Yesterday afternoon, I heard a key in the lock at 1 p.m., and naturally panicked that Estelle and I were under attack. (watching too many episodes of "24" lately). None other than my husband. "I've been fired". He said. Then laughed. "I'm sick of working today". He said. I just stared at him. He's on a project in Monaco with a big deadline. He couldn't even get an extra day off at Easter, so I'm finding it hard to believe he's just decided to let slide the afternoon.
In fact, he had taken the afternoon off to allow me to go off to this place:
This is the ultra-modern "Hi Hotel" in Nice - pronounced "EEEEE OH-Tell". Monsieur had pre-arranged for a hamman and full hour massage in the spa at the swanky location at 2:30. I stood in my kitchen, clothespins in one hand and teething ring in the other and just looked at him.
Off I went on my bicycle, and stepped into another world for a few hours. People dressed all in black served me organic this and that, sent me off into my private steambath. A woman all in white massaged for an hour, and by the end I was dead asleep on the table. She gently woke with with some kind of herbal tea something and cooled such and such water. In the end, I was a new 36-yr-old-for-a-few-more-hours woman. All I kept thinking was "No wonder the Ice Pick character on Magnum P.I. lives to be 100 years old." Every time you see him, he meets up with Tom Selleck in a steam bath and Ice Pick doles out mafia information while they are getting simultaneously massaged. It is the way to eternal youth and tranquility. No doubt.
Back on the bike along the sea and a pit stop at the gay beach to meet up with a friend (what better place to be than the gay beach, no one is looking at YOU). Said friend, upon hearing where I had just been, said "Oh POOOOOOOOOOOOOR you." Then said husband and daughter joined us for a bit on the beach. They left, and I said "see you back at the apt in a while".
I meandered home, did bath time, got the purees ready for her dinner, and then Thomas said suddenly with a grin "We have to be ready to leave in an hour." I stood in my kitchen, bib in one hand and mushy teething biscuit in the other and just looked at him.
The babysitter soon arrived - I got out of my bikini and threw on a sundress and off we went into the old town, for a drink on a sunlit terrace, people watching and then to a restaurant for indian food.
Moral of this story: The best birthday presents are ones that come a day early, are a complete shock, and just keep coming throughout the day.
Today (the 13th here in France) is the real deal, and this afternoon two of my favorite English friends Simon and Amy are stepping off a plane to spend what I know will be 4 1/2 hilarious days with us. Doesn't get any better than that! There are cards & gifts here from the States to open, already some phone calls - what a great birthday and it hasn't even officially started yet!
