The Heartland . . .

So. While pretty much everyone else in the world was at Sock Summit this weekend, I was at the Heartland Spa! Yes, indeed - going to a spa has been on my list of "things I've always wanted to do" for quite some time

I haven't had a vacation this summer (I've been saving most of my leave for a trip overseas this fall), and since I finally sold my late mom's little condo at the end of June, I decided to spend a little bit of the money on myself. So off I went.

Heartland - no kidding - is in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by cornfields and soybean fields. I mean, look again at that photo - the corn is taller than I am. WAY taller :-D


And how hilarious is this sign? Like someone was going to smuggle in pop and candy :-D

My camera is definitely under exposing my photos - I'm going to have to take it in and find out what's what, but you still get the picture (so to speak ;-)).



Here are the grounds - that pond is spring fed, and there are meditation gardens all around it - and Heartland is thoughtful enough to leave some bug juice by the front door so you can walk and not get eaten alive. I was quite grateful for this because the one thing I forgot was some Cutter.

It's an old, rambling farm house (the property was originally a dairy farm) that used to be the summer home of a doctor (I want to say the chief of surgery) at Cook County Hospital.

I had a really good time. It was really everything I thought and hoped it would be. The food was really good (although I could have used more protein) and I signed up for a bunch of services - for which I was kidded by everyone. I got "stoned" with a hot stone massage, and completely exfoliated (I'm not kidding), and "mudded" (yes, with real mud - well, de-tox mud ;-)), and had an exceptional manicure and a facial, and a regular massage! Oh - and a fitness assessment, which was very enlightening.

It was an absolutely great weekend!

I met some very interesting people there - we all crammed a lot into our weekend. I wished I could have stayed for a whole week! This is the Wood Room. It's pretty much the same as when the doctor lived there. I spent some quality time in that corner where the lamp is lit - working on my St. Brigid sweater.

Here's a trick shot. No, that fish is not flying through the leaves - the leaves are reflected in the water of the pond - that catfish (it was a catfish - ick!) is in the water, right where he belongs :-)

It's hard to believe that I have to go to work tomorrow - I could definitely spend another day or two, just enjoying my spa glow.