July 14, 2007
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who knew?
I joined a gym about a month ago. It’s just amazing to me the things I’m finding out about exercise. It really drastically reduces the hot flashes I’ve been dealing with for a couple of years now. And it gives me so much energy!
When I was young I was so thin, kids in school made fun of me. To make matters even worse, I was also taller than almost everyone in my classes, especially boys, until about high school. Add to that the fact that I was so bad at sports that I was always the last one picked for teams in PE class, after awhile I didn’t even bother. In the 10th grade I even failed PE because I refused to dress out. There were several reasons, but I think probably a big one was all the teasing I had gotten in previous years. Most of the exercise I got was from walking. My best friend in high school lived about 3 miles from me, and I often walked over to her house. My family was way too poor to be able to buy us cars, and the only one that got a bike was my twin sister. But that was ok, because I enjoyed the walk and never even considered it to be healthy for me.
Forward about 35 years and here I am, fat, no muscle tone, completely out of shape. It finally became clear to me that I had to do something.
For the first few weeks I was there every other day. Then my 86 year old aunt (Margie) had surgery. The operation went ok (blood clots in her leg along with a blocked artery), but recovery is hard on someone her age. She had a 24 hour sitter and most of them were good about taking care of her basic needs, but she was very confused and scared. I ended up spending a lot of time with her at the hospital and again at the nursing home when she was released. I was there 2 or 3 times a day, just making sure she’s getting her pain meds and helping her through her confusion. She’s finally feeling better and is back to being completely oriented to where she is, but during all this time, I haven’t been going to the gym. And I’ve been so tired. I haven’t gotten anything done around the house except some much needed laundry. So I finally started back a couple of days ago. And then I went again today. Finally the energy has kicked back in! I’m cleaning the house and mopping the floors….it’s great! Who knew?
On another subject…..my 14 year old dachshund is afraid of houseflies. He has been for as long as I can remember. He will hide in the bathroom or bedroom when there is one in the house. All I can figure is maybe a dog fly bit him in the past. It’s just so funny watching him run from these things!
There’s a fly in here now. While I was sweeping the kitchen floor, he went outside and wouldn’t come back in until I made him. As soon as he came in, he ran to the back of the house and that’s where he has stayed ever since. I guess as soon as the floor dries I’ll hunt down the fly and kill it. Anyone know where the flyswatter is????
The profile picture is my Aunt Margie and my dad in 1973.
Comments (7)
It’s hanging on the side of the fridge, I believe.
All those people who teased you were jealous, baby. You’ve always been pretty.
It’s too bad that Harpo wasn’t around Knothead longer; he might have learned to hunt down and eat those nasty flies.
Thanks…found it!
You are so sweet, honey! I’m glad you like my looks, since you are pretty much stuck with me!
That’s one thing we don’t have to deal with down here- horse flies or yellow flies. Well, I take some of that back- Charlie occasionally has a yellow fly invasion, but nothing like the late-summer flies in P.C.
The good news on the exercise issue here is that we don’t need a gyn membership, as we have a treadmill, an eliptical machine, and an inflatable ”bean” to excercise on. The bad news is that, in order for one to achieve maximum benefit from them, one has to actually use them.
I’m getting there.
You know, I would love to have some of those things in my house, but I wonder if I would use them here. At the gym, there’s nothing to distract me. The whole focus is on doing my routine and then I can leave, guilt free. It just works better for me that way.
I’m convinced that if I had room for even one machine like that, I’d use it – it would just have to be in front of a TV, so I could focus on something other than exercising. I wish I had time to go to a gym. But I should at least be walking or something, which I’m not even doing. Soon, though. Definitely. Mom, you’re an inspiration!
That’s one of the cool things about the gym….they have 4 tvs (all on different channels) on each side of the gym, so while you are doing the treadmill, ellipticals or bikes, you can watch one of them. Bring your own radio and you can also tune into the tv and listen, as well. It does make the time go by much faster. Of course, while you are doing weights they have some energizing music playing, so it’s a really nice atmosphere for exercising.
I may have to start going to the gym with you, as running up and down the stairs from the wheelhouse to the galley for milk and cookies doesn’t seem to be burning enough calories. I tried jogging, but the ice cubes kept bouncing out of my drink.