I have pulled a muscle. Not so much pulled as stretched the living fibres out of it. It’s somewhere along my shoulder or my neck and also the back of my head. And it’s really not surprising because as has frequently been mentioned on this page, Baby N is not a lightweight. Or as J likes to say to Baby N when we get to the “Babies come in all shapes and sizes” page of Baby N’s favourite book about babies, “You’re an extra large!”.

My body has put up a valiant effort, but I think it’s starting to fold under the strain.

So today I bought some relief. I went for a massage. I haven’t had massage since I was pregnant with Baby N. My obstetrician recommended I go to help with the constant migraines I get when pregnant. Massage on doctor’s orders. G-d bless my obstetrician. Massage didn’t help the migraines at all, but it was bloody fabulous.

I have tried a few other pain relief methods already for this neck issue. Panadol does not work. Nurofen brings short-lived, minimal relief. 3 glasses of red wine, I discovered last night at our friends’ housewarming, is remarkably effective. However this is not a good day time solution, what with school drop offs and the like; sobriety is somewhat important in my line of (unpaid) work.

Coincidentally, I received an email from my kosher wine suppliers today, Five Stones. Their timing could not have been better. They are having a Rosh Hashana (Jewish new year) special for the club members (club is quick and free to join) as follows:
“Rosh Hashanah Case Special $144.00 (just $12 a bottle – save over $35 off Klub pricing)
4 bottles 2013 Autumn Harvest white, 2 bottles 2012 Rose, 2 bottles 2012 Reserve Verdelho, 4 bottles 2012 Soft Red.

Connoisseur’s Case Special $168.00 ($14 a bottle – save over $30 off Klub pricing)
4 bottles 2013 Reserve Chardonnay, 2 bottles each of 2012 Reserve Verdelho, 2011 Shiraz, 2012 Cabernet Merlot and 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve.”

You need to use the K4KK promo code, and you can make your own mixed dozen. Price includes delivery.

I always take advantage of their specials. Because they are good
value. This time I may need to buy two boxes: one actually for Rosh Hashana and one for medicinal purposes. I really should get a Medicare rebate.

Anyway back to the massage. The lady had the strongest fingers of anyone I have ever met. Possibly she had just been through a bad break up, and had mistaken my body for her boyfriend. She poked, pressed and pummelled. No knot was to be left knotted. She zeroed in on that spot where my neck joins my head and I thought I may pass out. I have not breathed so deeply since I was in labour. For 30 minutes I varied between “oh….sore……but good sore” and “I’m going to die”.

But when I got up off that table after half an hour, I felt nothing. Complete blissful absence of twinges or pains. My bum has never felt so relaxed. Turns out I was squeezing those cheeks for dear life as my jilted masseuse toyed with my pain threshold in her unconscionably strong hands.

After my massage I went to try on a dress. Working Boy thought me
somewhat odd when I said “I’m going for a massage and then I’m going to try on a dress”. He started laughing, “You mean you want to buy a dress”. “No”, I explained, I just want to try one on”.

Off to Zimmerman I went to try on the dress I had seen hanging there, beckoning me with its luscious pleats and tucks, every time I power walked past, Baby N in pram. I went in and asked for my size. She only had it in plain black, and I wanted the floral. She told me try it on and if it fit she would try and track one down for me. So into the change room I went and tried on the dress.

It was gorgeous. Really stunning. Classic. An investment really. I mentally filed it on my “buy when on sale” list, and started planning a spring/summer Pinterest board. The sales assistant came back.

All sold out.

She suggested I try the next size down in the black and she would see if there were any florals available in that size.

The smaller size looked even better. The sales assistant returned once more to tell me that there were three left in the country, and she would phone around to see if she could get her hands on one for me.

Working Boy may be more inciteful than I first credited him for. Now I really wanted the bloody dress. Nothing like knowing the rest of the country is hounding down your dress to turn it from a “just trying on” to a total outright must have.

So that’s it really. I bought a massage. I want to buy some wine. I really, REALLY want to buy that dress, and……I bought some more nurofen. My pain returned within a couple of hours and the wine takes a few days to ship.

XOXO Shopping Girl