Exercise, Toots!

In those boxes are a recumbent bike E that my mother says I can reassemble myself. She really should know me better.... But I am so thankful to have a bike... even if its in a box.

I'm not much of an exerciser. Years ago, I'd go jogging at dawn. It really was nice to watch the sun come up while jogging.... but. My back does not like jogging anymore and I haven't seen a dawn for some time. So the way I have stayed a little bit in shape is to ride my bike on errands around town. However, last spring I developed a neck problem and that ended that. (An aside: The U.S. health "system" is twice as expensive as the health care system in any other country. All other countries have some form of universal health care. People claim that universal health care is too expensive. How does half as much equal more? I missed that math lesson. I understand the cost of upfront money... I face that every time I consider buying 1 or 4 rolls of toilet tissue. But really... you gotta take care of sh*t.)

There are 2 main reasons I want to stay in shape. One is, I don't like buying new pants. 2 is, I tend to take public transport and also tend to "run" late. The funniest transport link was the over 1 and a 1/2 yrs I dragged my sagging rear up to Boston. I rode a folding bike the 8-10 minutes to the train station in Providence RI and 5 minutes to the long day at the other end. The folding bike has small wheels... I'd have one coffee cup in hand and one in the bag as I frantically pedaled my middle aged self though the dark streets ZOOMING by the convention center and up the hill grabbing my bike and racing down the steps to jump on the train. You can see why I need to stay in shape.

I went to visit my parents this past Thanksgiving.... and had to run to catch the airport bus. Of course. When I told my mother about my desperate race downtown... she related how her and a buddy were catching a plane at DFW (Dallas). The security check delayed them so much my 70 something mother didn't even put her shoes back on but ran though DFW in her stocking feet clutching her shoes.... and missed the plane anyway. I'm looking at her like geeze. Its never gonna stop is it. Only thing is, I'm going to start missing the planes trains buses. Its freakin' genetic.