Moments D662: Pampering Mani/Pedi Redux

Today is Valentine's Day.  This year is slightly different for me in that I have love in my life now.  That said, I still feel like V-Day is a "Hallmark" day.   It is, at most, a milestone which reminds me of all the other days of the year that we forget to appreciate those we love.  

This year, I wasn't planning on anything special for the evening.  Why not?  Well, because EQ and I try to celebrate us a little every day.  So my big plan:  introducedEQ to my (now) tradition for Valentine's Day:  A Mani/Pedi for us both!.

We spent some time post work pampering ourselves and enjoying a little chatter with the ladies at the salon. A side by side mani/pedi for EQ and I.  What a treat that was!  After we were all buffed up, we headed home to order in and curl up on the couch together.  Not a whole lot different than any other night, except the fact that EQ spoiled me greatly today.  This I had not expected.

EQ was bound and determined to make it a very special day for us as it is our first Valentine's Day together. He was successful!  

First of all, my morning started with a song that he created for me.  What!?  Really?  Yes!  That alone is the most touching thing anyone has ever done for me.  He later greeted me with an armful of flowers at lunch and showered me with words of love in a special card for me after dinner.

His point:  Valentine's Day is an opportunity to celebrate our love with a little more depth and frivolity. He did that with great charm today.   In the end it was the perfect way to spend our first Valentine's Day together. 

On some level, he's right.  Today is indeed an opportunity to pause and appreciate those you love.  All those you love!  So today's moment:  recognizing this point and conceding to EQ's vision for the day.

And so, I pause:  I am fortunate to have a man in my life that loves me sweetly and deeply.  I am also fortunate to have friends that love and appreciate me (and I them!).  I am grateful for my ever loving and supportive family.  And, in the spirit of EQ's perspective, I sent out text to many of my friends offering a reminder love today.  I even ended up sending out a couple of cards in the mail as a surprise.  

Today isn't easy for some because it's a day aimed at romantic love and those without it can find it a tedious day.  Today, I celebrated both, my romantic love and the love I have for those I am fortunate to have in my life.  

Which brings me back to my nail place.  When EQ and I first arrived the owner catcalled to us as we entered the door:  "She wins!"  She was talking about the fact that EQ is here in Toronto.

Yes.  I did win.  But not really in the way she thinks.

Moments appreciating a quiet moment with the man I love.

Moments realizing that Valentine's Day can be more than just a milestone to lost moments.

Moments D643: Napping

Today, after a day like yesterday, was supposed to be a big reading day for my winter semester class.

But, it wasn't long before I realized that I wasn't going to be able to properly focus and absorb information with the aching brain I had.  

Instead of homework, EQ and I headed out for a little pampering.  My typical nail salon is closed for renovations, so we ventured a little deeper into the Beach and found Fresh Nails.  

What a gem!  We may even have a new location now for our manicures and pedicures!  Danny was a hoot!

I would have thought, after getting out for a manicure and a pedicure that I would have been found some energy to dive into my school readings.    No, not so.  

Shortly after arriving home, I sat on the couch with EQ to chat about the rest of the evening's plans.  Within moments I had fallen asleep.  Apparently my old bones needed the break (no pun intended!) because an hour later I found myself being guided to bed to continue my nap more comfortably. 

I slept for three hours in total.  That's a pretty long nap in my books!

What a nap it was!  Apparently I needed it.  My head was no longer pounding and I felt more alive again.

And that was my smile for the day.  Coming out of a three hour "nap", I was feeling better.  It wasn't productive, but it was exactly what I needed.

Moments giving in to what your body is calling for.

Moment realizing that your health and well-being are the most important thing, everything else stems from that solid base.

Moments D566: Breakfast in Bed

Today was a full on sick day.  I didn't wake up until nearly noon and that's simply unheard of for me.  It's official, my cold is in full gear.

The bonus today was that I wasn't alone in my cold misery!  After spending a moment to slowly waken my aching bones, I was ready to jump out of bed and start our day.  EQ would not even hear of it and he was right there bossing me back to bed!

Shortly after he did, he turned on a movie and went to make me some soup.  It's not quite as romantic as breakfast in bed, after all I was feverish, congested and coughing, but soup and a movie in bed was pretty darn sweet today.  It made me fall a little more in love with EQ.  I found I didn't much mind him being so bossy, after all he wouldn't let me do anything for myself today.  Secretly (or not so secretly since I'm sharing here!) it was quite wonderful to be so pampered!

Moments waking with a full blown cold.

Moments being pampered through the misery.

Moments D494: Norm!

Have you ever seen Cheers the TV series?  I kinda felt like Norm today as I went to my local salon to be pampered before the long weekend!

As I walked into the salon I was very warmly greeted by the entire team there.  The warm welcome also included questions of my well being, what I was up to for the coming long weekend, and a couple of them were wondering if my long distance boyfriend (who they recall being in a hot tub the last time I was in) was going to help me pick out a nail polish colour again.

Yes - I felt the love.  My 90 minutes with the team at Five Star Nails  was relaxing and entertaining as always.  From watching the prima donna beside me file and shape her own nails, to the low key mother and daughter on the other side of me.  

It's always good to feel welcomed.  It's even better when they remember your name, your favourite colours and where your boyfriend is from!

Moments taking time for pampering.

Moments enjoying where everyone knows your name.

Moments D472: A new flower design....for my toes

Tonight I went for a manicure and a pedicure right after work.  It's always a time that I enjoy.  Tonight it was particularly enjoyable for two reasons.  Tommy & EQ.

The first, I had a male esthetician, Tommy who is incredible at hand painting interesting designs on fingernails and toenails.  I was happy to see him available for me.  (even though he always complains at how dry my skin is.)  The first thing he said to me as I walked to the wall of nail polish colours was, "You look beautiful today Jennifer."  (Points scored there for sure!  (a) He remembered my name, and (b) he was flattering in a none-creepy-kinda-way.)

My time with Tommy was interesting tonight as the energy was high (in part to the excitement that EQ & I brought to the salon) and in part to a heated discussion happening between Tommy and Jenny, one of the other estheticians as they discussed when was best to start a family.

Tonight I learned that Tommy has been working in a salon since he was 12.  He's now 35 and helping to support his Mom here in the city having just moved from Woodbridge.  He loves riddles and he shared a few with me as "I'm a smart girl...."  Here's a quick one:

It's a race between a red lobster and a blue lobster.  Which one wins?

I also learned that Tommy likes to hang out at the lake and to party in his spare time, but he needs to eventually settle down as he wants to have a family.  Thus the discussion on when to start a family. Eventually Jenny & Tommy turned to me as mediator!  I laughed I told them I'm the wrong person to be asking as I wouldn't be having kids.  This shocked them both and the questions rolled out.   It was quite amusing all around.

In the end Tommy did an amazing job and his design on my big toe was so intricate and pretty.   I can't wait to show them off!  (take a peek!)

The second moment within this time frame was the fact that I was actually Skyping with EQ when I arrived and I put him to work!  I showed him the wall of nail polish colours and had him help me choose the colour for my toes.  Why not right?  It was fun, it was silly and I think the entire salon of people enjoyed the banter that they watched us interact!  Then as I sat and soaked my feet and Tommy worked away the weeks of grime, I had a good chat with EQ.  What a treat all around with lots of laughter.

Thank you Tommy and thank you EQ for bringing a smile (or three!0, some sparkles and a lot of laughs this evening.

Moments being pampered.

Moments laughing and sharing.

Moments D296: Pampering Mani/Pedi

Today is Valentine’s day. For me, it’s always been a “Hallmark” kinda day and it only seems worse as the years have passed. Don’t get me flowers on Valentine’s day. That’s lame. Surprise me in the middle of January or the end of March. After all, we should love, appreciate and tell the people we love how much they mean to us everyday.

I get it though. Sometimes life takes over and the mundane washes over us. It’s good to have a milestone to remind us to take a moment and appreciate those around us. I do, of course, take the time to tell those I love that I love them on Valentine’s Day. But the craze? That I avoid. And today always reminds me to find ways every day to appreciate the people I love.

So tonight, I took a moment for myself. I treated myself to a manicure and a pedicure. I was worried that the salon would be busy. Quite the contrary. It was a ghost town. I was the only customer there. Huh. I guess that means the coupled ladies in the hood had plans and the other single ladies (like most I know) tucked in and avoided being out on their own. {sigh} That saddened me a bit.

Personally, I’m okay being on my own tonight. I received a lot of love from people in my circles. What more can a girl ask for?

An insight: I’ve never believed in “true love”. We’re all connected. We are more connected with certain souls. This is what I believe. There are people that you just “fit” with. Is this true love? Not necessarily. It doesn’t need to be a lover to fit. It could be a best girlfriend, or a teacher, or a mentor. There are many levels of “fitting” and connecting, in my humble opinion.

My day will come when I find the right “partner in crime” again. I’m not worried about it as I was, maybe 6 months ago. I’m a pretty cool chick with a lot to offer and I’m happy with the friends and family that surround me.

And then my foot massage kicked in with a focused conversation (because there were no other distractions). I was very happy to have the place to myself.

Moments for oneself.

Moments of reflection and soap-boxing.

(sorry about that!)