Birthday Recap

It was a FUN and FULL birthday weekend.  Here's the quick scoop ...

(1)  Esalen Massage -- BEST massage EVER (!!)  Long strokes from your head to your toes.  Different arm and leg positioning for change in muscle tension.  It was relaxing and felt ridiculously good.  They blend their own tea in a homemade tea bag -- delicious warm spices without overdone.  Top notch spa.

(2)  Salt water sensory depravation float.  I did it!  Only freaked out once.  Bees wax and water proof bandaids helped any stings from the high salt water.  13 inches of water in a tank about 5' x 12'.  1000 lbs of epson salts dissolved.  It's crazy buoyancy.  Water is body temp so you don't realize you are moving at all.  First time my head floated up against the wall, I jumped a mile.  I enjoyed the experience, but I'll stick to massage.  It was worth experiencing once though.

(3)  Chocolate and kombucha in the city.  Quick trip into town for chocolate to bring to happy hour (and some for us AND some as a thank-you gift).  Also, got craft brewed kombucha from the local Bucci Bar -- amazing.  Asheville is totally a hippie foodie town.

(4)  Happy Hour.  My god, our neighbor's gardens are incredible.  1/2 acre of nothing but beautiful natural gardens.  She's an amazing painter and is going to paint something for our house this fall.  It was casual and easy.  She put out a little cheese, crackers and strawberries.  We stayed for a couple of hours.  Very nice evening.

(5)  Forging Tour.  3 hours in fields and the woods.  It's incredible to learn, not only what's edible, but how different everything tastes.  We forged and then had a little cooked taster using what was found.

(6)  Dinner at the Grove Park Inn.  EXPENSIVE (!!)  But it was delicious.  We got a puff pastry dish using the forged items.  I got a forged mushroom dinner and wagyu beef tartar starter.

And that's a wrap.  Next stop, hubby's birthday and a family weekend which I'm in full swing prepping for it all.

Busy week.  Last of the BUSY for a few weeks and I'm ready for some downtime.  I'm extra out of practice (!!)  We super duper over-scheduled these 2 weeks.  Two long, fun weekends smashed between colonoscopies for both of us, contract work on both houses, appointments, etc.  Will I ever learn?

Hair appointment today, grocery shopping and cooking for the weekend (to freeze ahead).  Full day.  Let's have a terrific day anyway :)  Later gators.