I recently had the opportunity to visit the Eastern Panhandle and I went to an all-inclusive resort in Capon Springs, WV. This resort is unique in that it is almost like a step back in time. There are no outside locks on the doors to your room. They have a set weekly menu that is the same every week. Wednesday dinner is duck and roast beef..that was an unpleasant surprise 😫. They play music an hour before dinner and then ring a dinner bell. Every morning there is a flag raising ceremony and the national anthem is played. Tom goes to the flagpole each morning and chooses a guest to be honored in raising the flag. I don’t want you guys to be jealous but I have to tell you that I was chosen to raise the flag on Friday morning. He had many to choose from but I was preferred because when he said that he needed a helper and looked around, I was the only person looking at him. He asked if I would like to raise the flag and of course I did! He explained to me that each flag is special in that it is first flown over the White House before it is given to the proprietor of Capon Springs resort. He then instructed me to raise the flag “nice and strong“ when the national anthem started playing. I asked if I should raise it slowly or quickly and he clarified by saying, “do it nice and strong.” I was really grateful for those explicit instructions 🙄. So, because he kept using the word “strong,” I assumed it might be heavy. However, if you don’t know, flags and ropes are not that heavy. I pulled that flag up with all my might and in record time. Oh, would you like to hear the best part? I got a certificate “worthy of a frame.” Those are Tom’s words, not mine. I am now among the elite. While it’s hard to compete with that experience for being the most fun, I think the yoga pose photo shoot that Marsha and I created tops it! Most of you probably saw the pictures on Facebook, but if you didn’t I’ve included them below. Marsha and I had such a great time taking these photos and it was pretty awesome to have my own personal photographer with me. We had to find something to entertain ourselves with because, unsurprisingly, there was no WiFi in the rooms, only in the Meeting House. I’m pretty sure they only allow it there because organizations and businesses hold conferences there and those require modern technology. Speaking of technology, there are also no TV’s, air conditioning, or phones in the rooms. The weather was great while we were there and I’m not a big fan of AC (they had it in the Meeting House anyway) so that didn’t bother me. I can also live without TV without much of an issue these days. I brought along a book to read at night to keep me occupied. The only part that bothered me was not being able to call Philip. I had no service for most of our stay. I could text on WiFi and that’s the only thing that kept me sane. I did post my yoga pose pics while I was away but I didn’t spend much time on social media, which was a nice break. I also had no iron in my room and I HATE having wrinkled clothes 😩. I had to sit next to strangers at mealtimes and make conversation. Being at a conference makes that a little easier because we all at least have that one thing in common. However, I would rather not talk about my job all day long for three days. The funny thing is that we hardly did that. I told my yoga retreat story to the table and received many different reactions, some even shared my feelings of horror and some speculated that the retreat may have been secretly aimed at couples...a thought I can almost agree with. If you haven’t read the story I’m referring to, it’s in a post from last summer called “Has Anyone Seen My Comfort Zone?” I met some interesting people, one of which recently ran for office and lost...by a lot..and he liked to tell people lol. There was another group there from Mountain Recording Company and they were holding some sort of musical retreat and had been there since the previous Sunday. On Thursday evening they were finishing up and had a jam session to showcase what they had learned during the week. The musicians played very well and a couple of ladies from our group joined them and sang. They both had awesome voices but they sang Country Roads at least 3 times and I love that song but some of these people were from Atlanta and LA and other places across the country so I’m sure they didn’t love it as much as we do. Also, I feel like that’s what they’ll take back home with them and tell people about their week: “Those West Virginians sure do love that John Denver song!” Oh well, they could say worse. I hope they don’t 😐. I must also add that alcohol is only permitted in your room or on the porch so the Country Roads lovin singers were not drunk. They just chose to keep singing it 🙄.
Anyway, to sum things up, I’ll say this: I was not excited to go on this trip. I hate going away without Philip, especially to a place where I was forewarned that I may not have cell service. It’s a little more than a 4 hour drive and I get car sick. The music is weird (I seriously walked to breakfast while Beautiful Dreamer played over the PA system) and the flag raising ceremony is slightly peculiar. While I like not having to cook, having limited options is a bit anxiety inducing (even though I’m not a picky eater. If you are, you’ve been warned, this may not be the place for you). With all that said, I had a fabulous time! We should all take a hard look at our tech addiction and decide if that’s how we want to live our lives (I say as I type on my phone 🙄). I enjoyed the break from social media. I actually read a book, a hobby I used to love but haven’t done in probably a couple of years. They have amazing water that comes from a natural spring and they claim has magical healing powers. I’m pretty sure those statements haven’t been evaluated by the FDA but I’ll roll with it. The property is gorgeous! I taught a yoga class while I was there and the plan was to do it outside on the beautiful gazebo but right when we were about to begin, the rain started POURING so we ran for cover and got our yoga on in the Meeting House. They have a spa but I can’t report on that because I didn’t visit it. One person from our conference did though...during the conference 🤔. If I had known skipping a 3 hour and 30 minute session on a topic that was.....less than exciting...was acceptable, I so would have! (By the way, I’m about 99% sure she wasn't allowed to either, she just didn’t care. I can be down with that attitude! 😃). There’s a beautiful golf course that I would’ve loved to have played on. They serve dessert with every meal, even breakfast!! They’re homemade and delicious. Most of all, Marsha is one of my best friends and I can honestly say I don’t believe I would’ve had as good of a time if she wasn’t there. Her corpse pose was hilarious and we laughed during our entire time together. The 4 hour drive was even tolerable, minus my road rage about wanting to hijack a Walmart truck because the driver was going 5 miles an hour down a windy road on a mountain and I was hungry! She got so scared that she texted Phil and asked him what to do to calm me down when I’m hangry and once he replied she said, “you’re pretty and I love you.” 😂. He knows. Lol.
Everyone keeps asking me if I want to go back and I’m like, “hmmm, If I’m forced to, I suppose.” It’s no Jamaica but was still a relaxing little getaway. Now if only next time I can get out of the work part of it and go to the spa, I’ll be set 😉.
Swimming pool fed from the natural spring, which means it’s freezing cold 😳. No thanks.
Camel/Corpse
Warrior 3/Corpse. I fell off this rock and scraped my toe and made it bleed! All in the name of yoga 🧘🏻♀️.
Pistol squat/Corpse
Warrior 2 with legs straight/Corpse
Tree/Corpse
Chair with arms out/Corpse
Boat/Corpse
Half Chair/Corpse
Crow/Corpse
Balancing bound angle pose/Corpse
Warrior 3/Corpse (kinda 😜)
This is going on the wall in my office, above my diploma, since it’s obviously my highest achievement 😉.
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