There are these things called FitFlops, that are suppose to work your bum and your legs while you walk in them.  I’d heard about them, and seen them being sold at crazy places like Bath and Body Works.  Never heard of them?  Here are some things they claim:

• Every step you take in your FitFlops helps tone and trim your legs: Studies at Salford University by Dr. Philip Graham-Smith and Richard Jones have shown that the FitFlop midsole extends the amount of time that the slow twitch* muscles are engaged during each step (by approximately 10-12%). So just by wearing a pair of FitFlops you’ll get more exercise while doing just exactly what you’re normally doing. (*slow twitch muscles produce energy by converting fats into energy aerobically)
• FitFlops work your bum muscles more. FitFlops have been proven to increase the amount of time that the gluteus maximus muscle is ‘activated’ during every single step.
• Walking in FitFlops is like walking barefoot, but a little bit better. According to a study done at the University of Salford in Manchester, UK, the FitFlop wearer’s gait is very similar to that of a barefoot walker, but the added cushion provided by the EVA midsole helps reduce joint strain and absorb shock. In fact, several FitFlop wearers have already reported relief from back pain after a few days of wearing them.

Oh yes, these are magical shoes.

On Sunday, I saw that we sold them at Macy*s.

I bought a pair.

I bought these black sparkly ones.

I figure I can wear them out, even out to a bar with a sparkly shirt.  Because they’re sparkly, they’re not as bad as the other ones they make.

I bought them with my Friends and Family 25% discount, which I get in addition to my regular 20% discount.  I also bought an awesome pair of Steve Madden sunglasses.

I know that I shouldn’t be buying things, I KNOW!

BUT - The sunglasses were originally $40, and the FitFlops were $60.  After all my discounts, I ended up paying only $27 for both.

The sunglasses are great, and I have a pair of Steve Maddens that have lasted me at least two seasons now.  Also, I figure I wear flip flops a lot, so why not have a pair that are suppose to be good for you to walk in?  I’m going to be doing a LOT of walking this summer in England, so I figure why the heck not?  I deserve nice things every now and then, and I really haven’t bought anything in a very long time.  Last thing I bought?  A wrap-around sweater at Macy’s for $4 back in mid-March.

The Nashua River is a very long river (37.5 miles) that runs through Fitchburg and other cities in the area.  It’s not a great river, and this is how it looks in the hot summer in downtown Fitchburg:

Lots and lots of rocks.  Even in April, there wasn’t enough water to canoe on this part, so Trevor, Liz and I went searching for a spot where we could canoe.

We found a place almost in Leominster where we could put in, and then we found another place in Leominster where we could get out.

After much debate they settled on Sunday morning, which I couldn’t attend (I had to work).  Somehow, I managed to get Trevor and my dad to agree to go out Friday night after work.  We headed out about 5pm.  Trevor went to get his canoe, and dad and I changed at home.

Trevor gave me the smart advice to wear old tennis shoes, and said “Plan on getting wet.”  I decided to wear my Crocs because they’re waterproof.  Because I am oh-so-smart, I decided to attach a rubber band to my feet to make sure the shoes stayed on.  Sure, I looked like a big dork, but it was a great idea.

My dad wore his Crocs too, but he wore them with white socks.

We put on our lifejackets, which Trevor says we probably won’t need, and we can just sit on them if we want. We got in the canoe safely, and started to head down the river.

Because of the ice storm, there were branches sticking out into the river.  We came up on one after being in the water after a minute.  We were heading right into the branch, and my dad (who was in front), leaned over to avoid the branch.  He grabbed the left side rail, and we started tipping.  We went completely under, and I was sitting in the bottom of the canoe with my legs under the wood bars.  I stayed inside the canoe (with it upside down). Trevor jumped out, held on to the canoe, and instructed me to get out. Getting out, one of my Crocs slipped off at the heel, but because of my rubber band, it didn’t go anywhere.  I reached down to my foot and fixed it.

Luckily, we could all stand, but the water was probably waist deep.  Trevor held on to the canoe, and the three of us slowly walked over to the banking.  It was very slippery, and the current was pretty strong.  I had made the mistake of wearing capri sweat pants, and had to sit in them the entire rest of the way.

We got back into the canoe, and the rest of the trip went off without a hitch.  Trevor did a lot of stern talking to my dad, most of which was him saying “Just sit still, I got it.”  My dad kept pointing and shifting his weight, and I was terrified that we were going to go under again.  I was gripping the canoe and making my fingers white.  We were out for well over an hour, and when we were 90% done, I finally started to get very cold, and my teeth started to chatter.

It was a very fun, but I think we need to go back, wade through the water a bit, and trim off the tree branches that were in our way.  We had to paddle through them, and each time we had to cover our faces.  I got a few scratches on my arms, but nothing major.

We smelled like gross fish on the way home, and dad and I were desperate to take a shower.

I think my dad is covering his feet on purpose so you can’t see his white socks and black Crocs.

Sopping wet!

It was fun, and I would definitely do it again.  Next time, I would wear a bathing suit, and I would wear non-water absorbing shorts.   I have great running shorts that aren’t woven, so they’d be great.  I think we need to cut some of the branches first, though.  We also decided that three people in one canoe is too much.  It makes the canoe too heavy.  Trevor also thought that kayaking would be a lot easier.

They never did end up going Sunday morning.  Trevor thought it was too dangerous to bring other people out.  Trevor also realized Friday night that he had lost his wedding ring when we tipped over.  He grabbed on to the canoe, and the water rushing by so fast must have caught it, and pulled it off.  D’oh!  Luckily, it wasn’t the ring he was married in (they had replaced them when they got enough money).