My Exercise Program

Just returned from my daily exercise program.  Have to keep this splendid body of mine in good shape.  This program is something I developed myself after having tried several other popular ones.  Mine has the advantage of not costing anything and does not inflict sweating or pain to your body.  It generally takes me about 30 minutes to an hour to complete.  The program does not interfere with opportunities to socialize with friends if you wish and you're even able complete an annoying (to some people) household task at the same time.  What is this marvelous program and what's the task you ask?  It's my almost daily trip to the local Price Chopper to travel the long isles strengthening my muscles and getting the shopping done.  After completing my list and investigating any bargains, it's off to home I go to rest up those now tired muscles.  My muscles now rippling after the workout, I call upon Marge to come out and give me a hand.  What happens next destroys any prospect of having a nice day.  The bottom of one of the bags Marge is carrying bursts open and my garage floor is now covered with Bread and Butter pickles and Kalamata olives.  Those cheap bastards!  Couldn't they buy a better bag or double bag the heavy stuff?  There was of course a bright side, I have to go back to get them replaced giving me a chance for another exposure to my exercise program.

Be still my heart, I don't know if I could handle any more excitement.  Down to the office in the cellar where I'm able to rest and get some finger exercise writing these Blogs.  There is a reason these Blog entries have been so infrequent.  I sit at the computer and what comes to mind at once is some stupid thing to say about my advancing age.  I just can't put the words down, I feel so lousy about my obsession about age. Thank heaven I came up with something to get away from those thoughts.  Recently I was given a present from our very good friends.  In keeping with the age thing they gave me one of those desk calendars that have 365 pages with some story or quote for every day.  This particular calendar was all about forgetfulness, a subject we are getting more and more familiar with.  Anyway, long story short, the blurb for Sunday, January 17th was a quote by Norman Vincent Peale, Minister and Author.  He is quote was a follows:
                      "Live your life and forget your age"
I thought that was profound and decided that would give it a try

Boy's Night Out

A couple of years ago I made a very difficult decision.....stopped playing golf.   I'm really surprised that I was able to do this since I loved the game and really enjoyed the company of my playing partners. What made be quit?  In plain English my game began to suck and I was no longer having fun playing. I felt like I was a drag on my playing partner, but most of all my ego got in the way and remembering that a few years prior I actually had a decent game.  My Myrtle Beach playing partner took my place and the foursome was again complete.  Saturday mornings, our day to play, was not the same for me and it took quite awhile to get used to.  For a while I would join the group for the usual before golf breakfast and occasionally joined them for beers after their round finished.  These eventually went away and contact with the foursome became  extremely sporadic.

Fortunately spending some time with my friends and my son, who was a member of the foursome, did not totally go away.  On occasion we've gotten together for a few "Boy's Night Outs". The other night was one of them and proved interesting since we met at a new location, a bar of course, Johnny B's in Waterbury.  Typical small local bar with pool tables, a dozen flat screens, bar maids, and a real variety of customers....need I say more?  Big surprise came with the comprehensive menu supported by a chef/cook who I could tell was trying to do the menu justice.  Did not always succeed, but I gave him an "A" for effort.  Beer was, as usual cold and tasty (you never go wrong with Yuengling).

Our group has been together now for over thirty years, and believe it or not, we still like each other.  It was fun to spend the evening remembering so many of the experiences that over thirty years create.

The only thing that spoiled the evening was the look my wife gave me when I entered the house after our get together.  She looked at me, looked at the clock, and made some remark that made me realize how old I am getting. My son and I drove to Waterbury around 6:00 o'clock, ate dinner, drank a goodly share of beer, and walked in the house before the clock even struck nine.  Wow, even the girls stay out longer than that. What added to the feeling of advancing age,was remembering some of the conversations we had while drinking our beers.......we were discussing all the brown liver spots on our aging bodies.