Here's my last night in 917. Thursday morning I started with Reiki with reflexology and a Rejuvenating Kur with Diane. Reiki is better than a CT scan. It's almost spooky how Diane knows what is going on with my body. It was pretty intense. Diane knows, so I do what she tells me. The Rejuvenating Kur is quite lovely. It concludes with a warm oil and a conditioning mask for the hair and scalp. You don't look glamorous when it's done, but you really feel good. I took my towel wrapped head to the loggia to rest and let it sink in before I showered it out. Next was a Thai Massage--great stretching--with Bill, who is 4 months younger than I am. It's another of those "Will you respect me in the morning" treatments. Love it. Last treatment of the day was a Total Body Recovery with David. This is another of the new treatments. Starts with a soak and concludes with a massage using icy cold and hot stones--I had wondered why Diane hadn't schedules a Sonoma Stone Massage--this was where I figured it out.
Today was my last Watsu with Laura. Each provider does generally the same thing, but each one has their own signature. I think that's why I need so many of them. After the Watsu, I finally did the Bathing Ritual, since I was already wet. After that, I lay by the outdoor pool to give my suit time to dry out and read till it was time for my Balance Body with Laura--my last new treatment. tarts with a foot soak and exfoliation, an amazing body scrub, shower, and massage with really amazing oils. You leave with spa hair--I never realized how much I can look like Albert Einstein--but your skin feels so good you just don't care. I napped on the loggia until it was time for my facial. The facial means things are winding down, which is sad, but it feels wonderful, which is good. Another rest on the loggia to let the creams soak into my face and feet. I stayed there till it started to get dark--at least until it was hard to read, and then I got back into clothes and had my dinner. I had fillet mignon tonight since it is my wedding anniversary (33rd). Now I'm ready to sit by the fire and knit. Tomorrow is pedicure, manicure, and hair and scalp treatment with Rudolfo, and then back to the real world. My body usually goes into shock when it realizes that no one is going to slather it with lotions and oils. I could do part of it, but it just isn't the same thing.
Right now, my skin is happy and softer than it has been since before Chemo. I'm a happy girl.
xxooxx
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Back to Sonoma
I can't believe it--last blog I was amazed that it was September and now it's almost over. Haven't done much--still trying to get my stamina back. Highlights of the month were our Remembrance Sunday service on 9-11. I played Barber's Adagio for Strings for the candle lighting. I haven't played serious music in a long time--it went quite well. The following Saturday was my niece Victoria's engagement party. We had almost the whole family together for the first time in almost forever. Missing were my nephew Kyle, at a wedding in the Carolina's, I think, and grandson Ryan, who was doing boy things with his friends. I had my check up with Dr. Chee (oncologist). Things are about the same. I'll have my next scan in November.
So here I am at the Sonoma Mission Inn. I left home around 11:30. Traffic through the city on 19th Avenue was a breeze and I got here a little after 1. My room was ready so I went off to catch most of my soap. I got to my building and met the bellman--at the foot of the staircase. No elevator--that was not going to work. So back to the lobby to wait for something on the first floor or in a building with an elevator. I sat and knit. I got into my room a little after three. I got organized, then it was off to the spa for a massage with David and the first Watsu with Soledad. Wednesday morning I had breakfast--lemon cottage cheese pancakes--always the first day breakfast--and Watsu number 2 with Glenn. In the afternoon, I had a new treatment--Wine Country Recovery with Soledad, starts with a bath then an aloe-gel wrap, foot massage and facial. It was amazing. My chemo dried skin loved it. That was followed by a tandem massage with Soledad and David. I still think that should be illegal it feels so good. I rested on the loggia for a bit, then it was off to dinner and back to the room to knit. I'm half through with the last scarf in the project--and two weeks to go. I stayed up too late to get to that point and to finish this. I think I have four activities tomorrow--pampering can be exhausting. So good night for now.
xxooxx
So here I am at the Sonoma Mission Inn. I left home around 11:30. Traffic through the city on 19th Avenue was a breeze and I got here a little after 1. My room was ready so I went off to catch most of my soap. I got to my building and met the bellman--at the foot of the staircase. No elevator--that was not going to work. So back to the lobby to wait for something on the first floor or in a building with an elevator. I sat and knit. I got into my room a little after three. I got organized, then it was off to the spa for a massage with David and the first Watsu with Soledad. Wednesday morning I had breakfast--lemon cottage cheese pancakes--always the first day breakfast--and Watsu number 2 with Glenn. In the afternoon, I had a new treatment--Wine Country Recovery with Soledad, starts with a bath then an aloe-gel wrap, foot massage and facial. It was amazing. My chemo dried skin loved it. That was followed by a tandem massage with Soledad and David. I still think that should be illegal it feels so good. I rested on the loggia for a bit, then it was off to dinner and back to the room to knit. I'm half through with the last scarf in the project--and two weeks to go. I stayed up too late to get to that point and to finish this. I think I have four activities tomorrow--pampering can be exhausting. So good night for now.
xxooxx
Monday, September 5, 2011
September Tunes
I'm not sure how it happened, but it seems to be September already. I should be at Camp Jones Gulch this weekend, fiddling my heart out. Alas, the Gateswingers don't go there for Labor Day any more. I remember when Lee first took me, just before we were married. I didn't think I could spare the weekend, but it came to be a cherished time. I don't think I ever would have started fiddling without the time spent there and the encouragement I got playing with Keeping Up With the Joneses. I think I prefer playing with the Brawlers, because we don't play for dancers and we can play the tough tunes a little slower if we need to and we only play the tunes twice through as a rule.
I had a gig yesterday morning in Morgan Hill. I had to leave the house around 8,which meant breakfast by 6:30. In the morning. I forgot there was a 6:30 in the morning. The gig wasn't terribly taxing--ended up playing less than planned. That's because just before we were going to start, as I tuned, my G string broke. I go years without strings breaking, but my A broke just before Piper's wedding last year and there went the G. Fortunately, I always carry spares, but there was the whole production of changing the string, then praying that it didn't go out of tune when I needed it. The best part of the exercise, was that they paid me for playing! That was a treat--and they fed me--and I got home in time to watch the Cal game. Cal won.
A few months ago, I took on a huge knitting project. I had several months to complete it, so I wasn't worried. I now have four and a half weeks to finish and I'm about half done. So much for knitting socks for fun--it's the project till I get it finished.
The little girls from across the street stopped by to visit this evening. They aren't little girls any more. The older one graduated from college last May and the younger one is starting college in a week or so. The older one was a baby when her parents bought the house across the street. I've watched them grow up to be lovely young women. They have always been really sweet girls. I didn't let them leave empty handed. One got a hat when she asked if I would make her one (no, I didn't sit down and whip it up, I had it on hand) and the other got the most recent pair of socks. I'll get back to socks and hats when the project is over.
I'm doing well. Chemo was six weeks ago. I'm still dealing with side effects, but I'm not as tired as I was, and that's a blessing. My skin is still very dry and more hair falls out than I'd like. I know that is cyclical and will pass. It's like the stamina thing. I'm feeling good for the most part--once again working my way off pain meds. I won't push it, but if I can get off them, I will--at least until I start to hurt again. I'm not rushing either. I think I'll just enjoy feeling good for a while.
That's it for now. Besides the knitting, I have to practice real music. I'm playing at church next week. Guess I'd better check my stash of strings while I'm at it.
xxooxx
I had a gig yesterday morning in Morgan Hill. I had to leave the house around 8,which meant breakfast by 6:30. In the morning. I forgot there was a 6:30 in the morning. The gig wasn't terribly taxing--ended up playing less than planned. That's because just before we were going to start, as I tuned, my G string broke. I go years without strings breaking, but my A broke just before Piper's wedding last year and there went the G. Fortunately, I always carry spares, but there was the whole production of changing the string, then praying that it didn't go out of tune when I needed it. The best part of the exercise, was that they paid me for playing! That was a treat--and they fed me--and I got home in time to watch the Cal game. Cal won.
A few months ago, I took on a huge knitting project. I had several months to complete it, so I wasn't worried. I now have four and a half weeks to finish and I'm about half done. So much for knitting socks for fun--it's the project till I get it finished.
The little girls from across the street stopped by to visit this evening. They aren't little girls any more. The older one graduated from college last May and the younger one is starting college in a week or so. The older one was a baby when her parents bought the house across the street. I've watched them grow up to be lovely young women. They have always been really sweet girls. I didn't let them leave empty handed. One got a hat when she asked if I would make her one (no, I didn't sit down and whip it up, I had it on hand) and the other got the most recent pair of socks. I'll get back to socks and hats when the project is over.
I'm doing well. Chemo was six weeks ago. I'm still dealing with side effects, but I'm not as tired as I was, and that's a blessing. My skin is still very dry and more hair falls out than I'd like. I know that is cyclical and will pass. It's like the stamina thing. I'm feeling good for the most part--once again working my way off pain meds. I won't push it, but if I can get off them, I will--at least until I start to hurt again. I'm not rushing either. I think I'll just enjoy feeling good for a while.
That's it for now. Besides the knitting, I have to practice real music. I'm playing at church next week. Guess I'd better check my stash of strings while I'm at it.
xxooxx
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