Old Age Day by Day April 5, 2010

Back to the real world. It was nice getting away, even with two rainy days and unseasonably cold weather. The morning we checked out we swam in the pool while the cold rain fell on us. In case you think we belong to the Polar Bear Club, I must confess that the water was around 110 degrees. They have to cool it down from the geyser or we'd all be poached dopes on floats. The steam rises from the pool and makes everything seem to be a Hollywood version of heaven, and you feel bouyant and twenty pounds slimmer. You drink cucumber water to cool off, made by the staff and looking so lovely in the elegant glass containers. I believe Martha Stewart designed the cucumbers. For me, who likes a really, really hot bath, the pool is the key to an altered consciousness. I other words, I forget to worry about the health of the dogs, whether Facebook is endangering my kids, or Dick Cheney.

We even had massages the day before, though I struggle with biting back apologies for my body, and thinking I need to tip twice as much because there is twice as much of me to massage. But I calmed down, and tried to be in the moment. But it's hard, with all those ocean waves crashing through the speakers, not to have an urge to pee, and after all, I don't meditate with my clothes off, so it's somewhat distracting. I found myself chattering a few times, but I realized it wasn't my job to make the masseuse feel comfortable. She was probably thinking of what slab of meat to barbeque for dinner, or her mother-in-law or something unrelated to me.

We tried to compensate for eating out by having toast and V8 in our cottage in the morning. We had salads for lunch a couple of days, and we didn't snack. So that meant only say 15,000 calories per day, and we did walk to the restaurants and swim, well, we moved our arms and legs to get around the pool as we flopped on the floats. I figured I'd only be up by a few pounds, but the goddess in her infinite mercy allowed me to lose a pound in three days. I didn't deserve it, but I consider it my most lovely (need I say only) anniversary gift.