Men, I know you are reading this, anyway. Warning—I am not responsible for what you may find out about spas.
Celebrating Wedding Anniversary
Neal and I celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary over Labor Day weekend. I can’t believe it, either. I have only known a handful of people that many years, but I can tell you it is a joy to go through life with someone you love, over the bumps and mountain tops of life.
People ask me what has held us together. The big-picture answer is, “Serve God, respect your partner’s needs, and love your way through life. And, throw in a heavy dose of laughter.”
Now for the day-to-day things that make our world go ‘round. As an anniversary gift, Neal arranged for me to have a massage, one of my favorite luxuries. I couldn’t wait to have an amazing experience of relaxation. When I arrived at the spa, I quickly changed into my swim suit and headed for the hydrotherapy room, filled with five dipping pools of mud therapy, lavender fragrance, healing water, etc.
Rule #1-Find Out What to Wear
I had learned my lesson several years ago when my mother-in-law and I ventured off for our first spa experience. When we arrived, the attendant showed us through the women’s section of the spa and told us we could take our swim suits off when we got in the hot tub. That was different, but we decided to be daring. We were the only ones in the hot tub area, so we disrobed and relaxed for about 10 minutes in hot, bubbling water.
We were about to get out of the hot tub when an attendant came into the area taking a group of women on a walking tour of the club. We bobbed around up to our necks in hot water while the tour hung around looking at lockers, benches, towels, and hairdryers. By this time we were sweating and pruning up fast. We were about to die from hydrotherapy overdose. My mother-in-law pulled seniority on me and made me get out of the pool first so she could hide behind me.
We arrived back at the dressing room with our embarrassment barely covered by dripping towels as we prepared for our massages. This was my first massage so I didn’t know what to expect. In walked my therapist, who looked like Helga the Amazon woman. She asked me if I had a preference on the pressure.
“No, anything is fine,” I said.
Biiiig mistake. She spent an hour pounding and kneading me like pie dough. I prayed she would let me up off the table before my hour was up. Barely able to walk from being Helganized, I left the health club thinking that might be the last massage I would ever have.
Rule #2-Remember Rule #1
Now a few years later, I entered the spa, wearing my swim suit, I might add. I was the only one in the hot tub area when half a dozen women came in about the same time. Not a one of them was wearing a swim suit. Come on now!
I scampered out of the mud bath pool hoping no one noticed I was wearing a swim suit. The attendant brought me a blue plastic bag to store my suit while I got ready for the massage. I stuffed my one-piece suit and breast prosthesis in a bag that had just enough space for half a bikini.
This time I did have a massage to remember, for all the right reasons. I didn’t forget to mention my pressure tolerance.
How to Remain Married 50 Years
When my husband’s parents celebrated their 50th anniversary, I asked, “To what do you attribute the longevity of your marriage?”
His mother said, “I tell him everything to do.”
His dad said, “And, I don’t do anything she tells me.”
That will work, too.
Thought for Today:
“Wives are people who think it’s against the law not to answer the phone when it rings.” — Rita Rudner
Live Life,
Janelle