A Shocking Massage, a Sweet Girl

For the large part of every weekday, it's just me and Cholita holding down the fort.  Yesterday was my birthday and I think she felt the weight of the whole family on her tiny little shoulders to make my day special.  The girl literally wore herself out.  She sang songs, she presented me with several interestingly wrapped gifts (one of Lyle's ties, some dental floss, a candle, numerous cards....),  and she showered me with hugs and kisses.  But her big surprise, the one she's been planning for days, happened that evening.

While Lyle was busy cooking my birthday dinner, she whispered in my ear that she'd opened a spa, conveniently located in my bathroom.  Before I could respond, she sprinted upstairs so she'd be ready to greet me properly.  "And come quick!" she yelled from the landing, "or your water will get cold!"

Upon my arrival at the spa, the tiny drill sergeant had morphed into a serene, rather pompous character with a slight British accent.  "Welcome to the Sweetpea Spa," she said with a dramatic sweep of her arm.  "Follow me please."  In the bathroom tub, she'd placed a large plastic container, filled with warm water.  "Soak your feet, dear," she said.  I rolled up my jeans and did as I was told.  Then she got out a towel and gave each foot a thorough, ticklish rubbing.

From there, she moved me to the toenail painting station where each toenail and accompanying toe was painted with either green or pink paint.

"Oh no!" she yelled mid-way through, breaking with character.

"Don't worry,"  I assured her, "I think my toes look just...."

She interrupted me.  Apparently my pedicure was not the issue.  "I forgot to have you take your clothes off and put on a robe!"  She threw up her hands like all was lost.

Reassured that I really wanted to keep my clothes on anyway, she reverted back to Euro-Cho mode and offered me magazines and a drink.  She's all about the experience.

After my toe painting, I was ushered into the closet where she'd created a soothing massage center, compete with pillows and mood lighting.  I laid down on my back (lest I muss my polish), and closed my eyes.  I thought I'd get a relaxing head rub.  What happened next truly took my breath away.

With cleaver hands, she rapidly hacked my stomach, a technique I'm sure she's seen on backs, but is a little shocking to the internal organs.  Blunt Shiatsu knives, that's what she had going.  And have I mentioned that she's surprisingly strong?

"Oh, my dear, is that too hard?" she asked as I sputtered and gasped.

"Hmm, maybe a little," I managed to say, curled into the fetal position.

"Lay down, honey.  Let's try this again...."

From there she moved onto the relaxing head rub that I'd envisioned.  With the wonderful smells wafting from downstairs, and my baby girl attending to my every need, it was a truly fantastic, wonderfully breathtaking birthday.