• Monday, June 27th, 2011
I don’t have kids. Perhaps one day I will, or perhaps I won’t, and will have the freedom to buy whatever I want, and go on vacation whenever I please. But that is another post.
Barny and I spent a nice afternoon at Coolidge Park yesterday, and I made a couple observations.
Two women were walking around the track while a little boy they were with was riding one of these:
Now, when I was younger, I probably would have killed for one of these. But yesterday, my thought was “This is how childhood obesity starts.” The kid is outside playing in the park, and the only thing that is getting any exercise is his right ankle for pressing the ‘gas’ pedal. It was all well and good that the adults were walking, but the child was getting absolutely no exercise at all.
About half an hour later, we see something that is close to this:
Except that the dad was flat out running, and the son was maybe 9-10, and didn’t need help riding his bike. Now THAT is a good way to exercise with your child. Well done, sir.
And to the other family: get your kid something that he needs to pedal.
• Sunday, June 12th, 2011
I was driving home with Barny tonight, and an idea popped into my head. Barny had just read aloud a sign about a new Spanish restuarant that’s opening on Main street. I thought aloud about all of the restaurants on Main street that I’ve never been to. I’ve lived in this city pretty much my entire life - and there are restaurants I can walk to that I’ve never tried.
I came up with the idea that once a week, Barny and I will eat at a different downtown restaurant. And I will blog about it.
So far, I can think of several restaurants I’ve never been to - the Spanish restaurant Barny pointed out (currently Il Pilon), there’s another Spanish restaurant near Ritter For Flowers, and I don’t think I’ve ever had anything from Premier Subs! There’s several more that I consider favorites that I haven’t patronized in months either - Moran Square Diner, Always Something Good, Espresso Pizza.
I’m sure the reason I haven’t been to these places is because I’m trying to save money. With Barny not working, I feel the pressure 100% to pay for everything. I’ve been avoiding going out because I didn’t think we could afford it. I’m very good at spending money - and budget everywhere possible. I know logically we can afford it - I’m just stingy. But I’m starting to notice it, because I just said to him, “we haven’t been on a date in ages!” We eat dinner together all the time, and watch movies and TV together often. . . but we haven’t been out in a long time. I honestly can’t remember the last time we were at a restaurant together. Vegas, I think. Which would have been late April/early May. That’s at least 4-5 weeks! We’re newly weds (married 8/8/10), and that is just sad. BUT - this experiment will change all of that!
Perhaps when we go to the restaurants we will ask the cook what he recommends, perhaps we will order the special, or perhaps we will just order our favorite meal. This will be fun!
