My first day at the Monastery

I got here at about 10am. I drove down the driveway and it actually has quite a sharp turn and it goes down to the house. The driveway is lined with beautiful huge trees and shrubs everywhere. I got to the house and was greeted by one of the awesome staff here. They are soo friendly and understanding. She showed me to my room. It's called the 'Kingfisher' Room becuase of the portrait of a kingfisher in it. I've got my own ensuite which is awesome. They had morning tea waiting for me and a footbath. Man, it smelt like lavendar and something else that just smelt soooo yum. so i had a 15 minute footbath and just relaxing in the sun on this comfy as seat in my room. And then after that, we got to have a talk about what to expect throughout the rest of the day and also for the rest of the week. And just to utilise this time here as time especially for me. So I'm already feeling blown away by what we'd done already. Lunch was served and it was 'lentil and bean soup'. It was quite yum, it was accompanied with wheat bread and gluten-free bread (for the other guest here, yes there is only two of us. awesome aye!!) with pesto which was yum. I think i ate most of the pesto. And then there was a salad for afterwards with vinigrette dressing. I went and had a nap after lunch becuase I was feeling a bit exhausted and weathered. Someone came in and woke me up becuase it was 4pm. So I got up and had a little chat with one of the staff, and she just made sure that I still wanted what I had asked for at my first assessment. I said yes, i still want to have a relaxing time and unwind and have me time. She told me that i was booked into a massage this afternoon. So the massage therapist did an assessment with me and then we went into the 'Rose room'. The massage was quite sore in some parts, but felt awesome when she was finished. She said that I had a lot of tension in my shoulders. Its apparently the most common place for women to hold their stress. It sounds right that!! And then dinner was ready. We had 3 courses, roast vegetables (capsicum, and other stuff), this wheat stuff with salmon and bean sprouts, carrots and beans. Pudding was Pear with Ricotta cheese and a bit of chocolate. It was yum, and yes, they cook vegan which i dont mind. i'm all for experiencing a different thing at the moment. So I had a shower and then came into the 'Ballroom' and had a meditation session which was for about 10 minutes and now i'm on here writing about it. The rest of the week is quite full on with the schedule that they gave us but I don't have to do every single thing if i don't want to. It still will be relaxing as ever and also beneficial to my wellbeing, so i dont mind doing it to help me come home as a better and more aware person. Even just having a 10 minute chat to the other lady that is here has been nice. She's an elderly woman and feeling the strain of being lonely. She's actually quite an independent woman but has experienced a lot of grief in her life and it's all catching up with her. It's the same with me. I just feel that my outlets havent been that beneficial but that i've been bottling most of it up because i have no choice but to move on for the sake of my children. and the pressures from other people for me to move on. Even tho i can see where they're coming from, it still doesnt seem right becuase they havent gone thru this yet. And it'll be interesting to see what happens when it is their turn. Because it is going to happen to every single one of us, losing the person you love most in the world. It's just that, my time has come a whole lot earlier than everyone else. Even my own family. Only my nanny can relate to me. Well, I can honestly say that yes, i am enjoying myself thus far. The building is really beautiful and the grounds are beautiful too. I'm going to take some photos tomorrow to take home and put on here. But won't put anything up until i get home on Friday. I'm not missing my kids yet, but mostly because i know that they're ok.