Massages

I'm a pretty big fan of getting a massage. Maybe it's the idea of someone touching me that isn't playing with the fatty part of my arm and giggling about it (X-man!) that I like. Maybe it's that after the massage, I feel completely relaxed and my whole body is pain free and loose. Whatever it is, I like it.

I have had the same massage therapist since I moved here. But last fall she started working out of her home in Monticello. I don't get to go often, maybe twice a year. I was having thoughts like I should call her -- but then I thought, this is ridiculous, there must be someone in town that I might like as much.

So when my back started to go south in April, I started trying different people for relief. Instead of hitting spas, I hit fitness-focused massage centers. for a person who got two massages a year, I tried four new massage therapists and none of them got it just right. Sure, I felt better, but I left feeling -- unfulfilled.

Tonight while I was looking up my old massage therapist's number, accepting the fact that I, indeed, found only her worth the $65 an hour and would definitely drive to Monticello and tip her 20 percent to make all my pain go away and for some relaxation and improvement of mobility... I found that she has taken a gig -- at the Erickson Clinic, in the same office as my very nice chiropractor, Jake Gray.

Now I want to go see her whenever I have a dismal back day. Can I afford that? No. But the fact that she's up the road is kind of fun. I can now drop my child off, go to the gym, go to physical therapy, and visit my massage therapist all in the same 2 square miles.

Nice. Nice. Nice. Nice. Nice. So if you too, were a fan of Lorree Harty from Knollwood -- she's back in town. Just click on the Erickson link and make your appointment!

The Bitter Blogger

Okay, so I woke up in a mood today. A bitchy, pushy mood. It doesn't happen often, but MacTroll has had enough of me so he said I could either go paint the fence or go take a nap and either way, I needed to be less bitter.

So, before I put my head down and try to wake up as normal, perky, happy Loosey... I'm going to carry on about a few things. 

1.) I am not a purse person. Wanna know how I know. Because I visited the new Meijer in Urbana today to do my grocery shopping. It's a clean, friendly store. Customer Service was at that annoying stage where you're not supposed to do anything for yourself, but it's nice that so many people bothered to ask, because that never happens in department stores any more. Anyway, when we were selling our house,  I had too many items (wallet, phone, keys, etc.) that I was trying to carry in my pockets. It was all great if the baby was with me because I'd stuff everything in the diaper bag. But when I went out with MacTroll or X-man I was always forgetting stuff, throwing away my phone with lunch garbage, dropping things. Finally, MacTroll said, "Just buy a freaking purse." So I went to Target and got one.

Now that I'm not selling my house, I don't carry a phone. That means I just have a wallet and a set of keys. No purse needed. I must know this because the only thing I put in it today at the store was the map they gave me when I walked through the door. Seriously, I had my wallet in my back pocket and a set of keys in my front pocket. I was wearing my earphones (because the new store still plays music older than I am) and had my iPod in the other pocket. But for some reason I had the purse with me. 

I put all my items in the trunk. Pushed my cart to the cart return and drove away, leaving the virtually empty purse (it had an armband for the iPod, a pen and 15 Culver Points coupons in it).  I fetched it later, but I've given up on it. Anyone want a free purse?

2.) Massages

There are many things I guilt myself over regarding money. Haircuts, underwear, clothes, shoes, anything for myself I feel bad spending money on. If it's for the kid, no problem. But I got a certificate for a 1/2 price off 1 hour massage from somewhere locally and decided to take a chance. Good massages are worth the money. 

My usual massage therapist, who I love but haven't made time for in about six months is Loree Hardy at Hair Design at Knollwood. Loree is amazing. You walk in and Loree casually asks how you're feeling. You tell her a little something about your life and then you can communicate anything you'd like her to work on. Since I've seen her on and off since 2004, she knows where I hold my tension and where my issues are. But even if I didn't tell her, she's like one of those metal detectors at the beach. She narrows in on the problem and suddenly muscles you didn't know you had are getting worked on until they melt down like butter. A lot of time my problems spots radiate from other areas like my calves or hamstrings into my gluts and lower back. My favorite part is that Loree starts with the hard stuff. 

She listens to where your issues are and she spends a LOT of time on them, but still manages to do a full body massage -- and sometimes, if you're a really lucky client and she's got some time afterward and can sense your body needs more work -- she goes over a bit. One time I was in such bad shape that by the time I was standing and trying to get my pants on it was 20 minutes after the hour. 

Loree is certified in all kinds of massage, stone therapy, reflexology, etc. She is even certified in prenatal (which I did every 8-10 weeks of my pregnancy thankfully). 

The new person I tried today was solid. She had a little map where I circled my "problem areas." Her pressure was good and she touched all the areas that I had circled. But she didn't get down and dirty into them. I left relaxed in the sense that her awesome head massage for a good part of the beginning was really quite wonderful. But when it comes to releasing tension from stress and dealing with the almost 20-year injury I've had in my lower back from playing soccer as a kid, she didn't quite hit it. It was worth the 50 percent discounted price of $30, but I think I'll stick with Loree. I'll have to work it into the budget sooner than later. She's $62 an hour.

3.) Okay, I'm going to nap. We'll see if I wake up someone else besides the Bitter Bitch of Puerto Rico.