By Liz, happy that summer seems to (mostly) have arrived here in New England
I’ve been trying to find ways to change up my exercise routine (on those days when I actually exercise) in this strange new environment. I love being able to do my normal workout classes here at home thanks to live online classes my gym has been providing while they’re closed, but sometimes I need to, well, leave the house, get outside, get some fresh air. As a work-from-homer even before this happened, sometimes it’s hard to remember to leave my desk. Especially these days.
But lately, I’ve been trying to get out and walk more. I love my neighborhood – I’m right near the water, there’s a lot of different routes to take with all kinds of different water views, and honestly, the quarantine fifteen (or some version of weight gain) is no joke.
You might think that daily walks would be a no-brainer given that I have two doggies who go out at least four or five times a day. This is true, but my dogs don’t always love walking in our neighborhood. Even with the quarantine in effect, it’s busier here than my two southern dogs really like, and sometimes a walk around the block can come with a bit more stress than any of us care to have in our lives.
So I’ve had to get a big more creative. I’ve been taking the dogs out for their first walk of the day early so the noise level is low enough that Molly doesn’t get upset. (She’s afraid of loud noises and our neighborhood is urban enough that there are a lot of them.) Then at some point during the day, or after dinner, I’ve been taking longer walks on my own and trying to vary my typical routes.
For instance, the other day I walked through an old cemetery I’d always seen on my walks, but never found the time to check out. I love cemeteries anyway, but this was historical and interesting and a cool place to just linger. I even found a rock to take home with me. (Yeah, you know me and my rocks.)
On the weekends, weather accommodating, I’ve been trying to find new places to hike, where dogs are allowed of course. As long as there aren’t too many people around (Molly is also not a fan of crowds, even before the virus), they love parks.
This past weekend, we checked out Sleeping Giants State park in Hamden – which was really cool. We are trying to find new places as much as possible, get out more, see new things.
And getting some extra exercise in is never a bad thing.
Readers, what are you doing to alter your routines these days?
I go a different direction on my walking route every few days.
Fun! Lots of new sights that way 🙂
I’ve been doing that too, Liz. On my regular walk there’s a short street that dead ends, so I’ve never explored it. When I did, I discovered a cool model of covered raised garden beds – which had been there all along!
I love finding new nooks and crannies like that!
Every couple of weeks or so I make a run to the recycling bins, usually combined with a doctor or pharmacy run. Otherwise it’s sit at the computer or recline with the Kindle varied with every couple of days (when I KNOW there will be something there) the mile-round-trip walk to the mailbox, and the every couple of weeks mow under the clothesline.
Wow, a mile to the mailbox? Yikes!
The box is a half mile from the trailer, but it is a full mile round trip. Usually takes me about 15 minutes.
Being retired our routine hasn’t changed much. Due to medical issues physical activities are some what limited. Usually just keeping up with household and yard chores does it for me. We did plant a lot more flowers this year since we would be home to maintain them. Having a big yard means extra steps to water, weed or to just check out the progress of what’s growing so well.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
I’ve had so many people in my house since March (not different people, but with virtual learning and my husband working from home they were home more) I had to keep switching up my writing routines – when, where, etc. But now school is over for the year and The Hubby’s job is reopened a couple weeks ago, so things are a little more normal.
There are lots of trails throughout our town so we’ve been driving to different spots and trying them out. It’s nice to see some different scenery!
I’ve actually been walking a bit one or two non-running days a week. Unfortunately, my neighborhood doesn’t have any cool places to walk like it sounds like your does.
I live downtown in St. Petersburg, so we walk every evening during the week and in the early mornings on weekends. We’ve been exploring some of the more residential bits lately to avoid the crowds. Amazing what you find right under your nose.
Considering I just watched the news cover a shooting within walking distance of me, I’m glad that I’m not into walking. I do garden, though, so I hope they keep their shootings to themselves.
I dance along with dance or singing shows and use the Comcast exercise videos. Grokker offered a free preview, which I loved, as they had lots of neck, shoulder, and other low impact exercises. After I got bored with the other free videos and my VCR/DVR died when I tried to play my old PBS tapes, I bit the bullet and subscribed to Grokker. II hope I stay interested if we are stuck home much longer. Stay safe and well.
Funny, our dogs love crowded walkies, though not so much with social distancing. But the heat of the next few months limits how far we can walk for much of the day.
My biggest change is that my wife gets up earlier, so I get up a half-hour earlier. That way I can get meditation, exercise, etc. done before she and the dogs come down in the morning.
Liz, I lived in Wallingford for a number of years and couldn’t remember that park. Then it occurred to me that I was raising two very small children then! Thanks for the lovely reminder!