Early a.m. date

5:30 - alarm clock rudely carries out its assigned task - it is pitch black outside!

5:35 - feet find the floor, brain aware of doggies in the room stretching and yawning, large lump in bed still dozing.

5:37 - toothbrush and paste in the mouth - the least I can do - I mean the very least! Drink of water.....

5:38 - 5:40 - underwear, teeshirt, yoga pants, shoes, socks - no need for lights or to look in the mirror - too ghastly anyway! Oh, check for teeshirt label - I hate to wear that thing wrong side out in front of other sleepy heads...not that they would notice.

5:41 - turn on car, thank goodness it's in its electric mode at start up, no noise! I'm certain the doggies are back in bed by now.

5:42 - on to the street, it's getting light but are the headlamps on? Stop, check it out, no - the oil change guy must have turned off the "automatic" button yesterday.

5:43 - oh, that's better, I can now see in front of the car, I'm beginning to wake up.

5:46 - YMCA parking lot - I'm beginning to breathe easier now as I'm joining those other crazy people who've crawled out in the dark to stretch and exercise their brains and bods!

5:47 - Drink of water, mat laid out, I begin to "connect with the breath" on my own, even without the instructor whispering those instructions gently into the microphone strapped on her head. The room is semi-dark with a thin line of lights and soft music playing.....Am I in India?

5:50 - Other beings are coming in the room, slapping out their mats and hoping we start out in a seated position.

5:55 - More breathing, mats slapping, throats clearing, noses being blown, audible groans of early morning wakening.

6:00 - We "begin." My body says, rather panicky... "Wait, wait - I thought we were just going to lie down here in this dark room for a while. I don't feel like moving, I thought 2 weeks off meant we were through with serious stretching and stuff!" My brain responds, "shut up and pay attention - we're supposed to be connecting with the breath - dang, where is that breath when we need it?!"

6:01 - "Is it over yet?"

6:15 - "Well, it's getting better now. Oh no, what does she mean Warrior 3, I've never heard of Warrior 3 - I thought there were only 2 Warrior positions!" Brain to body - "Shut up, go into Child's pose you baby! When you're ready, we'll catch up!" Body to brain, "Well, aren't you just too kind!! Oh, yeah well now here comes Pigeon, does she have to spring every unknown position known to yogie man on us this a.m.?"

6:30 - "Is it over?"

6:45 - "I'm feeling good now."

6:50 - "Final pose - total rest, ahhhhhhh."

6:55 - back in car - brain and bod awake and connected, lots of high fives and cheers. "We did it, we did it - now remember we cannot take off two weeks again....it's just too hard to recuperate:)"

7:00 - "Yeah, yeah, I'll see you on Thursday!"