March 29, 2008

Ease on Down the Gravel Road



I've inadvertently dropped off the revolution train...my hair grew out long enough to put up in a pony tail. My nails are short & stubby. Polish has not touched my toes in months. I've been living in old oversized sweats & 20 year old t-shirts. My skin....lets just say it decided to take a short jaunt back to high school. Things have not been pretty. I have not been pretty.
I'm attempting to slowly but surely get back in my groove. I've dug out the hair styling tools, wishfully make-uped, moved on to a new uniform (a super cute track suit), painted my toes, & worked on my public appearance. I'm not 100% there yet, but I'm also not as grimy & frumpy as I was this time last month.


I have another confession to make while I'm at it. I am horribly out of shape. HORRIBLY. You'd never know it to look at me. I am blessed with a hyper-metabolism. After 4 kids & no dieting whatsoever, I weigh a whopping 100 pounds. So most folks think I'm in great shape (when they aren't worrying that I'm secretly anorexic).


Truth is, I can't jog to my mail box without wearing myself out. When we got the mini-trampoline for BabyGirl's sensory diet, she and I would have jumping contests. They were really a way for me to get her to jump when she didn't want to. I found out very quickly, I cannot bounce very long at all. It's pitiful. BabyGirl bounced for 9 minutes one day. I cannot finish 2 full minutes.


I need to do something. Drastic I'm afraid. Art has taken a vow to get in shape so she can continue her career as a Star Search Dancer. Inkling is running. Ang is exercising daily...sometimes two times a day in an amazing effort to get in shape. UK Sara has been preparing for a marathon (really...a MARATHON!!). Mom Chronicles Sarah works out with regularity, as does Emily. My friend Miss Audie just ran a 5K in Chi-town. Ragged has been known to tango with a treadmill. And all the while, I've sat on the couch watching America's Next Top Model & eating the kids Easter candy. Ugh.


So today, this sorely out of shape FarmWife pulled up her big girl sweats, grabbed her 10 year old portable CD player, popped in The Across the Universe Soundtrack, and walked an entire mile in 45 degree sun shine. And you know what? I feel pretty good. The first half mile seemed about 3 miles long. I felt the burn (shut up, please. I already admitted to being out of shape...plus I was walking into a pretty decent wind & walking in gravel). The walk home was a little easier. Possibly a little faster. Definitely a tad more entertaining....at least for the mail man.


You see, our road is a long gravel road. I walked the path less traveled (headed East for those of you familiar) and therefore was a tad less encumbered by the restraints of polite society. In other words, I danced a bit as I walked 'cause there was no one around. Really, who can listen to Eddie Izzard sing "For the Benefit of Mr.Kite" without shaking it up a bit? Although truth be told, I probably looked more like Topol dancing to "If I Were a Rich Man" than a Solid Gold Dancer.


I had no more than finished my brief jaunt into the world of free form interpretive dance, than the mail man buzzed passed me in his heap of a car. I have no idea how far behind me he was when I was dancing, and no way of knowing if he saw me flailing, but I've decided not to care. I've decided that if I ever get to the point where I can run, truly run, for exercise, I shall run like Phoebe from Friends. Phoebs ran with total abandon. It looked fun. I want to do that.




So I learned a few lessons today. #1. I can do this. I can exercise. It will not kill me. I will feel good afterwards. #2. I can make a fool of myself while exercising & it also will not kill me. #3. Fresh air & sun shine make it all much easier to deal with. #4. I need an MP3 player. Really, the giant CD player slapping my hip as I walk is not comfortable...and I cannot sing "Dear Prudence" unaccompanied.

4 comments:

Brando said...

I am the same in all aspects...except I weigh a little more.

I need to exercise desperately. We should meet half way and walk. That would be half way between nowhere and has anyone been on this road before. :)

WTG! Oh and My hair is in pigtails today. I need HELP.

Anonymous said...

At 9pm after downloading some 80's flashback songs from when hubby and I were dating the kids were laughing at me because I was butt dancing(sitting on my bum in bed dancing, lip synching, air drumming, and exerercising/stretching) until after the bedtime. What can I say the music took me back to when I was a teenager and ohhhh how I want to capture some of my youth back.

You can do this my friend!Don't think about the week or the month just think about the hour or the day.

Ht's Princess said...

I don't think I've ever seen you run and if it makes you feel any better I can't and Axl makes fun of me!

Kork said...

Darlingest, I am SO PROUD of you...as I mentioned on my own confessional a few weeks back, I am also in desperate need of a butt-whooping...and, in case you care, thanks to the nursing of Tiny Princess, and the exercising, I'm at a weight I haven't seen since BEFORE I met you! I'll have some photos up soon, I promise...oh...ask me about a good place for some fun and CHEAP (as in free) ideas... smooches!