By Rhonda Stanley
I can’t believe it’s already been 3 weeks since I embarked on my ‘Girl’s Dream Weekend’. While the effects of my spa treatments may have worn off (i.e. relaxed muscles, hydrated skin etc) the memories of that weekend will last a lifetime.
What I didn’t write in my original blog about my mother-in-law’s request for this weekend is that it was a ‘bucket wish’. Sadly, since that weekend, she has passed away from pancreatic cancer.
Here’s how this amazing girls’ weekend unfolded.
6 of us ladies (all very close friends and family) arrived at the beautiful Tigh Na Mara Resort in Parksville, Vancouver Island. The first night started with a beautiful dinner, some wine and an early bedtime; we had a busy day ahead.
In the morning, we woke to the most spectacular day. We had lots to celebrate and be thankful for, so we started with a champagne toast followed by brunch. Then it was spa time. It was 11am when we went in; we stayed there in our bathrobes until 9pm.
I said I wanted a picture like the advertisement and here it is.
The only things we’re missing are martinis, but I don’t feel too bad about that. We were well taken care of that day.
It wouldn’t be a ‘Rhonda blog’ if there wasn’t a key message to take away.
The lesson from this weekend is, ‘when life gives you lemons, make lemonade’. We did this because it was my mother-in-law’s wish. In any other case it might have been difficult to find the time. But every one of us knew there was nowhere else on earth we would have chosen to be, and no other people we would have chosen to be with. There is already talk of an annual ‘girls’ weekend in memory of Inge.
The other thing featured in each of my blogs is some kind of ‘real life’ drama. (Honestly I don’t make this stuff up!) This weekend was no different.
On Friday night, as we were leaving our complex to go for dinner, we saw a police cruiser in front of our building. We thought it was unusual because the resort is very private and spread over 22 acres of land.
We saw two police officers accompanying a young man. There was a utility trailer parked out front, and they were going through it, taking out one item at a time. These were not general travel or household items, but more like office equipment, shredders etc. When we came back from dinner, the trailer was still there but the police were gone, so we figured everything must be okay.
The next day while we are at the Spa, my mother and sister-in-law decided to go back to their unit for a little quiet time. On the way, they saw that the police were back, with guns drawn, accompanied by the same young man, searching a room directly beneath us.
Later, we went to the front desk and asked what was going on. All they told us was that the man had been arrested, he wouldn’t be back, and the trailer was gone.
Just another bizarre incident that got the adrenaline pumping. But I have to admit, it was just a little bit exciting.
