Despite the fact that I ditch jujitsu like it’s an ex-boyfriend or a divorce case, last nite I missed my first belly dancing class. The parking lot was so full that I had to park on the street, and then I was concerned that the crappy Nissan Sentra parked in front of me was gonna back up into my new Zainoed car while I was in class. I, along with a bunch of other belly dancing students, opened the door to the regular room where class is hosted and were surprised by the sight of various occupied banquet tables with two little girls performing violins on a stage. There was no notice given to us that there’d be no class that day, and nothing posted on the doors. I caught Vanessa in the hallway, and we decided to go to the gym instead. Not to work out, oh no, but to sit in the steam room. Both our backs were bothering us.

We sat in the steam and rubbed Epsom salt on ourselves, hung out and chatted for almost an hour. Afterwards, we drove back to my house (where she’d left her car) and she got to visit with Dodo, who was plenty happy to see his prior roommate and catnip dispenser.

My back really is feeling better today, and Vanessa had written me an email earlier saying she finally got a great night’s sleep after the steam room. It reminds me that I haven’t pampered myself in awhile, not since I tightened the purse strings after the car purchase in order to get back to my original state of finances in 3 months. Maybe it’s time to book a massage appointment. (Last night, I also restored my finances by 50%, so I’m well within the 3 months I gave myself.) I’d forgotten the importance of the occasional stress-relieving luxury.