1-18-10 Monday (Erik’s Gym)

Since Thursday, the weather has been much warmer lately.  It rained a bit Saturday but other than that it’s been great weather.  In fact, I’ve switched to Polo shirts this weekend, dropping long sleeves and undershirts.  Yay!

Close to us is the YMCA.  They want $90 a month for 2 of us.  While they do have lots to offer such as a track, pool, etc, those are things I’d rather not use and therefore not pay for.  We got the tour and was left feeling that the place was crowded.  Our tour guide Ashley asked for our names.  After I said Garret, I SWEAR she said “Erik?” (notice the spelling ) to which I replied “yes”.  Jim and I almost busted out laughing.  I guess not making eye contact with one another avoided that situation.  Perhaps it’s the gayness that courses through my veins, but I just can’t help but to think of the Village People’s YMCA song. 

We went to Lowe’s (sorry Scott), to return shelving that didn’t work for us.  The shelving system is awesome though.  It’s all by the piece and can be wire, glass, or wood toned shelves.  Everything screws together.  Jim installed an audio/video shelf last night.  It looks much better but we need some creativity to hide the wires. 

As we departed Lowe’s, Jim spotted another gym (Lifestyle Family Fitness) we didn’t realize was there.  We stopped in and asked for the tour.  It was feeling a lot like a used car lot again.  We sit down and are asked our goals and what nots.  I’m short with the guy.  I’m annoyed.  Let’s get to it.  We take the tour and then return to the desk to discuss pricing.  Naturally the sales guy… sales guy?  Yeah, that’s actually what they’re called… anyway naturally he doesn't tell us the price yet but rather tells us about all the locations for the value.  Not only locations here but in other states.  I’m so sold.  Not.  Why does every gym think we might decide to go to different locations?  Can I just pay for 1 location?  Anyway, finally, the price.  No contract, month to month, waived the startup fees, comes with a full refund if we’re not happy within 30 days, etc deal for $70 a month.  Actually the gyms are very smart for getting info to tailor their presentation to your needs.  Very crafty.  Anyway, this place wasn’t the best in price but with no contracts AND the gym is much nicer than others we’re seen, we’re done.

Funny, the guy wanted to do our sign up packet and initial consultation but we were so hungry and this stop wasn’t planned.  Where are we going?  The Mexican buffet – Cinco De Mayo.  We love the food there.  Only we could go to a gym, sign up, act serious about wanting to be fit but then go to a buffet and overeat.  {sigh}

  Above: A chocolate filled Churros.  Yum!

Above: Icing glazed plantains.

Perhaps Mexican food brings out the thinker in me.  I started thinking about all the time we had off and perhaps instead of blogging or surfing the internet, we should have better ourselves with online classes or learn a second language?  Did we waste a year and half?  Nahhhhhh.

Jim says maybe we should have worked out more.  Then, it got me thinking.  I just wish we’d be one of those gym fit people who look at junk food and think of it as ewwwww.  Can we be hypnotized to think fattening food is gross?

Next we went to Ikea for some cord hiding stuff.

Above: Jim hid the cables/wires as best as possible.  See the new shelf too?

Sometimes, in different cities or states we notice common things amongst the peoples of the region.  The people here?  They can’t park.  For the past few weeks we’ve notice the poor parking but I’ve finally snapped about it.  If I had a photo of every bad parking job we’ve seen, you’d need hours.  Here’s photos from just 1 row in the Ikea parking lot. 

What is wrong with you people?  Again, this is just one row.  One row. 

When we got home today, Jim worked on reorganizing the garage a little more while I went on a cooking mission.  I cooked up some sausage for tomorrow’s bean soup.  I made a pan of lasagna.  I made a batch of meatloaf.  I cooked off meatballs. 

Jim took the empty boxes we want to reuse when we move again and suspended them overhead in the garage.  He used hinges (we had a bunch of them) as brackets.  Well, it was certainly better than buying more stuff but I commented “what an interesting use for door hinges”.  Overall his project made a lot more room in the garage!

 

After my whirlwind dinner creations, I assembled a desk char we bought at Ikea.  It’s a biblical chair.