om . . .

it is just too hot to walk in my steamingly brilliant florida hometown this august.  even modifying our treks to the ungodly hour of 7:30 a.m., is of no consequence once the sun comes up.  well, that and the neighborhood bear.

since i was into my typical summer yoga withdrawal and groupon was offering ten sessions for $29 at a new local yoga studio, i signed up with my trusty pal, joanie.  this place is totally different in that it is strictly dedicated to yoga and pilates.  their schedule is massive with multiple instructors.

first i called the head instructor, katie, to see if it was geezer friendly.  she assured me it was and so joanie and i bopped over last thursday to sign up and enjoy a 'gentle yoga' class with michael.  what a wonderful class and while i know i should have been centering, it didn't hurt that michael was obvious eye candy . . . especially if i were kidlet's age. don't scrunch your nose like that, old ladies are still allowed to look.

friday, we tried a 'slow stretch' yin class with molly.  let me die in peace.  best class ever.  and the cold scented compresses applied during shavasana . . . blissful.

monday, thinking we were on a roll, we tried katie's 'joyful flow' class.  she had explained to me over the phone that it was a basic class amped up for a group who had been together for a while but that she considered doable for this chickie who just signed up for medicare.

you'd think that four plus years of yoga would have prepared me but halfway through, my mat was dripping with sweat, my bangs were plastered to my forehead and my heart was beating out a triple time tattoo.  the room was hot and as those little gray spots started to overtake my vision, i decided discretion was the better part of valor and collapsed into a boneless lump while the rest of the class including the intrepid joanie kept switching from the dreaded downward dog to the wicked warrior pose in rapid succession.  katie meanwhile came over to pat me on the back and assure me i was still indeed, among the living.

'joyful flow' my mother's petunias.  joanie and i dragged our mangled bodies out the door and into the refuge of her car.  a/c never felt so good.  we decided we were in over our respective heads and would try katie's earlier/easier monday class next week.

today when i came home from lunch, kidlet told me katie had called to see if i was still breathing. it was a cute message of concern and cheer leading.  i called her back and left a message assuring her she couldn't scare us off that easily but then again, my alligator mouth has always been a little bigger than my canary @ss.

om.