Our last post took us up to the day I got back to the Borgo…, which was the 23rd of September. A month has passed since then (I can hardly believe it)…so what have I been doing??
When I first arrived back we spent a few days doing normal house stuff, cleaning after some guests who has just left, putting in the winter garden. All of this was intermingled with our deep, dark secret obsession. 24. Yeah, like, the TV show. Someone had sent the Sada Sats the first two seasons a while ago…and we devoured them. I bought them seasons 3 and 4 for my birthday…and again we went through them at an alarming rate. Sada Sat Singh had picked up the 5th season when he took a short trip to The States and they had been waiting for me to get home to watch it. So, the first 5 or 6 days I was back we spent a lot of time vegging out and watching TV. (Which was certainly something I needed after the go-go-go pace of the trip)
We had a couple from Germany stay with us for two weeks. Had pancakes for breakfast. Got higher speed Internet connection. Did lots of yoga. Spent an insane amount of time on Shutterfly organizing and ordering pictures. Did some more gardening.
Then the Sada Sats and I went to Rome for a weekend of yoga. This was the first of two weekends for the Mind and Meditation module of Level 2 teacher Training. And, it was an intense weekend. As the name implies we did A LOT of meditating…and it was great. This course also covers a lot of really complex and confusing yogic philosophy around the mind…so it was overall an exhilarating and exhausting weekend.
On our way home we stopped at the IKEA just outside of Rome to pick up a few things we needed at the Borgo. Three hours later…we were on the road again in a tightly packed car. J
The next day was Guru Ram Das’s birthday. Guru Ram Das was the 4th Sikh guru and is the one often associated with healing. It is also said that if you pray to him on his birthday he has to answer all of your prayers…so needless to say we all did a lot of praying and meditating on that day.
We went to Arezzo. Saw the Chiropractor. Ate chocolate cake for Sada Sat Singh’s birthday. Watched some movies. Called my sister on her birthday. Went to a food festival in Citerna. Had an AMAZING lunch out. Chilled. Did some yoga. Ran errands.
Then (on October 21st) the SS’s left for a 10-day trip to Switzerland. On the morning they left we woke up to an amazing snowstorm!! There were already about 2 inches on the ground, and more was coming down. I could hardly believe my eyes! As we drove down the mountain to take them to their bus the storm let up some…and by the time we were all the way down in the valley it was just rain. But still!
The next 10 days were pretty chill. It was just me up on the mountain with not a whole lot to do…so…I slept, read, knit, napped, watched movies, did lots of yoga…
I also taught the classes the SS’s usually teach. 2 private lessons a week (in English) and 2 lessons a week at the gym (in Italian!!!). Teaching in Italian is teaching me about what is really important when you’re teaching. (Did I use the word ‘teaching’ enough in that sentence?) Sometimes I talk a lot during my classes and in Italian I am just able to get the basics across. But sometimes that is OK. So it is challenging…but good. I also did a few massages for some of the SS’s friends…. I cannot wait to get back into my full massage practice back home!!
I went to a food festival in Monte Santa Maria Tiberina. (Note: In the fall in Umbria there are more food festivals than you could shake a stick at….). It was pretty fun; I tasted some extra virgin olive oil that had been pressed three days before. (Wow). There were a bunch of people in Renaissance dress, some jugglers some musicians…a good time.
The Sada Sats returned on Halloween. And we promptly spent the next 5 days in front of the TV watching Season 6 of 24, which we had ordered and my darling parents had shipped to us! We went to two different food festivals that weekend. One was featuring Truffles, a specialty of this area. I had never had a truffle before…they’re pretty good…. but I couldn’t believe the prices on some of the things there!! Ay!
Then, last Wednesday the Sada Sats left again. This time for a 2-week stint in the US. I asked them for more projects to do while they were gone this time so I haven’t been quite as bored as last time…I harvested the lavender and when it’s dry I’ll make satchels. I’m painting one of the bedrooms, I did a bunch of stuff to finish up the gardens, and I’m doing a ton of yoga…
And today it is SNOWING!! Started out as just a drizzle this morning but now it’s a full out snow day!! The mountains are really amazingly beautiful covered in snow… J
And that’s about it for me. The SS’s get back in a week…then we have a few days to relax, then another weekend in Rome to finish the Mind and Meditation course, then a few days to get ready…and then back to The States!! I am really ready to be home, to see friends and family and get back into teaching more and really start up my massage practice. Which reminds me!
I am a running a massage special for the first two months I am home…buy one massage and your next is HALF PRICE!! (You can also buy a gift certificate as a holiday present and then YOUR next massage is half price.) Send me an email if you want all of the details (lumpkin_k@yahoo.com) or just go online and make your appointment.
Go to: www.openhandstherapeutic.com . Click on appointments. Make a login name for yourself and then pull up my schedule. Appointments available starting December 2nd! Can’t wait to see you at your appointment!! (Please pass this on to anyone else who may be interested)
Blessings,
KNL
