Me Time

Like most mummies, I spend a lot of my time – and energy – making sure everyone around me is fed, clothed, watered, nurtured, happy, clean, comfortable, provided for… The list goes on. And like most mummies, this leaves me with very little time to look after myself.

So you can imagine my delight when I got to enjoy not only an hour to myself – but an hour enjoying a relaxing hot stone massage at that! 

I've never had a hot stone massage before – not for want of trying. The first time I had to cancel after discovering I was pregnant, the second time the spa I was at had a power cut and couldn't heat the stones! But thanks to Paula, owner of Garden Room Therapies in Ferndown, I now know that my first hot stone massage won't be my last. 

Yes, I know, having hot stones placed over your body doesn't sound like the most relaxing experience ever, but trust me. It is. The heat of the stones helps to relax the body in a short space of time, which releases tension and boosts circulation. Combined with soothing oils and colder stones, it's also good for relieving pain and reducing stress. Sounds like a winning combination to me.

Paula's therapy room is at the back of her home and as you'd expect, it's a calming space, filled with light and soft music. Paula is a multi-talented masseur and her professional qualifications are proudly displayed. She exudes a calm, confident manner that instantly puts you at ease and under her expert hands, I could feel my tensions melting away. Unfortunately parental duties meant I couldn't enjoy a full 90 minutes, but Paula was extremely accommodating, conscious of my time constraints and ensured I walked out of her house a hell of a lot less stressed than I was when I walked in.

But hot stones aren't just for stressed-out, exhausted mummies - a massage with them can also help muscular pain, rheumatic conditions, fibromyalgia, back pain and insomnia. 

And hot stones aren't the only massage Garden Room Therapies offer. Paula's hands can also work their magic with Swedish, deep tissue, pregnancy and aromatherapy massages as well as Shiatsu and Reiki. 

A 90-minute hot stone massage costs £20 – blue light workers and senior citizens can get a discount too.

To find out more, see https://www.facebook.com/shiatsubodywork

Fun at the Farm!

There's been rather a lot going on at Dorset Mummy towers so once again I find myself apologising for the lack of posts. I've certainly got more than enough to write about so when I can get back up and running regularly, the posts will come thick and fast!

But in the meantime I wanted to do a little write up on Farmer Palmer's as I've had a few fun days there lately. Back in January, FP's came up with a fantastic offer on its annual passes - if you bought one within the specified time period, it would be valid from when the park opened in early February this year until the end of the February half term next year. Ok, so it's closed from the end of December for 5 weeks or so, but for £40 (when it would normally cost me £8.75 a visit), this still seemed like an absolute bargain, especially as D2 is free being under 2.

And we've certainly been making use of it, even if the weather's been a little on the 'fresh' side. But the nice thing about having an annual pass is that you don't have to spend all day there - you can just go for a couple of hours if you like, which is exactly what we've been doing.

The nice thing about Farmer Palmer's is the variety of things to do. From bouncy castles to animals to soft play to the play park, there's enough to keep the kids entertained. And let's be honest, us adults too. I wasn't sure how much D2 would get out of some of the entertainment – she's only 16 months – but it's been a good opportunity to explore her limits and see what she's ready for and what she's not ready for. 

Pony grooming

So the cuddling of guinea pigs has been a reasonable hit, although a couple of the poor creatures have been subjected to a bit of fur-pulling (sorry…!). She's not quite ready for the feeding of animals but is happy to watch Mummy or D1 do it. Bouncy castles are a bit of a no-go – mainly because she doesn't actually know how to jump yet! The play park's a massive hit though, as is the soft play. But the nice thing is that as the year progresses, she'll progress too and we'll be able to enjoy more and more together. And as the weather gets warmer, we'll be able to spend time enjoying the outdoor space more. Hurrah!

To find out more, visit farmerpalmers.co.uk. I'll see you down there this summer!

Baaaaaaaaaa!

These piglets were just a week old when we saw them! Awwww!