Home Gym

I never made it to the YMCA this morning thanks to a blockade of snow after last night’s present from above. I was feeling a little guilty this morning until later when I reviewed today’s events. Any more wintertime projects and I may need a nice rehab center.

It was a balmy 35 degrees outside today, almost bathing suit weather after the arctic blast we’ve had for two weeks straight. Unfortunately this also meant especially heavy snow.

I shoveled off our deck to get to the bird feeders, cleared off the front walk, and after we had plowed our way out to the shed, helped to dig out the door so we could unearth the roof rake.  

Muscle groups – deltoids, lats, biceps, triceps,  quadriceps.

My next task involved the sixteen ugly black hinges on the living room cupboards. Never one to rush into anything, after eighteen years I have finally painted them and needed to return them in their magnificent new creamy state.

A simple project. Simple that is, if you don’t have arthritic knees and hips. I lowered myself to the floor tailor style to take out all the hinges, and then back again to replace them.

Muscle groups – quadriceps, glutes, wrist flexors, deltoids.

          The can of Easy Off oven cleaner had been sitting on my kitchen counter as a mute reminder for three days. I figured I might as well get it over with. I sprayed, waited, and donned my yellow rubber gloves. Some creative contortions and half a roll of paper towels later, while my oven was clear of the majority of the holiday baking, my back felt as though it might snap in two.  

          If I did this often enough I’d never have to go to another Yoga class again.

Muscle groups – lats, obliques, triceps, glutes

          By afternoon it was really warming up outside – 45 degrees! The forecast was for a high tomorrow only in the teens so I knew if I wanted to move any snow it would have to be today. I put my boots back on and went to find the snow rake. My mission was the roof over our family room – only one story – where the stack for some of our plumbing was buried. I did manage to move enough snow to unearth it, but then realized that while I’d taken some of the weight off of the roof, I’d only relocated it to our deck.

          My day went full circle, ending with me and my snow shovel.

                   Muscle groups - - whatever. See above.