Thursday, April 14, 2011

STOP, LOOK, LISTEN


LuLu-ism # 1: If the wind is blowing strong enough to nail you to the garage door, you might want to reconsider riding your bike.

I got up early ready for my date with LuLu. However, when I looked out the window I was reminded that, oh, yeah, I live in Wisconsin. The wind was kicking up a storm, literally. The outside thermometer was struggling to reach 32 degrees, and on top of that it was sleeting*. Not to be deterred from my daily bike ride, I took a vote from the stakeholders asking for a “Yay” or “Nay” response.

Fake Knee: “Seriously?”

Cowgirl*: “Duh!”

So, I caved. No bike ride today. Picture LuLu in the garage with her little peddles spread across the garage door, screaming, “Don’t make me go out there, please, please! I beg you! Have mercy!”

Okay, “Plan B”. Any self-respecting, serious health nut determined to get into better shape has one, right? Well, I do too. LuLu has a sidekick. Hop-A-Long Cassidy had Gabby Haze, right? Before you were born? Well, how about Batman and Robin? Better?

Meet Rusty. Picture in your mind a stationery exercise bike from the days of the Olivia Newton John “Let’s Get Physical” era-- including leg warmers and pink headbands. I found Rusty at a St. Vincent De Paul thrift store for five bucks. He’s my go-to guy. He’s not pretty, but he’ll give the fake knee a run for its money.

So, as I’m peddling along in the loft over looking my living room, I start to think-- What’s the lesson here? First, in bike riding and in life, we need to heed the warning signs. No more head in the sand type decisions. Yeah, that may be your dream house, but can you afford it, really? Or, yeah, the guy’s cute, but the fact that he showed up at your house for your first date with his mother, well, BIG warning sign, sister. Think! Heed! Pay attention!

Hurricane force winds, sleet and body parts were waving red flags the size of a duvet off of a California-King bed, screaming, ”Don’t do it, Grasshopper!” How many times in life have I not heeded the warnings, the gut feelings and the voices of reason and plowed ahead anyway? Too many to count, I’m afraid. I’m going to work on that.

Second, sometimes life is all about Plan B. So have one.

Until tomorrow…

deb

GLOSSERY:

*Sleeting: frozen rain. Very cold.

*Cowgirl: my buttocks

3 comments:

dianne said...

Love it! Hope you give all the inanimate objects in your life names!
Just like Toy Story!!!!

Move down here! Bring the family! About 60 and sunny to beat the band.

Dianne

Unknown said...

Your weather makes me glad I live in South TX. However, the thoughts of seeing you and LuLu draw me to Oshkosh for the unusual entertainment.

ilflyawayjm said...

Once I realized the weather was like that, there wouldn't have been any discussion with Lulu. (I'm a really fast learner...or maybe a quick excuse-finder.) Loved it, Deb!