A New Year in Florida

New Years Eve

New Years eve consisted of a delivered pizza from our favourite place, Pappa Johns – (It is so cool ordering it online, almost like a video game watching the ingredients you pick fall on your pizza – I know, small things amuse small minds lol – But in my defense, there is nothing like this back home, at least not in the area we live in, let alone having the luxury of delivery!) We didn’t even watch any New Years TV specials this year, instead we watched some show called “Untold stories of the ER”… yeah, I thought that was an odd choice too… <shrug>
At 10 pm we popped our pink champagne, wished each other a Happy New Year with a kiss and dropped into bed asleep well before midnight…(emphases on sleep) I faintly heard the traditional fireworks at midnight. Instead of a Bang, my New Year slipped quietly in through the night and I awoke in 2015. At least I didn’t have a hang over….

Every new year it is custom to make a ‘New Years Resolution’ and every year I had always started out with good intentions but when it came to actually committing to them I found most of the one’s I had made usually either never came to see the light of day or they fizzled out a few months into the year. So as not to disappoint myself ever again about 20 years ago I had made a New Year’s resolution: ‘Not to make another resolution ever again’ And to my surprise this was the first and I guess the last resolution that I actually followed through on! 

New Years Day

My 'other half' decided that he wanted to try to start the New Year healthier and get exercising, (Sounds like a New Years resolution to me) So New Years Day we traded in our motor for pedal power. I know it is hard for me to believe too.

Yes, we actually have bicycles! We figured we would ride our bicycles more in Florida than back home, so six years later we finally dusted off the cobwebs and pumped up the tires. I had bought mine going on at least eight years ago, hell it could be longer… to show you how often I road the damn thing there are still those spiky little rubber things on the tires! My 'other half' bought his maybe about six years ago and rode it around the block and then it sat in our garage snuggled up next to mine until we brought them to Florida to hang together in the garage here.

There was a time when I used to ride a bicycle as my basic mode of transportation; actually it was well into my twenties before I could afford a car. Later in life I purchased a bicycle for exercise, (funny how that is – a car replaces a bicycle which then becomes a form of exercise instead of transportation) anyway when it came to the biggest reason why mine spent most of its time neglected hanging in the garage I would have to say because of my BUTT!  It just plain HURTS when I ride a bicycle.

Now that is a SEAT!

Maybe I just don’t have the right kind of bicycle; maybe I should have bought a bicycle that could accommodate my Bony Butt with a cushioned seat.  

At the time when I bought it, it never occurred to me that I should have been thinking of comfort over style… perhaps it wasn’t an issue back then…however now, it definitely is!

I have to say that this is the one time I am thankful that Florida is flat. I don’t think I would of never made it if I had to pump up any hills my first time out. Who am I kidding; I probably won’t ever be able to make it up any hills.

I also only have one speed when I do anything that requires physical exertion, S-L-O-W. So it was no surprise when my ‘other half’ was blocks ahead of me on our ride. (For the record, he has longer legs than me) Every so often he stopped and waited for me to catch up. He later admitted to me that he was not upset because it gave his butt a rest! So it’s not just me, HA!

I was starting to feel pretty good riding my bicycle again - except for the numbness and pain that was radiating through my butt cheeks that is – I thought I was keeping a steady leisurely pace (leisurely for me) when I passed a house with a man coming out of his garage and he yelled to me “Faster, faster!” as I ambled on by I yelled back “This is as good as it gets” and I heard him give a hefty laugh. 

Not a bad start to the New Year, however I have not been back on my bicycle since. I blame it on the seat. - After all, it wasn’t "my" New Years resolution anyway; I was just along for the ride! 

(Don’t worry; I won’t be selling my motorized version anytime soon J)