On Girlfriends and Conversations.

Those who know me well know I probably prize excellent and weighty conversations above just above everything else. And at this stage of life with young kids in it, when they require so much of your attention, and your energy, it is especially sweet when one can kick back and chat, uninterrupted, with one’s lady friends over a glass or two a bottle of wine at dinner (thank you, Wolf Blass!), or over a plate of eggs at morning-after breakfast.

And because there’s never nearly enough time to fit in every morsel, we get down to the details pretty quickly.

“Okay, so… how’s your life? What’s happening these days? Go, lady. Spill.”

I had many of these during my visit to Blue Mountain Resort. Glorious talks, all. And we tend to giddy-up right quick.

“Yeah, that was a really bad patch of time…”

“We’re hoping there will be a break in the treatment soon…”

“Oh man, that was the FUNNIEST thing I’ve ever seen…”

“Sometimes it just makes me feel alone…”

All of it. All the feelings. The loves we share. The things that scare us. The things that build us up. Our peace. All laid out over wine and cheese. Or over coffee and eggs. Or while lounging on chairs at the extraordinary Le Scandinave Spa, as Sonya, Amanda, and my excellent-rommate-for-the-sojourn, Christine, and I got to experience on our last day together.

The Scandinave Spa warm-water plunge was gorgeous. (With Christine – photo by Sonya Davidson.)

Le Scandinave offers all the steam rooms, saunas, and masso-therapy options you can shake a stick at, but these outdoor Scandinavian baths boast hot and cold water pools, said to both relax and energize you – this hydrotherapy cleanses the body of toxins, stimulates blood circulation, and releases endorphines. Our lovely and knowledgeable spa guide, Mylisa, said we were to take our time in the warm bath, then plunge in the cold pool for a few minutes, and then find a place to sit and relax for a while while we bask in the skin-tingling sensations that follow… repeat the circuit at least three times.

Hmmm… I was down with all that lovely warm water, but when it comes to cold water? I’m a bit like a cat: I will scratch your eyes  out  Me no likey. But, my cohorts were eager, so I put on a stiff upper lip, and braced myself for something tres unpleasant.

1, 2, 3, JUMP!!

We were supposed to be near-silent, but I think they could hear our screams from the parking lot. I was in the background, weeping. (Brave Amanda and Christine – photo by Sonya Davidson.)

Holy crap, that was c-c-cold…

But you know what? As bracing as that water was, the therapy did just as promised – the cold water closes the pores, and when you emerge from the frigid bath, you can feel every nerve, practically standing on end, tingling, inspite of themselves. Happy, even.

We found some deck chairs to lounge in, next to an outdoor fire pit, which was completely decadent, even thought the weather in July was quite warm already. I snacked on the fruits from odd trees and berry bushes artfully planted around the grounds, and we watched golden finches bob and weave through the air. We heard them sing their lovely songs, and we practically felt our stresses melting away.

And we talked and we talked. About how we feel as mothers. About the worries we have about our children. And for our spouses. We talked about how it feels to be in our skin these days, with gusto and animation, so much that one of the Hush Boys on the premises came to remind us to keep out talk to a whisper, please. Unabashed, we talked on and on… like girlfriends who’d know each other for a long while.

These types of moments can be balm for the soul, so much that you barely realised how much you needed it until it came.

Escapes like these can be so golden… even planning a girlfriend’s getaway to a place like Blue Mountain for 48 hours can cure all that ails you. There’s plenty to see and do, but sometimes, all you need is a comfy seat and a chance to hash it all out at the spa. Cold water and all.