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| The makings for a fine celebration! |
Some of the planning I did ahead of my special day included reservations and appointments. I booked a luxurious room at the new Holiday Inn Express in the Springfield-Medical District which was across from my husband's work place. I had enough points built up on my Priority Club Card to cash in for one night. I had held onto this last night for several years as I received several nights a year free from when I worked for the state and stayed in my work areas. I chose this location because my husband got off work at 10 pm and could join me for the night and not have the 150 mile commute home and back again the next day for work at 11 am. I didn't want to be completely alone. It was a very nice motel with heated indoor pool, hot tub, exercise room, and free hot breakfast. We enjoyed it all!
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| Holiday Inn Express |
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Chase as viewed from motel across James River Freeway
After I got set up and checked into my room, I checked the time and I could get a movie in before my 90-minute massage appointment at 4 pm. I had acquired this appointment with Healthy Pleasures Massage along with another appointment for the next day with Michelle Porter Healing at the recent Wingapalooza event. That event was put on by a charitable group known as SERTOMA (SERvice TO MAnkind). There was a silent auction and I got highest bid on both these services. I like trying new things and both these places were new to me.
My new favorite movie theater is located nearby on East Battlefield. It used to be the Springfield 6 Theaters and has had some major remodeling in recent years adding five more regular theaters and an IMAX. I was surprised to find out that I got a reduced price not only because it was a matinee but it was $5 Tuesday and with the upgrade for 3D, my admission cost was about $3 less than I expected! Love surprise discounts!
The theaters have huge leather full reclining seats with much space all around. Keith and I recently saw Thor, Dark World here in 3D and was really impressed! I wanted to check out the 3D IMAX and saw The Hobbit, The Desolation of Smaug. It was 2 hours and 45 minutes long and had me on the edge of my seat the whole time!   After the movie, I had just enough time to get to my 90-minute massage at Healthy Pleasures. It was about 3 minutes away just off Battlefield Rd. on S. Campbell Ave. I was ready to relax and Chad did a fine job with just the right pressure on all the right places! It had been a long time since I had a such a complete 90-minute massage. Then it was time to get some food and retreat into my nice motel room. I had received an online coupon for a $15 dinner at Houlihan's Restaurant for my birthday. Although I wasn't sure they would honor it because it looked like I disqualified it by trying to print it more than the three times allowed. It said I couldn't use it but I asked the bartender nicely and he said it happens to everyone and they would be glad to honor it. It also said could not be used for take-out but they let me order to go with no problem. I got some Maryland Crab Cakes, rice pilaf, and a house salad to go. After my delicious meal in my comfortable room, I opened my wine and had a glass before I got in the hot tub for more relaxation. Then I connected to WiFi and checked all my wonderful emails and Facebook birthday greetings. My heart was so full and I was so thankful for all the thoughtfulness and love received. I wanted to hug each and every one! Then I answered my phone messages and connected in a more personal way to well wishers. It wasn't long before Keith got off work and called to find out our room number at the motel. When he arrived a few minutes later, we both enjoyed the hot tub together and the wine until almost midnight. The perfect ending to my special day! The next morning, I got up at my usual 6 am and let Keith sleep in as I enjoyed the exercise room for an hour and caught up on the news. On my way back to the room, I stopped at the breakfast room to look it over and got a couple of good coffees to bring back. Keith was still in bed and together we watched some silly cable TV shows we don't see regularly as we have never had anything other than free TV in our home (9 channels). It is fun to watch these reality shows once in a great while and it is entertaining to a point but a waste of money on a regular basis. After a short time, we got bored and were ready for our free breakfast. We had all we could eat which included hot foods, fruit, pastries, and more. Keith then got ready for work and packed it up. Oh, yes, I need to mention that he rode his Harley to work as the weather was above freezing nights and in the 50's during the day all week. It was a no-jacket day again with the sun shining. I stayed another hour or so in the room to catch up on my soap opera, Days of Our Lives, that I had missed the day before. As a Priority Club member, I could have stayed in my room until noon but my next appointment was at noon and about 10 minutes away off Battlefield Rd. on East Montclair next to renaissance Books and Gifts, one of my favorite store. My Intuitive Counseling and Energy Healing Appointment with Michelle Porter is located inside Essential Yoga, another favorite place. I really did not know what to expect exactly from this service, but I kept an open mind and was ready for anything. I learned somethings from the website Michelle Porter Healing. My session was scheduled for 60 minutes but it took 45 minutes longer! I had no idea as time had disappeared as Michelle did her thing. I'm not sure what it all was but as I laid fully clothed on a massage table in a dark quiet room with soft music, she placed her hands on energy points and waved around and said some prayers. I could feel her warmth and energy and we talked a lot about 'Inner Child.' I went with the flow and it was highly exhilarating! I think I exhausted her. In the end, I felt elevated and balanced but not quite connected to the physical. When I walked out without my glasses and had to come back, Michelle made me stand still for a few minutes and stomp my feet until I became 'grounded.' She seemed concerned about me getting in my car but I assured her I was more than fine. That was a new and different experience for me; more than I could do myself when I regularly balance and get centered on my own through meditation and yoga. She definitely smoothed out some rough energy edges! It was now time to eat although I was not as hungry as I should have been at what was now 2:00 and way past my regular lunch. Being diabetic, I had to have something. So I went to Applebee's a couple blocks away as it was all-you-can-eat-wings-day. I also had a coupon for a free appetizer if an entree was ordered. Decisions, decisions…I opted for a nice Weight-Watcher's Pepper Steak with new potatoes and artichoke-stuffed portabella entree with the free appetizer. I was able to finish the entree but had the appetizer boxed up to take home to share with Keith later; boneless wings, yum! Then I went to JC Penney nearby to see what I could get with the $15 birthday certificate I had. Found a nice exercise shirt and a Godiva chocolate bar at no cost. On my way out of town, I stopped again at my favorite movie theater to see if I was there at the right time to catch another matinee. Since I had not spent much money up to this point and was not quite ready to go home to an empty house, I thought, "Why not?" I saw Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues which was okay and had some laughs. It was especially good in a large leather recliner and with a nice Godiva chocolate bar! It was dark outside when I got out of the movie and I still was not hungry so I skipped dinner and was on my way home which was 75 miles away. I was feeling good, a little tired, and happy to have had such wonderful experiences to celebrate the beginning of My Sixth Decade. But I did not get home without some hassle. I was stopped just outside the small town of Urbana by a young cop who was polite but apparently looking to try out his new authority. He said I wasn't speeding as I drove through town but he noticed I made a swerve. He asked me why and I said I didn't notice I did any swerving as the rumble strip on the highway would have indicated I had and there was no contact. He said there was no rumble strip in the city limits and that he must look at my eyes with my glasses off as he suspected I had been drinking. I think he made that judgement because he saw on my license that I had a birthday the day before. I said I had not been drinking (I really had not had any alcohol that day). After my eyes followed his finger with a flashlight in my eyes, he said he noticed some irregular movement enough so I should take a breathalyzer test. I said I had not been drinking and didn't want too. He said then I must get out and walk 10 paces up and back and then balance on one foot for 25 seconds. I did and passed fine. Then he said if I didn't take his breathalyzer test, he would have to take me to the station for a blood test. I didn't want a blood test so I took his breathalyzer test. It came up all zeros so he let me go. Before I left, I told him that I will be more careful about adjusting the heat setting in my car when I drive through his town as that was probably what he saw as I never left my lane. So boo on you, Barney Fife! You will not ruin an otherwise perfect 60th birthday celebration! At this point, I'm sure not getting in a discussion with him about my energy healing appointment earlier and how I probably wasn't completely grounded yet! He'd have my blood checked for every drug before he let me go! So I just continued to hover and let my car take me home! LOL I will continue to have fun as I begin my next decade, but with some added wisdom. I will not let anyone take away my joy, I will forgive them and move on. Time is getting shorter and negativity has no staying power over me. I will recognize it, acknowledge it, and let it deflate itself away from me. I will only poke a hole in it if I have no other choice. I believe my intuition has spoken :) |
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