Before my children grew up and moved out and we moved on, one of my best friends (known in our house as My Cindy) happened to live next door. The close proximity and fact that our kids were best friends provided countless opportunities for us to hang around one another. Many was the day where one of us would say, "Hey! I was thinking about doing X, come with me. .. help me. . .whatever." And sometimes (most times), the ideas seemed a little crazy to the outside world. Somewhere there is a home movie taken by a family who came to a New Years Party My Cindy and I threw for the millennium. And sometime during the evening after a lot of champagne, she talked me into photo bombing - even before it was a thing - their home movie of this party. So, as we danced around the dance floor, we maneuvered ourselves in front of the video camera and Cindy whispered, up close to the lens, "Riley (name of the camera holder's son), Date my daughter. . . .Erica M." and then we danced away without the camera man really even noticing (until they viewed the video at home. . .with their family.) It was antics like that that earned us the nicknames of Lucy and Ethel. We interchanged who was who depending on the situation and who had the hair-brained idea. Although I maintain I was Ethel way more often!
One of the things I miss, having moved away, are my Lucy and Ethel days. So, when Moondoggy asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I said I wanted a spa day and I wanted him to join me. I showed him the website of Two Bunch Palms Spa and left the room. He gave me that "Lucy???? What are you planning?? " look but 20 minutes later he emerged from the den and said, "You're booked."
"Just me?" I asked.
He huffed and conceded, "No. . .both of us. Mud baths, herbal wraps with facial and massage, mineral spring soak and lunch." I was elated! Him? He was being a good sport but, joy! I had an Ethel
When we arrived, we were given robes and lead to the hot spring to soak before our mud bath. "Can't we just stay here?"Moondoggy asked as we basked in the hot mineral spring. Nope.
Our therapist met us and led us to our own private hut with two tubs brimming with hot peat mud, instructed us to get naked and climb in, wiggling ourselves deep into the mud. "This is disgusting," Moondoggy murmured as he lowered himself into the tub. I ignored him and let the warmth and weight of the mud blanket me. And then it got quiet. We lay there submerged up to our necks in mud with occasional sips of water provided by out therapist who held the glass and gently placed the straws to our lips. Not a word was spoken until the therapist informed us we had 5 minutes left. Then, out of the mouth of my ever complaining Ethel who was simply being a good sport for my birthday came this, "I don't want to get out."
By the time the herb wrap and facial with massage was started, he was like an old pro. As we lay there on separate tables allowing the herbal oil soak into our newly massaged bodies, I said, "Thanks, Ethel, for doing this. I've had fun."
His response, "Shhhh. Don't harsh my mellow." I fear he may become a Lucy.
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