mom's away

Ever since the twins were mere babes, I've made a point of going away once a year in the fall, by myself, for a week-end. Something for a busy mom to look forward to every year. A well earned reprieve. It seems the nature and quality of my getaways has evolved over the past 5 years.

The first year, I went with one girlfriend to a spa nestled in the countryside. It was pure pampering. Two uninterrupted nights of sleep and 3 days of treatments. No TV, no computer, no phone, no shopping. I lounged around in my robe all day. Total bliss for a new mom of twins. It rejuvenated me for weeks.

The second year, went with 2 girlfriends to another spa close to a small town with a nightlife and some shopping but I ended up being sick as a dog with a cold/flu and basically stayed in bed the whole time. One exhausted and totally run down mom.

The following year, I invited a couple of friends, very special friends, to my little mountainside getaway. I'll admit to being a little nervous about the whole affair at first, meeting some people for the first time and not knowing how the interpersonal dynamics would pan out for such a large group. But there was instant chemistry. We talked and drank and ate chocolate and talked about our kids and ate chips and nuts, and shopped and went for a spa treatment and talked some more and laughed till our bellies hurt and exchanged gifts and even went out dancing. We had such a blast that we started an annual tradition.

The following year, we upped it up a notch and went to Montreal. Same activities: talking, drinking, walking all over town, pedicure, shopping, gift exchanges and more talking. A great time again.

This past week-end, we met in Toronto. We upped it up again a whole other notch. No wonder my blog has been idle. Too busy getting ready to go and settling back upon my return. This time I flew there. What an absolute treat to be flying without my usual entourage. I read the onboard magazine uninterrupted from cover-to-cover! And then the party started: martinis, great food at some great restaurants, great shopping, lots and lots of talking about our kids and our lives as moms, hottub at nightime on the hotel's rooftop with a most incredible view of the city all around us, manicure and pedicure treat, a few hours at the Ontario Art Gallery, some time alone taking the subway and walking down the streets with coffee in hand, the most hilarious gift exchanges and the most therapeutic belly laughs. I left exhausted, physically (a total opposite to my first getaway) but my heart all warmed up from the company of so many fun-loving women. Some I will not see for a while but they always remain close to my heart.