Today's Workout Plan

I don't belong to a gym, I no longer go to fancy pilates or yoga studios to work out. Oh, I do miss the lovely pilates studio in Jakarta. I get my workouts dragging kids up and down three flights of stairs everyday and walking to the grocery several times a week.

Several years ago David bought me the book French Women Don't Get Fat. I only remember one thing from the book, French women don't get fat because they walk everywhere. OK, I get that now. I don't drive to the store when I run out of milk, I walk down 3 flights of stairs, turn left, then walk down the street for about 15 minutes to the Rewe. There I buy the milk, put it in my bag then walk 15 minutes home and back up 3 flights of stairs. Workout complete. Oh, in case you wondered, milk is heavy thus ensuring you won't buy much at a time and will need to repeat the workout often.

Today's workout plan was to walk to the Tuesday Farmer's Market (Ok that's what I call it. It probably has a fancy name in German but, hey I don't need German, Right?!) I wanted to buy some flowers for the living room and some fresh fruit for the kids lunch boxes. It is a bit longer walk than the Rewe, but all together should still take me less than an hour. Just before 9:00 I bundle Grayson into his coat and out the door to school. Down 3 flights of stairs, walk about half a block and back up a flight of stairs to his classroom. Drop him off go back down the stairs and out the door. Today's workout is off to a good start. Made it to the market in just over 15 minutes. Strolled through to look at what was available today. Bought some flowers, apples and pears. Make a mental note: Study the language unit "going to the market" and remember to bring the phrase book next Tuesday. I am really tired of not knowing what anyone is saying.

This is where today's work out plan got kicked into hyper-drive. I remembered seeing a pet store not far away and was pretty sure I could find it, so feeling brave off I went. I was on a fact finding mission. We have an empty fish tank and I want it filled up. It looks lonely!  I found the pet store easily enough. Bummer! It is a pet supply store. Cat food, dog food, even gerbil food, but no actual pets. Oh well, we will fill the tank another day.

Back out on the street I look around and decide that I will try a new way home. Please understand I have NO sense of direction. I can, and do, get lost anywhere. Additionally I do not speak German so I when, and notice I said when,  I get lost I cannot ask directions. Off I go. Poor stupid soul.

I walk a couple of blocks down the main road then turn in what I am sure is the direction of home and suddenly find myself in the most charming neighborhood with no camera, of course.  Slate roofs, dormer windows with window boxes, balconies, and perfect little postage stamp sized gardens. Totally enchanted I wander aimlessly for a bit admiring the neighborhood and daydreaming. Suddenly I realize I am lost. I look around for the tower. (I live near this tower it is visible for a very long distance.) All I need to do to get home is head for the tower, that's easy enough. Huh! No tower! All the houses are four stories tall and surrounded by even taller trees. I can't see the tower and have no idea which way is home.

I stand still and cuss. Taking a deep breath I start walking again. What choice do I have? Eventually I come across a street with a name that looks familiar. I am pretty sure this street runs near my house but do not recognize the area and still can't see the tower. At this point I have been walking over an hour, am hopelessly lost, and the fruit is beginning to get heavy. I pick a direction and begin walking down the new street. After about 5 minutes I finally spot the tower. Wow! It looks a lot farther way than it should. Apparently I have been walking away from home all this time. I cuss again, more creatively this time. Make another mental note: Bring the stupid GPS thingy so when I get lost I can just punch in HOME and it will guide me home before I walk even farther away from home. I follow the tower home, it takes another 15 minutes.

By the time I make it up the stairs I am exhausted. What started out to be a quick trip to the market ended up taking almost 2 hours. I have about an hour left until it is time to pick up Grayson. Arrrggh! I toss the flowers into a vase, brew a cup of tea, decide to ignore the house in need of cleaning and watch the German version of House Hunters. I decide it counts as this morning's language lesson. Oh and I let myself have a special treat. I think I deserve it!