learning to relax – Thoughts From The Passenger Seat

2025, life, relaxing

The Head Spa

Posted on October 27, 2025 by nancyb422

My son and daughter in law like to give “experience gifts” and I am happy to receive them.

For Mother’s Day, they gave me a certificate for a 90 minute head spa experience as the website calls it. I love my hair. It’s long and for a 65 year old woman, pretty thick. I’m currently growing it out for as long as I can stand it. It’s working out pretty well because long hair means I don’t have to wash it as frequently for “a style”. It’s just long. I had no idea what to expect but made sure my hair was nice and dirty. It wasn’t a prerequisite but it worked out that way in my hair washing routine.

I made my reservation online for the more local spa in Berlin Connecticut and when I arrived for my 10am appointment I was greeted by Callie, who would be giving me my spa treatment. She is an esthetician who was trained for the scalp massage by the Head Spa owner and she was really good.

Let me just say, if your favorite part of a trip to the hairdresser is the scrubbing your scalp gets, this is the place for you!

You lay face up on a massage table that has a covered resting place for your head. Below that is the water basin. First the technician uses a camera to look at your scalp and shows the build up of natural oils on your scalp. I was amazed to see 2 and 3 strands of hair coming out of one pore. I lose enough hair every day to make a wig for a doll and now I see why I’m not bald.

After that, it’s scalp cleaning, massage which includes your neck and shoulders, and scalp mask. While the mask is doing its work, you get a mini facial! I’m pretty sure I dozed off during some portion of the experience. At the end, you get to see your clean scalp on the screen again. You can either have a “light blow dry” or get the leave in conditioner and a towel to dry your hair. I went with option number 2.

I washed my hair on Saturday, but I can still feel the effects of the mask and leave in conditioner. My hair is weirdly smooth where it’s normally a little dry.

It was $200 for the experience, which considering it was an hour and a half, is not too bad. It’s something I would definitely do again!

Have you ever gone to a head spa? Is it something you would want to do?

2025, Healthy Living, life

Advice From One Who Knows

Posted on August 16, 2025 by nancyb422

I may be 65, but sometimes I think my mind is stuck in my teens. Or maybe it’s because I’m a Taurus?

Anyway, I’m like a dog with a bone. If I get a thought, especially a negative one, I can’t let it go. Money, bills, employees – it’s what swirls around my head all day. And if there’s a comment from someone rebutting me on a Facebook post about creating affordable housing in my town (I’m for it by the way) – yikes!

But then, I watched the New Heights podcast with Taylor Swift as their guest. It was one of the most entertaining and enlightening two hours I’ve had staring at my screen in a long time.

What snapped me to attention was when she said, “What you spend the energy on, That’s the Day!”. THAT’S THE DAY.

I have to say in my defense, I am only a week and a half back from a 10 day vacation cruising along the coast and inside passage of Alaska but even I’m saying to myself, Enough’s Enough!

I currently say a morning prayer to get myself right with the day and try to get a 5 to 10 minute meditation in, but, it looks like I need to add an additional mantra to the day.

*Yesterday’s monarch butterfly flitting around me*

What do you want to spend your energy on?

2025, Healthy Living

It’s Been a Minute

Posted on July 13, 2025July 12, 2025 by nancyb422

We went on our boat the other day. As I walked along the dock, trying to reorientate myself to the layout, I realized it had been 11 months since I’d been on the boat and probably a year since I’d been to the marina we dock it at!

How could that be?? Well, last year we took it out of the water and up to Lake Winnipesaukee the second week of August. We brought it home and, whether the weather was just ok or life got in the way, we never put it back in the water! It just sat in our driveway until it was time to winterize it.

Fast forward to 2025 boating season – my husband and son brought it up to the marina and launched it and they’ve been on it a couple of times. You’d think with the weather so incredibly hot since early June, we’d be there every weekend. But…we’re not…. “It’s TOO hot”, “it’s supposed to rain”, “it’s raining again”. There’s always been some obstacle. There’s even been talk of downsizing and trailering it to different lakes for finishing.

I took Friday off so we could go to the boat. Instead of heading out early in the morning, we took our time and didn’t leave the house until 11. We got there, uncovered the boat and headed out at slow cruising speed.

*Inn at Candlewood Lake where the best wedding ever took place in 2018* 😍 */ a view of the lake*

We hit every cove on the southern end of the lake and ate our sandwiches as we motored around. Once we headed north, we anchored at our favorite spot and spent about four hours reading and swimming around. After a month of such hot weather, the water temperature was perfect!

*Our anchoring spot with a view of a town’s beach and home at the point*

It was so relaxing and I remembered how much I enjoyed it! Maybe it was the shift in the time? The gorgeous weather and warm water? Sadly, not having our dog Wally to have to get home for which allowed us not to have to rush home, played into it as well. We headed home around 6, and ordered sushi to pick up as we got closer to home.

Here’s to (hopefully) a longer boating season this year!

2025, Healthy Living, life

Taking Care of Myself

Posted on June 23, 2025 by nancyb422

How do you practice self-care?

Physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, social, and relational. When I looked online for self-care, I found those categories.

Based on the descriptions, I was pretty surprised that I have always practiced self-care but never put the two together.

I eat heathy and work out every day. I write in my journal daily. I read my Jesus Calling devotional every day, followed by the associated bible verse. I read at bedtime and play the New York Times games (almost) daily. I have been working on my relationship with my husband to be more open and honest about things that concern me.

I was going to say that my social self-care would be where I was lacking but I realized – that’s not true! I belong to a group at the library, and attend library events at least twice a month. I meet with former neighborhood friends every month for dinner. I meet with our class reunion committee monthly, which consists of 6 other women who really like seeing each other every month because our next reunion is still 3-1/2 years away!

I could improve on all of that if I could stay off social media!

2025, Goals, Healthy Living, hobbies, Home, life, Travel, Writing

More of This More of That

Posted on March 21, 2025 by nancyb422

What do you wish you could do more every day?

By working four days a week, I’m getting glimpses of what retirement will look like.

I have a variety of hobbies that include knitting, ancestry research, writing for this and my family stories blog, puzzles, reading. All my indoor stuff but I also have a new e-gravel bike to ride and a boat that will go in the water next month. And travel!

I wish I had more retirement time every day to find a flow to work on my hobbies and outdoor activities!

Soon. I just have to be patient.

2025, Goals, hobbies, Home, leisure time, life, thoughts, Writing

Social Media and Me

Posted on January 19, 2025 by nancyb422

Ugh. That is how I feel about this relationship.

I am curious which also translates to nosy. This is why once I start scrolling, I can’t stop. Facebook to Instagram to Threads. I hate Threads the most. It’s filled with complaining.

I deleted them all so many times off my devices during the election season. Then my fingers (and my brain) would itch to see what was going and I just had to reinstall them. And then delete them again.

They are unhealthy. But….

I have accounts for our business and I try to keep those full of content and comment on followers accounts.

I want positivity in my life. I don’t want negativity in my life.

One of my goals for 2025 was to “read less what other people and write more of what I want to say”.

Heading off to delete those apps off my IPad again….

2025, family, Goals, Home, life, Politics, relaxing, thoughts

2025 Mental Health Goals

Posted on January 17, 2025 by nancyb422

In my quest to be mindful in 2025, I’m focusing on my emotional and mental wellbeing in addition to my physical wellbeing.

I know that sleep is important, and in our house it’s always been important to my husband! For most of our marriage, this man has gone to bed at 8pm and would get a good 8 hours of sleep. I would usually make it into bed by 10. Since the first, I’ve made an effort to head up by 9pm, get some reading in and have lights out by 9:30. I also started wearing my Apple Watch to bed so it can record the different stages of my sleep.

Another bedtime ritual I’ve started is a 5 or 10 sleep meditation with my Peloton app. I wear my ear buds, start the program and absorb the soothing music and soft voice of the instructor. I usually discover I’ve fallen asleep! My average sleep time for a week has ranged from 7 hours 15 minutes to 7 hours and 28 minutes. My crowning achievement was a night of sleep with NO minutes awake!

Because I don’t have a set time I need to be in the office, This year I’m learning to embrace that! It’s tough to get used to when for so many years, I’ve been at my desk by 8:30! My alarm is still set for 5:45 but I take time to drink my coffee and complete my workout. I have extra time to read the paper!

There are times at work that cause me and the two people there (one being my son) to start to wallow in frustration and self-pity. It’s specially tough to see it in my son, so I always try to turn it around and cheer us all on! We have so much more going for us than against us!

I’m packing up for the day and heading home at 3pm (to-do lists are vital for me!), so I can walk with my husband and our friends for some exercise and socialization.

I’m not on board with our upcoming federal administration so that has made me anxious when I read stories that seem more fiction than fact. For the time being, I’m averting my eyes because I know there is nothing I can do to change any of it. I hope in the near future I can get involved with an organization that will help make a difference for people in need.

*My mental health is better when I stay positive*

2025, family, friends, hikes, hobbies, life, Memories, thoughts, Travel

Looking Back at 2024

Posted on January 2, 2025 by nancyb422

I can forget what I did the day before yesterday.

I really want to be mindful in 2025.

I took a look at my Day Planner for 2024 and my phone calendar and made a list in Notes of What Happened in 2024. I was surprised at all the events from the year. Sometimes in my mind I think “I never do anything!”, but this proved me wrong. There were lunches and dinners out with friends, two trips to New York other than our yearly Christmas shopping spree, and three week long vacations!

I’m looking forward to this new year of adventures!

2024, Home, life, photography, Religion, thoughts, Writing

Starting The Day

Posted on December 9, 2024 by nancyb422

I don’t know about you, but my Sunday into Monday sleep can be a little rough.

Then after waking up, my mind is on every little thing I have to do from now until Christmas.

I drink my coffee and head out the door to workout and as I walk I say, Dear God, help me to slow down and appreciate the moments and I turned the corner and he says,

Be present.

2024, hobbies, Home, jig-saw puzzles, life, puzzles, relaxing, toy stores, toys

Puzzle Time

Posted on December 8, 2024 by nancyb422

I finished another puzzle!

I started puzzles earlier this year and really enjoy it.

I found this national parks puzzle at Amato’s Toy Store in Middletown and it was more difficult than I thought it would be!

There were very similar colors in a lot of the squares and letters were very tiny. Each square had a white frame around it.

I don’t work on a puzzle every day so it takes a month or two to put one together. My husband is very patient with me and doesn’t complain about it being there. The yellow mat it sits on is part of a roll up system if I needed to move it.

This 1,000 puzzle is by MasterPieces and I enjoyed it but I like the puzzles by White Mountain because the pieces are larger, but the puzzle isn’t easier!