All that stuff.

I had this draft post going about my two days of cleaning a house left to fend for itself for three weeks.  Well, can we say...boring.  So here is my number one hint for taking on a big job you don't want to do but want to get done as soon as possible: top down.  Start on the top in the cleanest corner and move the dust, dirt, junk and other things that just don't belong down like squeezing toothpaste out of the tube.  Wait, you squeeze the middle of the tube?  Everyone knows that to get the very last little drop of paste one has to squeeze from the bottom and roll as you go.  Hum, can the government use this tip?
  Not going there.
  On another note, I have to say again how awesome it was to be a backstage mom for my prima ballerina during the Nutcracker.  The rehearsals and performances for seven nights in a row was pretty hard on me, but worth ever minute of lost sleep.  The last words of my little crew was: "Do you really mean it is over?"  I can't wait to get the DVD so I can watch the performance with Julia.  She was pretty upset to see all the characters backstage but not the entire show.  And, what was the funniest moment?  When the male Arabian came out in the wings bare chested, the girls all gasped and then giggled.  "He's naked!"
  And, in the end, I am still trying to recover from the intensity of last week.  And, there is no better way to do that then some intense yoga classes.  Tuesday night was filled with inversions that found a few muscles I didn't know I had.  They were talking to me a bit today.  So how do we recover from an intense class? Go to another one.  Tonight was pretty gentle and easy flowing.  Perfect.  On Wednesday it is an hour flow vinyasa and then a 30 minute hip opener.  During the hip openers, the room was candle lit and calm.  We sat in double pigeon for long intervals.  Some where during my second side, my mind fluttered away.  That is when I saw my Papa.  He'd gone on to heaven in October when Grandma Ann passed away.  He helped his wife through.  He came here tonight to tell me to tell you that he is still here when you need him, you just have to listen.  Everyone has a spirit guide.  Some you know and others you may not.  But, when things are hard.  Be silent.  Silent your mind and listen.  And, even when you can't, or won't, hear them, know they are listening to you.