guess he was tired) and we pulled into home at about 8:15. We didn't stop to eat dinner as planned; we'd had enough at lunch that we weren't really hungry and so drove straight through. We did confirm that the drive was 2:15 door-to-door, which will be of use later.
This morning it was of course back to the grind, but I at least was better equipped to meet the day.
I'm leaving for Myrtle Beach for two weeks on the 12th. Chris and I scheduled a date beforehand to get some quality time together. We drove up to Hot Sulphur Springs after dropping Evan off at school. We arrived at about 11:00, which gave us about an hour of soaking before massages. We both had the Rain Dance treatment, which is a full massage with the addition of de-toxifying essential oils. The therapist sprinkles the oils on your back, and then covers the oiled skin with hot moist towels. The effect is one of intense heat, which I found at the edge of tolerable at the time, but which served to deepen the relaxation effect.
I had a facial while Chris relaxed in the lodge with his Magic magazine. We'd cruised Tony's Tuesday night and had brought a picnic lunch. It was very cold, in the teens, so we picniced in the lodge. BBQ pork roast and eggy buns, hummos scooped up on rosemary crackers, olives, little crispy onions marinated in balsalmic vinegar, and cheese were the fare. We'd brought a bottle of wine, but the rules excluded alcohol so it stayed in the car. Drank Diet Cokes instead. I finished off my carrot juice, which I really enjoyed. After our delightful lunch we headed back out to the tubs.
The sun was still high in the sky, and after my conversation with my facial therapist, I was acutely aware that I was totally unprotected. I had packed two towels each, and so felt that I could drape one over me in the tub. If it got wet, I'd have the other. Which worked pretty well. We did spend a lot of time in the Backyard pool, which has a cover, and so it wasn't needed for most of the time. Our last hour was graced with a couple of munching bunnies and a parade of mule deer along the margin of the property. I presume that the forage is good there, where the hot water warms the earth from below. When the sun went down, I opined that I was ready as I would likely be to head home, and we collected our things.
I had left one of my towels draped across a handrail while we were getting massaged. I figured that in the sunshine, and with the low temps, it would dry, or at least the moisture in it would evaporate. No such luck. Three hours later it was still wet - and stiff in spots. The towel I'd gotten wet in the draping was stiff as a board. My sandels - which of course had puddles inside them - were now containers of ice. No matter the outdoor temperature, you don't really want to wrap a frozen towel around yourself for warmth. Or put on ice sandels. But the wind had kicked up and the spa had put down salt everywhere, so both were somewhat necessary although I don't really think that there was a whole lot of benefit. We scurried toward the locker rooms.
Really I had been drinking water. And most of a litre of carrot juice. So I don't know why I felt so bad in the locker room. I had a hard time getting undressed and redressed. Lots of fatigue, or maybe just a lot of relaxation. I lotioned up (soak and seal) and met Chris in the lobby, who of course had begun to wonder what was taking so long. He had me drive home (I guess he was tired) and we pulled into home at about 8:15. We didn't stop to eat dinner as planned; we'd had enough at lunch that we weren't really hungry and so drove straight through. We did confirm that the drive was 2:15 door-to-door, which will be of use later.
This morning it was of course back to the grind, but I at least was better equipped to meet the day.
posted by Melanie Unruh-Bays at
12:26 PM
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