Spa Day 2014

We wait for it all year. It is a once-in-a-year opportunity for the BVG's to relax and indulge ourselves in the art of pampering (not to be confused with the art of Pampering, something we all perfected back in the '70's and early '80's). We thought the day would never arrived, but then at 9:00 the morning of April 26, 2014, the BVG's gathered at Trankwility Woods (as we call my home) for Spa Day. This means a day of luxurious delights for us. We all contributed to the breakfast and lunch buffets. We sipped mimosas in the morning hours, wine in the afternoon hours, nothing to excess, per usual, but with our usual flair. At 11:00 our two massage therapists arrived with their 'gear'----a massage table, a massage chair, foot and hand baths, paraffin dip containers, fragrant oils, towels and sheets. We had a schedule to follow, so we all knew where to be when. The massage table and massage chair were set up in my living room. When we weren't being worked on in there, we were resting in recliners in my family room and having either our feet or hands cared for. Heaven for me is being sprawled out, or rather forward, in the massage chair having my neck, shoulders and upper back worked on while listening to soft piano music on my stereo. I have to say, the massage I received this year was without a doubt my best massage ever. I went straight from my living room to my recliner in my family room, grabbing first my soft, luxurious blanket to wrap myself in while extending myself back into the most relaxing recliner position possible. And then I mumbled to my dear sisters, "I'm not talking to anyone." Talk about being relaxed to the max!! I was somewhere in la-la land 40 minutes later when I heard a quiet voice gently ask, "Are you ready to soak your feet?" The soaking, the paraffin dip, the oils, they are all very nice. But the 'wow factor" for me was the most incredible foot massage ever that nearly sent me into oblivion. By the time my foot massage was completed, all four of us were in recliners in the family room, barely able to speak or to move because we were so deliciously relaxed. In fact, when our two wonderful therapists appeared together in the family room, ready to leave, we could only muster weak waves but also very appreciative expressions of thanks. And I, the hostess, who should have seen them to the door, could only say, "You know the way out. Goodbye for this year. We all love and appreciate you." They had been paid earlier, so what did they care that no one got up to send them off? In fact, I think they surveyed the situation and said, "Our work here is done, and it was definitely a success." We were so sacked out, we might still be in those recliners today had I not suddenly remembered, "Oh! I forgot to take the banana bread out of the Crock Pot!" This was enough to get us all up to prepare our lunch of seafood (shrimp or smoked salmon) salad, and for this we fancied things up and sat in the dining room. Part of the reason for that was that our facials would happen after lunch, and that would be at my kitchen table. After such a fabulous day, I kind of wish we had just stopped at lunch, because we were on such a roll. The facials, I thought, were worthy of being on an episode of "I Love Lucy," but we should call it "I Love Firstelle," because it was my idea. Cool did fine with her clay mask, but I convinced Elletu and j that my recipe for an 'all natural facial mask' was a good idea. Let me just say that a mixture of avocado, honey and uncooked oatmeal will NOT stay on the face but will rather keep dropping off in clumps down a cleavage or on a lace tablecloth, or, in our case, both. What a mess! The avocado makes it so greasy that cucumber slices will not adhere to the eye sockets very well. It could be our uncontrolled laughter had something to do with it. I kept asking, "Whose dumb idea was this???" which was meant to be a rhetorical question, but they answered me just the same. I didn't like their tone when they would reply, "YOURS!" I must say, the clay mask left Cool's skin looking radiant, but the rest of us noticed absolutely zero improvement in ours after the avocado fiasco. For the record, I did not make up the mask recipe, but you can be sure I have destroyed it, and it will not be invited back to Spa Day 2015. The BVG's really didn't leave on a low note. Nine hours together, and not a harsh word between us. We can't MASK the fact that we love each other and treasure the time we spend together. We will look back on this and remember Spa Day 2014 with deep fondness, the facial fiasco notwithstanding.

Thank you, BVG's, and now the countdown begins to April 2015. Can't wait!