Introducing the 2-Hour TA DA!

As my sweet husband and I were driving home from a relaxing weekend in the Columbia Gorge last Monday, we were chatting about ways to make progress on our personal goals, and then how to celebrate that progress. We came up with the idea of the "2-Hour TA DA!" What we realized in our discussion is that if we give ourselves permission to give any one project two hours of concentrated effort, we can often make excellent progress -- or even go from start to finish.

Two hours of effort. TA DA! A project done!

My personality demands feelings of accomplishment and then recognition for that accomplishment -- even if that is simply doing a happy dance for myself. Or, perhaps, writing about it on this blog.

Today, I finished my first 2-Hour TA DA. It all started with working together to construct a bookshelf. Dale and I accomplished that feat after breakfast ... and only had to take one bit apart and put it back together correctly. Not bad. The bookshelf was the final piece of furniture for our massage and meditation room.

A bit over a year ago I took a 6 week class at our local community college on Swedish massage for the back, arms and legs. I bought a massage table, oils and other supplies. Mostly, I give massages to family members and a few close friends. To encourage me, my daughter Jodie and her boyfriend Ken made me this sign for Christmas. Jodie (in her Beaver hat) and I finally got the hardware to hang it just over a year later. (I'm not known for finishing project in a timely manner ... but eventually many get done.) This basement room became available once all the daughters moved out and Dale and I became empty nesters.

So here is a tour of Got Knots?, our massage and meditation room.

As you enter the door, before you is the new bookshelf. On it I have a series of books and audio programs that I use during my meditation time. I'm lucky to have a variety of light sources in this room to set a relaxing mood. I've also got one of my kids' old boom boxes so that soft music can be played during a massage to set a calming mood.

To the left is the massage side of the room. There's enough space to keep the massage table set up at all times.

We bought a dresser that matches the bookcase to hold massage supplies. To the left is a foot-soaking tub that can be filled with warm water and marbles to soothe aching feet. To the right is my rolling massage stool that seats me at the correct level for scalp and neck massage. On top of the dresser is a bolster I use to ease back stress. Also ready are the tools for dry brushing, getting the skin ready to accept the oils.

The right side of the room is set up for meditation. My habit is to exercise first, then come into this room for meditation. It's a great way to cool down and move my focus from physical activity to spiritual activity. I begin by sitting in my grandmother's rocking chair and do some deep breathing. We bought a small dressing table that matches the dresser and bookshelf which I use as an altar. It holds my vision board, a journal, a book of reflections, and a candle.

The candle has a wonderful huckleberry fragrance -- an Idaho specialty. I use the pretty heart-shaped pottery to hold the burnt matches. And as a special treat, I bought myself this exquisite candle snuffer in the shape of a tulip, and encrusted with crystals. Gotta have those shiny objects!

In two hours Dale and I constructed the bookshelf, I set up the massage table, I filled the shelves and I took these photos. Dale is scheduled receive his first massage of the year tomorrow.

TA DA!

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