Holiday Reflections
by Laura Offermann, RN, LMT on 12/02/11
It's been cool in the Ouachitas this late fall. And despite the drought, we had a pretty darn colorful November. That was a nice surprise. Mr. O. and I visited grandchildren and other family in the Midwest at Thanksgiving. Our oldest daughter and her husband prepared the feast. We lived like kings the whole week. Left there feeling warm and happy and grateful.
The holidays are a magical time. Whether we have family nearby or just close friends with whom we share the holiday spirit, it's a time of comfort and joy, to be sure. But there's a lot to do and a deadline looms. If you're like me, you start out way ahead of the game only to discover you're running out of time to do all the things you want to accomplish. There's always another gift you should have gotten or a recipe you didn't quite get around to preparing. We have company and there are sheets to wash and meals to cook and sometimes it's just plain daunting. And every year we know it's going to be different and every year, it's the same. We run, run, run and then we run out of time.
It's stressful. Especially, if you're a woman. We just do too much. And if you don't believe me, how many times in December do you pick an evening to just lie back on the couch with the tv off and stare at the Christmas tree lights? Just relax and enjoy the beauty of the season? The truth is, you probably don't do it often enough. You may not do it at all. You want to make the holidays special for everyone else and you forget to take care of yourself. You don't take the time, and girls, if you don't take it, you'll never get it. There are no govenment officials who come to your house and say, "(Insert name here), you've done entirely too much and for the next hour you are to completely relax and nurture yourself." No. It's up to you to throw the flag and that's hard to do, sometimes. But it's important.
Take some time out for a long, hot bubble bath. Make a date with yourself. Write it in your appointment book and then keep your appointment. Light some candles, pour some wine or some apple cider or some eggnog into a long-stemmed glass and soak until the water cools off. Then add some hot water and soak some more. Or go to bed early one night a week. Get a full 8 hours of sleep before work the next day. Or 9. Or 10. Go ahead. You need it. Do something kind for yourself.
Massage is one of those things. I'm running a special in December. Buy 2 One-Hour massage gift certificates and get a gift certificate for a 30-Minute massage for free. That's one-hundred-fifty full minutes of pure heaven for $100.
Something happens when you get a massage. Your muscles relax, your breathing becomes slower and more shallow, your mind slows down. Lots of people (including me) fall asleep during part of their massage. Is it any wonder? It's the only hour most of us are quiet and still all day long! It's truly therapeutic. It's like a power nap on steroids.
Think about doing something nice for yourself. And who knows? Maybe Santa will leave a massage gift certificate in your stocking this year (or 3!).
Email Issues
by Laura Offermann, RN, LMT on 12/02/11
I just realized I've been having an email problem. Apparently my email server wasn't downloading emails for the business account but wasn't issuing a warning. I continued to get my personal messages so I didn't realize what was going on. It picked tonight to alert me and I downloaded over 1600 messages! Most of them I had already received but there were some new ones from some of you that I never got.
I apologize for ignoring you (without knowing it, of course). I love my clients and would rather be giving you a massage than anything in the world and the thought of not getting the messages you sent makes me so sad. Can you ever forgive me? Please, please, please?
Okay. Enough groveling. :-)
Autumn in the Ouachitas
by Laura Offermann, RN, LMT on 09/24/11
It's officially Autumn. Children are back in school settling in with new teachers and classrooms and extracuricular activities.
The Autumnal Equinox was yesterday, September 23rd, officially recognizing the shortening of days, a new crispness in the air and the rapid approach of the holidays. And you know what that means...hot tub and sauna weather!
The garden has slowed to a more managable pace. Chickens are laying, once more (6 eggs this morning). Herbs are ready to harvest and many already hang, drying, over my wood cookstove in the kitchen. Others dangle from various places in the house and studio, making use of any available space.
I power washed the siding on the house last week and had to hobble to my own therapist for a massage. My own clients are showing up in similar condition now that the hot, dry Summer has passed. We tend to attempt to make up more time than we possibly should around the house and in the neglected yard when we get nice weather.
Think about doing something nurturing for yourself this month. It's a perfect time for a body scrub or polish and a snuggle in a warm mud wrap to get that skin back in shape after a Summer of abuse. Or a massage after a nice bask in the sauna to relax and stretch out those sore muscles or just to relax and be nice to yourself, for a change.
Enjoy the cooler weather and Happy Fall, ya'll!
