Following in their footsteps

Mom and Dad were in to fitness. Even in their 90s they still drove to the mall (in blizzard conditions) to walk. They seldom missed a day. In fact, they were on their way to the YMCA to workout -- using their free trial membership -- when Dad had the stroke that ended his diving days.

It was a debilitating blow to them. To be dependent on their daughters or the kindness of members of their church to go places was very difficult for a couple who were always on the go.

So today, with the thought of my parents in the back of my head, I donned my tennis shoes and decided to start using the workout CD I received in the mail.

Well, donning tennis shoes and starting a workout is not exactly the way it went.

I'm doing this challenge thing. It keeps one motivated to actually stick with the program. And I know from experience being held accountable keeps one motivated. When we lived in Gratiot County I was a member of a small gym with a very dedicated owner. I learned having a set time to workout really did work. I also had the added benefit of Liz, the gym owner, sending me emails asking where I was if I missed a day.  It was not a good thing to have Liz looking for  you.

So this morning I scheduled myself a workout time. I had all kinds of excuses ready: 1) No sports bra -- I found it in the bottom of my dresser drawer under a pile of slips I never use because I no longer wear skirts. 2) No workout shoes -- they were under my dresser and just needed the dust bunnies brushed off them. 3) I can't work out in my home office because it is in our attic and the ceilings are too low to do jumping jacks -- the ceilings in the living room are 12 feet high. 4) I won't exercise in front of King -- I locked the door and closed the blinds.

My last excuse was really lame as I ended up having King, who was next door stacking firewood, come home and show me how to work the CD player. We have a dish and cable so King can get all the sports he needs. I have yet to figure out how to go from dish to cable to video. But like the true supportive person he is, he showed me how to make the thing work (it takes three remotes) and did so with only a few comments. (It's the little black button. Not the blue one. Not the red one. The black one. Push it. See how I'm pushing it?) I had a few barbs of my own and then banished him to the wood pile. "Surely there is more wood to be stacked somewhere. Just 30 minutes, okay?"  And he did leave. Thankfully.

Twenty minutes into my workout, with aching abs and a sweating face I removed my glasses and placed them on the couch. Unfortunately the sweat in my eyes made my aim just a little off and and I missed the couch. The glasses fell off, and skidded under the couch and I heard this disheartening second sound of something else sliding further under the couch. Since I was laying on the ground panting anyway, I reached under and felt around amid he dust bunnies that had obviously escaped the bedroom and multiplied in the living room. My fear was realized -- one of the lens of my glasses had popped out. I'm blind as a bat without those glasses -- even with just one lens.

But 20 minutes is 20 minutes and I had only 10 minutes left in my workout. I was not going to waste those 20 minutes. I finished the workout and sent a text to King, "My lens popped out. Either drive me to get them fixed or see if you can pop the lens back in." At least that is what I thought I sent. I couldn't see the screen. What I sent him was: "My legs pooped out. Estery drove me to find them or see if you can poop them legs back in."

Fortunately he was able to figure out I needed something, came home and fixed the glasses. No legs were used.

Tomorrow's workout is labeled "Upper fix." I can't wait.