Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Just Me And My Shadow

 This morning started off like any other day.  My husband tried to sneak in a few extra minutes of snooze time, but I said, "No problem, Sweetie.  You can make the bed all by yourself."  That always gets him up.
  I got dressed, did a little personal hygiene and headed downstairs to turn on the coffeemaker and feed the cat.  When I went to open the front door, I felt a cool refreshing breeze.  Its been so hot and humid lately, it took me by surprise.
  So, after the boys left for school and work, I grabbed my phone and my iPod and went for a walk outside.  I was anxious to walk before the inevitable heat and humidity arrived.  I was halfway down the street before I realized I had forgotten to bring my pedometer.  But it didn't really matter.  I knew the path well.  I have taken it many times in the past.
   It funny how walking this particular path is really no longer a challenge to me.  I walked the treadmill all winter at an incline.  Maybe I am ready for new paths, new adventures.  Maybe I need to go further, faster, up new hills.  I like the idea of discovering new places to walk.  I like that I have grown as a walker.  I like the fact that my knee doesn't give out nearly as much as it used to.  I like the fact that folks who drive the same route to work every day remember me and wave.
  Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the music, I don't even notice the cars speeding past.  I'm in my own little world.  Just me, Pink, Katy, Gaga, and others singing and walking to the beat of the music.  I walk until I come to one of those crosswalk buttons.  I press the button, look both ways (I almost got hit last year by someone turning right on red, even though the crosswalk light said I could walk), and I move out at a brisk pace.
  Today, while I was walking, I looked down and saw my shadow.  It was just like one of those Fun House mirrors, the ones that distort your image...make you either super fat or super thin.  It made me laugh.  I'm 5 feet 4 1/2 inches tall and my shadow thinks I'm one of those long legged supermodels.  Hey, the way I see it, we should all own one of those skinny mirrors.   http://www.funhousemirrors.com/skinny.html   
  My neighborhood walk is four miles at best.  So, once I got back home, I hopped on the treadmill and did another mile at a little faster than a 15 minute pace...at an incline.  I did 50 push ups, 100 sit ups, 100 butt lifts, and no less than 300 repetitions of my weights (I did a few kettle bells lifts too).  I probably could have done more ( I never work up a sweat when I walk outside), but I had errands to run.
   I was on my way upstairs when my husband called.  He needed a number out of our home phone book.  Just as I was getting ready to give him the number, he got a call and had to go.  I stood there waiting.  Should I go ahead and shower or wait?  I decided to wait.  But while I was waiting, I drank a big glass of water and  knocked out 50 more push ups.  Eventually, he called back.  I like doing push ups when I have time on my hands.  Sometimes, I do them during commercials.  I mean, you can only take so many trips to the bathroom. And I really don't have a need to visit the refrigerator every time there is a commercial break.  What else am I going to do...fold laundry?  Ugh...I do enough of that.  
   I had to run a few errands after my shower.  A trip to Target was in order.  My husband likes to take those low calorie microwavable soups to work for when he's too busy to get out for lunch, or when lunch becomes his gym time.  If I don't buy him something, he might just skip lunch.  I don't like him to skip lunch.  I mean, I don't eat a lot of big meals but I eat something every two to three hours.  After I got all I needed from Target, I headed home.  But then I realized, I had forgotten paper towels.  So, I passed the turn off for our house and headed to Costco.  By this time, it was nearing noon.  I usually have my Chobani yogurt with bear naked granola around noon.  Here I was doing what I always fussed at my husband for doing...skipping a meal.  And besides that, I was breaking the cardinal rule..."Never go to Costco hungry."  Yes, that is too a rule.  If you go to places like Costco, Sams, and BJs hungry, you always end up buying more than what you came in for.  In the end, I did pretty well.  But best of all, I remembered the paper towels.
  Finally home, I was able to have my yogurt.  Today, I chose pomegranate.  I love retirement.  Its nice when the only real decision you have to make is which Chobani Flavor to eat.  Maybe I should have another...for my shadow.  She's looking pretty thin.  : )  

No comments:

Post a Comment