Two Steps Forward?

I’ve hired a personal trainer. It’s come to that. Ever since Grant fell off his bike, we’ve fallen off the exercise wagon. Yes, we occasionally rode our stationary bike, and we talked about taking walks. Our fat cells had little to fear. An intervention was needed. 

I texted every trainer recommended on NextDoor, a neighborhood-based app, telling them we were a couple of old geezers who wanted needed to work on our cores. Two texted they were available, two had full schedules, and two never responded. We hired Denny for 6 weekly sessions. I wanted to continue my preference for hiring women, however Grant was frightened by Delia after she said she’d make it fun with dance moves. He’s stilled scarred from our ballroom dance lessons experience. 

We’ve had 2 appointments with Denny. I can actually feel an ab respond when I remember to pull in my stomach. On the other hand, my knee is killing me from our homework of getting up off the floor 5 times each day. Feeling cocky about the strength I’ve developed in my legs from sitting down and rising up from my gardening stool, i.e., a metal milk crate, I tried standing up with no hands involved. The next morning, I regretted that. Now, 3 days later, my knee is still sore. Pride, falls, etc. Please let it be just temporary.

I also bought several outlet covers that have integrated LED nightlights*,  allegedly easily installed by removing the old cover, then just pressing in the new cover which has prongs to connect with screws that hold the outlet wires. Except, of course, the prongs didn’t quite hit the screws, or the screws had paint on them. Eventually, Grant and I managed to install one in each bathroom and the hall. More opportunities to practice getting up and down from the floor which I’m counting against my exercise homework. We gave up on the one with motion detection, because we could never get its prongs seated right to make electrical contact, or maybe it’s defective. 

I’d like to have that one at the step down to the dining room, which is invisible because both rooms have the same bamboo flooring. When we first moved in, we knew the step was there but just couldn’t seem to remember it. About once a day, one of us would stumble down to the dining room. I tried rugs on the upper level as visual cues. Not any better. I moved the rugs on the lower. Still we stumbled. Fortunately neither of us got hurt, but it was just a matter of time. I put down a strip of blue painter’s tape as a stopgap, then found reflective tape that is white during the day and glows at night from the nightlight I put in the outlet next to the step. 

It’s a pain getting old. I hate that I have to make these accommodations to frailty. Yet I’m not ready to settle into a chair and watch the world go by. 

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* There is one of these outlet covers in our kitchen. It only took me 18 months to realize they could be added to other areas. The light is bright enough for Grant to be comfortable at night without annoying me. Perfect.