Store wandering

Last night Kris, my boyfriend's mom, came to visit and she is just great. Even though I do not intend on getting married ever again, she is family to me anyways. She thinks of me as her daughter-in-law, and I think of her as my mother-in-law. Her and I love to do the same weird things and are both crazy crafters. When we are together it feels more like we are longtime friends than being with my boyfriend’s mom.

The day began with Kris and I going out for breakfast and doing a few errands. This is always such a great help as I am not driving very much lately. Kris then took me to this delicious little cookie bakery where we got a half dozen of their special cookies. I got a lemon cookie and a coconut cookie. Oh it smelled so good in that bakery!

The next place we went to was a local thrift store. I don’t know why, but it’s so fun to hunt through all the stuff. Sometimes they have some really great things, then other times nothing suits my fancy. Kris found a large planter pot and some other goodies. I found a pencil caddy that I can use with my craft stuff.

When we were done with the thrift store, Kris and I left. We did a few more errands and then went back to my house. Kris had another quick visit with my dogs and left to go home. It was such a lovely morning out with her.

Please note, that something as simple as going to the thrift store is big deal for me due to my CVID and other medical problems. Due to fatigue, I often don’t have the energy to go to the stores. If I do have the energy, I know that I can ‘crash’ (lose all my energy) at any moment and then have difficulty getting out of the store. Right now I am also dealing with medical problems in my back where pain makes walking or exercising vary difficult. Also, if I am sick, weak, or if the weather is bad, I have learned that staying home is best. Sometimes I feel like I am living in a decrypted old ladies’ body.

Many years ago, before I was diagnosed with CVID, I went on a diet. I found during that time that walking or wandering around a store is exercise and you can walk a mile or so inside of Walmart if you want. The key is that I didn’t have time when I was working to shop, relax or exercise. But I found that if I just wandered a bit through the store when doing an errand, than I was getting some exercise and I was relaxing. But most of all, wandering around the store was better than laying on the couch at home eating junk food while watching tv. So store wandering became a simple form of exercise for me.

As a crafter, I spend so much time in the craft department of any store. I compare this yarn to that one. There are special pens, paints, canvases, and beads. The craft department to me is a wondrous place- like the chocolate garden in Willy Wonka’s factory. I just wish I had an unlimited gift card to buy everything. Thankfully my frugal side is always there and I just get what I need for a certain project or two, (may more…). Then I wander until I am tired and leave to go home.

Now I know wandering around stores isn’t true exercise. I know my heart rate doesn’t go up, and I don’t sweat. But the key is that at least I am doing something. Wandering gets me off my butt and onto my feet- it gets me being active. Wandering also gets me out of my home and into the community where I can visit and socialize some.

I no longer can run around at work, with my family, and such. Now I am mostly a hermit, unable to go places and do things due to my health. A little outing to the thrift store is just perfect for me right now. It pushes my stamina and my endurance. Even though I no longer can leap bounds as I used to do, I will keep trying to make steps forward. Going to a thrift or craft store once a week is a just another step on my zebra path back to health.