Spa Week Experiment Results are In~

I hope you had a great week, I sure did.
My wild hair idea about doing a Spa Week for myself went grand!
I tried out a couple of NEW things:

A cream facial ~ This homemade beauty treatment worked almost like a peel. It was 1 tbls heavy cream whisked up with enough baking soda to give it the consistency of shaving creme. Then add 1 tbls of honey. Cover your clean face with it. I let mine set, grabbed a book, put my feet up and read for 20 minutes -1/2 hour till it gets "tingly". Rinse.
Skin on face and neck were lovely and soft and someone asked me if I "got some sun". So fresh peachy creamy I was! :)

A super condition hair treatment~ rather than try some olive oil or mayo treatment (been there, done that many years ago enough to know that it reeks and is hard to rinse out) Instead, I opted for a tube of special hair conditioner from my hairdresser, with a friend over and we super conditioned our wet hair and topped it with a shower cap for about 1/2 hour. Hair seems soft and a bit stronger.

And some treats:

*Vanilla Almond Bubble Bath

*Epsom Salt Bath

*Saged the house

*Walked on the beach with my doggy!

*Took time for books and reading

* Walked doggy daily for 1/2 hour every morning

*Did 3 hours yoga (M/W/F) and did a dance tape for fun (T/Th)

*Took time for a couple of friend day adventures, with lunch out and a chat.

*Hot tubbed a couple of wonderful relaxing hours with loved ones.

*Allowed myself some great food (and even made a fruit laden ice cream sundae for dinner! Heavy on fruit but topped with some Ben & Jerry's. Hey, it's natural, vitamin C, potassium and calcium :)


HOW the hell did I do this on a week where I had lots of gigs and regular work?

Easy.

I implemented a SCHEDULE for myself and I disciplined myself to get up at 6am, get going w/ exercise, and to keep sticking to the plan. I got a LOT done, AND got to bed on time for the most part!! (with exception of Open Mic party and St. Paddy's day Irish fest/visiting).
My days M-F looked like this:

6am..... .....Wake Up/Clean up/Awaken/Emails
7am..... .....Walk/Yoga
8:30am..... Breakfast
9-Noon..... Work/Projects
Noon ........Lunch
1-5pm...... Work/Projects/Sunbathing/Sauna/Nap/Personal
5pm......... Dinner
7-9pm..... Evening entertainment/Tea/Conversation
9-10pm... Bath /book
10pm...... Bed (I'm trying to get 7-8 hours sleep)

Well, I adapted it around my schedule of gigs and work....but it was mostly like this.

AND??

I feel fabulous.

I think as an experiment, this idea of "SPA WEEK" is a keeper and I would like to keep the schedule and the body treatments as a regular thing, instead of an infrequent thing.

Try it.
What have you got to lose but some stress and wasted TV time?
:)

Enchantress words: "If life gives you lemons....."..

Good ee'en my dear riders on the wind!

Today was "put away" day....and it started with a friend who stayed over from the night before/s party.
Coffee....and a doggy walk....chats....then off to work. Took Jesse for a consultation for her wisdom teeth.

Yah. They need to go.
So we made the earliest appointment for her....which was....
TOMORROW at 11:15am.
I encouraged her to get it done and out of the way.
"Better out than in" sort of thing.

What I was heartwarmed to find out is that, she wants her mom to take her :)
And so I shall take my "baby" girl of almost 26 to the dentist tomorrow.

She is brave.

And so are YOU.

YOU are also brave.

Being here, living in the moment, being YOURSELF.
We, Enchantresses, here, daring to BE.

I'm proud of you. You who are willing to say who you are....
you who are daring to stand up for yourself....
You who is mad as hell and ain't gonna take it anymore....

I salute you!

SO

"PUT AWAY" your fear...
put away your guilty doubt...
put away your foibles ....

Bring out your strength...
bring out your personality...
bring out your "SALT"-y self.

I'm here holding the lemon and tequila.

Implementation makes a hearty appetite!

Hey Ho~

Today is my "Implement" day.

Which started with a PLAN.
And Harry was ONBOARD. We were supposed to "clean up the clutter" (which of course meant his shite :)
I started the day with lots of coffee and getting set for our away gig on the morrow. A pirates gig, which has costuming, backdrop, and sound system.

Harry started this day with a wake up call and the man DID spring into action....
albeit a bit lethargically...
and he did start working more enthusiastically on the office on threat of me becoming celibate.

All I had to do to entice him was to show him "the girls".
(a morning ritual here at Squirrel Haven :)

That did it and we were off!

After I packed up the costuming, backdrop, props....
I offered to help him sort out some of the piles that make up our shared office.

My desk is way more organized than his....

Personally, call me crazy...
but  I think that his office chair should be utilized as a chair and not a shelving unit...
and for him to work at his desk (with his 2, count 'em, 2 computers)
and for him to get the fuck off my desk (which is uncluttered)
and ...
like that.

Yah, that's me being the "non-directive" type worker...

So, now....it is the evening.

Actually it is NIGHT.

Here is what has transpired this day.

I helped him.
We roused the evil monster that is Harry's office clutter.
It swarmed.
It got bigger before we started firing bullets into it's complicated hide.

I sat in a pile of HIS papers...
making more piles:
Invoices for him,
Invoices TO him,
manuals,
receipts,
gear,
media,
JUNK....(*my favorite pile :)

At one point...when the swearing sailor in me got to be too much...I actually started filking words to a song on the radio to show my displeasure...

I ran off...(read: I ran away!)
did my errands...spent a shit load of money on groceries for our upcoming party on this coming Sunday.
and for Thanksgiving...

And den?

I read.

I took a hot bubble bath.

I went to a seminar in Geneva for a memoirs writing program. Sonja Livingston who wrote "Ghostbread" gave some great tips this ee'en....and I spoke with her about my writing :)
She was very encouraging!

I came home and Harry was knee deep in setting up our wireless setup for the morrow's gig...and he's still packing the car.

BUT

It should be awesome.
We are leaving early. To be pirates. Far, far away.

I am now watching "Julie & Julia" about a lass who is undaunted and blogs daily on a dream.

How art imitates life, eh?

BUT
I did a good job today.
I helped.
I worked.
I implemented.
I listened to a woman who, like me, documented her life story.

She IS.

I AM.

As are YOU.

So...
fucking DO it anyway!
regardless if others don't like it...
think you are crazy...
even you think you are crazy....
ENJOY the PROCESS!

IMPLEMENT.

And as Julia Child would say:

"Bon Appetit!"

Self care means different things to different people~

Got a call from my grown up girl, Jesse, yesterday, saying in a very sad voice....

"Mommy, I'm SICK."

Jesse is a no-nonsense kid. She isn't a complainer. She works full time, goes to college full time, and is keeping an apartment with herself and her nice boyfriend. She's TRYING.

She has been sick off and on lately, working at a day care....no insurance...It seems her wisdom teeth have become unbearable. She can't open her mouth. Swelling has gone down her neck into her shoulder. She's in PAIN. Poor kid.

Thankfully, at least I knew what to do next. "I'll call my new dentist and see if they can get you in. They are awesome and really nice." At least that seemed to help her psyche. Sometimes when you are in so much pain, you can't think what to do, who to call, where to turn. At least she turned to mommy. That's always good. :)

My doctor could amazingly get her in on an emergency appointment 2 hours later. They did a full pan of x-rays and an abbreviated exam. They gave her a recommendation, a referral to an oral surgeon and a prescription for a Z-pak for the infection.

She needs to have all 4 of her wisdom teeth out asap. I don't know how she will manage it. But the doctor says, (and i agree) that if she could swing the money for all 4 out at once, and only get knocked out once, that would save her some money, time and pain.  She is almost 26 now.

I had this procedure done when I was 18. Had all 4 of my wisdom teeth taken out in one sitting. Two of them were impacted. The doctor had to give me "extra sodium pentathol" for the procedure. I don't remember walking out of the office, the elevator, or getting to the car with my mom on one side and the nurse on the other walking me there.
What I DO remember is this: A knight in shining armor with gleaming armor and pennants flying.

Yah. True. My mom was driving me home, and a next door neighbor was riding his horse and mom stopped the car to talk to him for a moment. I didn't see the neighbor on a horse. I saw a KNIGHT on a horse with SHINING armor that hurt my eyes, and pennants flying. Even in a drugged state of post traumatic healing...my Arthurian nature called to me.
Drugs are an amazing thing. Some people pay good money for an experience like that. I'm sure my mom did on her insurance bill. I was glad to get the surgery done.
I am so hoping that Jesse can figure out how to swing it. I wish I could do more for her...moral support, transportation and nursing is about all I can give her.

Yesterday was my Self Care day....and while I did some things for me, I actually helped my daughter more. I told her she needs more rest. To eat better. To be more creative. I am hoping she will try to care for herself. It's hard to be a mommy sometimes from a distance.
I put myself on "hold" for so many years...
caring for others...
making things "nice" for everyone.
Now, I encourage myself to do for me, and for you to do for YOU.

I went out with Harry last night to play an open mic for a lark. 
My self care included 2 Gin and Tonics and singing my heart out in a dark bar.
I reminded myself about my love and Mentor Janis Joplin by looking at her pics and story yesterday.
I have some pics that are very similiar.

I am very similiar to her in a lot of ways.
I need to get in touch with my Janis side again.

She was wild, free and unchecked.

Yes, she was a bit whacked.
Yes, she was SO hard on herself.
Yes she could belt out a song.
Yes, few people understood her.
Yes, she walked the edge.
Yes, I wish she could've found the love for herself  that she so easily gave to everyone else.
Yes, she loved too much, and sometimes the wrong people for her.
Yes, I wish she hadn't died.
She was fucking COOL.
She IS still cool to me.

Know what?
She was an ENCHANTRESS.

And people didn't "get" her.

It was good for me to remember her when I was singing.

And it got me thinking...

I have loved this "Wizard's Blog".
But wizards have been engrained in us as a MALE image.
(Too bad for that, eh??)

So I will give you another image.

ENCHANTRESS.

For my riders on this quest with me....
WE are wizards of our own worlds....making our way...

but let's give our feminine natures a boost today.

Let's adopt the word, "ENCHANTRESS"

instead of the word,  "Wizard"...(which is unfortunately...so male oriented, don't you think?)

instead of the overused word, "Goddess" (so presuming of perfection...and we need to embrace our flaws. Socrates said, "An unexamined life is not worth living"  It's GOOD to see our flaws...so we can improve ourselves)

So, my DEAR Enchantresses...and Fellow Wizards,
Here below are some ideas I found for giving YOURSELF some pleasure and pampering....
Surely you should do something for YOU today too:
To make some MAGIC for YOU.

YOU DESERVE IT.

Janis did.
She should've used more of these....and less escapism...
maybe we'd still have her today.
I wonder what Janis would be like today....if she hadn't OD'ed....

She should've done more of the following....

Watch clouds
Meditate
Practice feeling contented
Focus on your breathing
Learn a new skill
Ride a bike
Go on a picnic
watch a favorite show
visit a park or woods
clean your silver
get your hair done
mani/pedi
hot bath with oil finish
put a positive word on your water bottle
discard something you don't want
look at the stars
enjoy a candlelit evening
kiss someone
go to the library
enjoy a cup of hot coffee
sauna/hot tub
light some incense
have an adventure day (do something out of your comfort zone/try something NEW)
Read
snuggle
take a hike
bubble bath
buy yourself some flowers
facial
listen to some favorite music
go on a retreat
have sex
people watch
garden
do something creative
daydream
have a movie marathon (Harry Potter/Pirates/Star Wars...)
Swing on swings
get some energy work done
massage
nap
game night with friends
have company over
feed someone
write a love letter to yourself
start a gratitude journal
do a brave thing daily
have a "jammie day"
treat yourself to something
say YES to what you LOVE
dance
make a bucket list
do something off your list
eat whole foods
drink more water
read the comics
call someone you've been meaning to call
schedule a "no schedule" day
write
go to an art gallery or museum


There are more....I'm sure you could ADD to this list.
Do something for YOU today.

You ENCHANTRESS you :)

Squirrels to Nuts....

Hey Ho...

After a wild week last week (the 11-11-11 energies WERE dumping negativity up to that day, for me and for many others I talked to!) and then the quiet that followed it, I am feeling much better.

Still on the path. Enjoying the view.

Saturday was my "Play Day" and I did just that by playing with Shawna and a couple of board games.

Sunday was my "Plan Day" but I ended up doing a bit more playing with friends at our "Creativity Day" at the space I set aside at the local library. And do you know what happened? More magic! :)
The 7 people who came and brought projects to work on, wanted and needed to be there. I did some mending, then started an appliqued wall hanging from a sketch. The others did various projects: Rug hooking, crocheting, quilting, beading, drawing, making fire starters for gifts for the fire place, computer art...

As I looked around at the assortment of people there, working happily away, chatting, I realized that we all had a commonality. We were all psychically sensitive. Several people were those who did "past life readings", some did tarot, some read people, or some had stories about strange happenings...but we were all there, and some were new to each other. Very kewl.

After we got home, the phone rang and my daughter Shawna, (who has Down's ) said, "That's my dad calling". I said, "really? then go answer it" :)
And it was :)

She's always been great about being empathetic and caring...why wouldn't she be? She is the embodiment of innocence and sensitivity.

Today is my "Put away day" and I have to tell you, that this theme day makes me feel better than any other...including my "Self Care Day". I think it's because the weight of things (mail/filing/to do lists/clutter, etc) is so daunting sometimes that it really makes you feel good to "put things away".

 I also try to get some emotional issue "put away" too.
I called a friend and we talked about things left up in the air.
It's good to get things of all sorts..."put away".
It just feels so much better!

Harry and our friend Nick also "put away" the squirrel problem that has been dogging us for years.
We were even having to turn up the movie louder we were watching in order to cover the noise of their antics!!

The guys climbed ladders and cut down overhanging limbs (read: Squirrel Highway)
and then they searched until they accidentally found out where the wee bastards were getting in!
Under the porch (where it's too narrow to crawl w/o tearing apart the porch)
they found the riddled holes in the house under the siding.

The squirrels have been SO loud, chewing, eating, fucking, running, riding dirt bikes,

fighting, rolling the black walnuts in their bowling tournaments, having orgies, parties...
punk band practice...

it's been HORRID.

 Well, the guys took off the lattice, surrounded the porch underbelly with wire screening, and then replaced the lattice.

Now.....

It is QUIET.  

AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

Of course, there are some squirrels now seeking a winter home...

And that's VERY OK with ME :)

OH!

and I also "put away" a double cheeseburger, some pie and some chocolate. :)

How about you? How are you doing on your Wizard's ride this week?