Massaged into submission

I got up as soon as Chris left, which was before 8. I had been told it was a training holiday, but civilians still had to work. I drank water while I checked e-mail. I started cutting colorful squares for fish blocks while I listened to an audio. I never did swish or exercise. It got late so I quickly washed, dressed and ate some seed crackers. Myra called to say she'd be over in five minutes. I put on my coat and picked up the box of fabrics. I stood out on the curb and finally started walking. She met me coming up the hill. I got in and we picked up Nela. Then we parked behind the FFTC building. I went over to the chapel to get my sewing implement box and machine, but it was locked . Right – training holiday. Several ladies showed up. One wanted to make a pillow from an old dress. Another wanted to make a princess dress from some blue fabric she had bought. Myra went home to get an iron and some patterns for the lady. We did not need my machine after all. But Myra's iron leaked rust all over the pillow case that she brought to iron on. But no one needed the iron. Chris came by just before noon with a package from the post office. He said it might be possible for me to get a key from the chapel – when they are open. We packed up. Myra took Nela home and Suzanne took me home. Because of our plan to get massages, I had a light lunch – all fruit. I also drank water. I filled up a water bottle to take with me. I washed again and put on fresh underwear just to be extra clean. I walked down the hill to meet Myra. We walked down to meet Nela. We saw Maricio with his cat on a leash. Then we hustled into town to The Foot Shop. When we walked in, the clerk recognized us. We paid. He indicated that we should take a key from one of the lockers. Inside were slippers. We exchanged them for our shoes. Then we were motioned into a changing room. The locker keys fit the second set of lockers. There were piles of loose-fitting tops and shorts. We selected what would fit and put our clothes in the lockers. When we came out, we were shown to a platform with three sunken foot tubs. He sprinkled something red in each one. But I did not want my feet in this unknown substance, so he drained the tub and refilled it with plain water. We sat and talked a bit. Then we realized that there were cups of tea and little wrapped crackers beside us. He said it was bamboo tea so I drank it. Then three masseuses arrived. The male one approached Myra with a towel for her feet. The older woman approached me, and the younger woman went to Nela. Our feet were dried and we were led to small rooms with low tables. I remembered the word for bathroom and used it. I was shown to one down the hall. I had to transfer my feet from the regular slippers to the bathroom slippers. After using the toilet, I did not know how to flush it since there were myriad buttons to push on the panel. Some had a bidet picture on them. But the others had Korean characters. I had to ask the lady by pantomime. To my embarrassment, there was a handle just behind the control panel. Duh! So we went back to the room. I indicated taking off the garments, but she shook her head. I laid on the table face down and she massaged my back through the shirt. Her motions were not gentle, or slow or fluid. Maricio's wife had told us the word for 'gentle', but I could not remember it. Still, I tried. My shoulders complained the most, but surprisingly, my lower back did not complain at all. Then she took my top off and oiled my back with the jojoba oil I brought along. She did my arms, too. And she tied me in knots. Then she left, and it felt so good when she stopped. But she came back with hot towels, which she draped over me. More back massage, and then the oil was wiped away. She kneaded my hips and massaged my legs. She twisted them this way and that. Again, it felt good when she stopped to get more hot towels. Finally she turned me over and massaged my stomach, but that did not last long, nor was it as rough. Finally she sat me up, and sat behind me. She gave me to understand that I should grab her arms as she grabbed mine. She pulled them back and pushed her foot against my spine. What a stretch! Then it was over. I indicated my feet, but she shook her head no. Really? I bought the most expensive massage and the feet are not included? I went to the dressing room to change back into my clothes. I got my shoes and gave back the locker key. I joined Myra and Nela sitting in the hallway to put on my shoes. Myra had given her masseus a note explaining about her shoulder. She said he was very good. Nela liked her masseuse ok. They both said they could hear mine thumping away at my body. They each got a card with the name of their person. I did not want to see mine again. We walked back to the base. When I got home, I drank the water and used the bathroom. I checked e-mail. I meditated with Deepak and Oprah. Then I made and ate breakfast. Chris came home. We ate some of the pork. I checked e-mail again. Chris said the Catholics were having a wine and bread supper on Thursday. He wanted to know if I would make bread or if he should buy bread. I had not realized before that he was in charge of providing all the bread and wine. So I found a recipe that used tahini. I put the ingredients in the bread machine. We sat to watch Pride and Prejudice. He stopped the movie when it was time to form the rolls, and again when it was time to bake them. Once more when I checked the rolls, and a fourth time when I took them out to rub them with butter. After the movie, I had him cut one in half to see if it was completely baked. It was, and he ate it. We left them to cool while I posted to my blog. Then he put them in a bag in the fridge. My hand still ached, presumably from the massage. I had held something from the freezer in it to calm it down. But typing at the keyboard reinflamed it. I did some tapping and went to bed.