all play....

I woke up this morning rested - thank god!

Went for a short walk this morning and picked up the Sunday Times and the Sunday Observer. I absolutely love the papers here! Seriously, the journalism here is much better than the states (I do love my NY Times - but that's it). I get the papers on the week-end, generally buying three to four different ones. This gives me reading material for the entire week. The magazine inserts are great - I generally read an article every morning as I have my fruit and yogurt breakfast. I stay up on the latest culture and world news. On a rainy day I could easily spend hours reading away. Between the papers and BBC radio 4 - I've managed to stay up to date - which is good for me. For some reason I do find it important to stay up on world news as well as local news (I say this because many of my friends could care less).

Had a decent yoga practice. Although rested, I was definitely sore from yesterday. I kind of figured that would happen considering that I wasn't consistent with my practice all of last week. Plus, I was hungry before I even started. I didn't have much for dinner last night, plus only had a bananna and a few bites of yogurt early. Nothing major to report from practice. The teacher's son came in this morning, he's probably 8 or 9 years old. He set up his mat directly behind mine. Y, the teacher, told him just to follow me. Fortunately this didn't distract me at all. In fact, it made me more cautious to not steal an extra breath here and there. The kid did great. He followed me all the way through navasana. Not bad! Rest of practice was okay. I need to figure out how to get my right leg behind my head in supta kurmasana. I get my left leg behind without to much drama, and it goes pretty far down my neck, but then to balance and get my right leg behind, just doesn't happen. Y came over and yanked it back there, I can go down just fine and grab my hands no problem either. Just need to work to get my right shoulder further through my leg and then I think I can do it.

Kapotasana is killer. (granted - little Boodiba makes it look like a freakin' walk in the park. Not me! Apparently I'm not far from touching my toes - but it hasn't happened yet. This week I plan on laying on my wooden barrel every night. I need to figure out a set of exerices (?) to do every evening. I think if I use it every night I should be able to grab my toes in a month - maybe I'm being too optimistic.

Anyway - enough on the yoga practice report.

Came home and was freaking starved! Cleaned up and made myself a great breakfast - granted it was 1:30 by this time. I know I've said this before but I love, love, love the British eggs. I generally only make them on the week-end - but maybe that's part of it. I was quite the piggy - two eggs, toast with manuka honey and on top of that a liberal sprinkling of cinnamon - and I mean liberal. I made a great big pot or my earl gray tea. It was awesome. Read The Observer's - The New Review while enjoying my third cup of tea.

Since it wasn't raining out I decided to check out Dunham Massey. It was a great drive from the house - I love when my sat nav takes me places that I haven't been to before. Got to the park around 2:30 and planned to do a two hour walk. Well, it turned out to be just over an hour. It was cold! I thought I had dressed warm enough - but wasn't prepared for the wind. Plus - I used all my energy in my yoga practice. It's a nice park and I'll definitely be back. I especially liked when I was able to get away from the main buildings and the families and out to on the trails - managed to watch a few deer grazing - they are so sweet.

Back home.

Tired, cold and was feeling the effects of morning practice - meaning a bit sore. So, since the jacuzzi was just cleaned out on Friday - I took a dip. Oh - my - god - heaven!!! Seriously, I will be spoiled by this!!! I just walk out my back door onto the patio - flip back the lid and there's my California made jacuzzi - freakin' heaven. Seriously. My muscles and mind were revived. I will seriously be in this every night. I've been waiting for it to be cleaned out - and now that it has... pure bliss.

Decided to make my Indian roasted veggie soup. Such a simple recipe (my only kind). First, got the veggies roasting - carrots, sweet pototoes, red peppers and onion; sprinkled with cumin. On top of the stove, coconunt milk, my favorite Italian tomatoes and the seasoning - Spanish paprika, grated ginger (lots of it), more cumin, a bit tumeric, and of course some Indian curry, let that simmer.

After the veggies are good and roasted I just dump them into the soup and more simmering. Of course, I got hungry so I had a bowl of the roasted veggies. Considering it will take me all week to eat the soup, I figured I'd pass on it tonight. It does make the house smell sooo good.

So today was all play, I even managed to do two loads of laundry, scrub the bathroom and dust in between. Not bad.

Plan on relaxing the rest of the evening and continue the countdown till Ptown - 6 days :)