I’m rather excited.  I’ve taken the day off work (my 16^th this year) and this evening I will be at my first weekend yoga retreat.  Where am I going?  Somewhere exotic where I can feel the sun on my skin?  Erm, no.  I’m off whole 8.62 miles down the road to a big house where ‘extra jumpers’ have been suggested.

I probably didn’t need to take a whole day off work (especially as I have spent a few hours getting up to date with e-mails and still have to do a teleconference) but I thought it would be nice to start the relaxation a little early.

There have been a few blips in the preparation for this.  I booked a single room but was asked if I would mind sharing due to a mix up with room allocation.  Despite wanting to say the ‘right’ thing, I said that I really wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing with a stranger (or even a friend come to that – I like my own space).  Unless of course the stranger was a lovely single man, in which case I could probably revise my views on personal space.  I’m not sure if it’s a direct result of this comment, but I now not only have my own room, but apparently I have been allocated my own building…

I’m also pretty sure that I am the least experienced going, so I bought myself a yoga dvd a few months ago with the intention of improving significantly before I get there.  The dvd is under a pile of stuff, still in its wrapping on my kitchen work bench, so that’s not gone to plan.  However, in this weeks class I did mange a ‘very good’ half inverse tortoise.  My crow was terrible though.  A useful thing to remember is that demonstrating to your friends how you can do a half inverse tortoise in a restaurant in London is not a great idea.  At least I was wearing trousers at the time.

Norman cat has picked up on the fact that I’m going somewhere.  He bought me in dinner of a naan bread last night to persuade me to stay and has sulked on top of the wardrobe all morning.  I’m a bit worried about actually getting my bag out as that is likely to upset him further, but I need to get organised.  It is a long drive, after all :o)

Thanks for that, Norman.

I’ll let you know how it goes.  That is assuming I can move – we have nine sessions between this evening and Sunday evening.  Usually two hours once a week is enough to make me achy for a few days. :o)

Me and my yoga socks. They are magical. Ok, they keep my feet warm, but that’s pretty magical when you are part toad.