Exercising In Our New Home

Despite all my years I still feel like a child within. I have a hard time peering into the mirror and seeing a real adult. You might have considered the delivery of my second child might have altered it, but I still appear to be in self-denial of the aging process.

And regarding aging — or rather fighting it off — my dear wife and I recently moved into a new house and this house features enough space in the basement for a home gym my wife has always wanted. I am seeing dollar signs when I think about all the tiny and large items necessary, from the essential but often forgotten benches for weight-lifting and mats for exercise to determining the most versatile stationary bicycle.

Exercise bikes can be difficult these days. Do you buy an upright or a recumbent stationary bike? Should I go with an old-school analog or electronic?

Of course, my dear wife seems set on getting an elliptical machine as well. You understood that correctly. A stationary bike and an elliptical trainer — not only one or the other. My guess is that it will go with the stretch mark cream she began using after she bore our youngest child. I may regret that jest.

I must be particular with the budget because our new house is more of a fixer-upper. We wanted it this way, but we still must cautiously budget everything, even the cabinet knob (no kidding). My wife has a pretty ambitious cabinet refacing project plotted, but I have to remind her the bathroom sink she wishes put in will cost a fair amount, too.

Gratefully, we both appreciate the natural, rustic look, so we are furnishing our new house with unfinished furniture. Yes, it still involves a little finishing, but she and I can keep the costs down and produce higher quality furniture than we might purchase in any store.

I recently came across a good with some decent, natural knotting and a couple console tables in matching oak. For our outdoor patio we are researching outdoor fireplaces and we’ll go with some inexpensive wicker furnitures to start.

Furnishing a new home may seem so mature, but I can’t help but feel like I am just playing house. The exercise equipment and furniture only feel like a new era of toys.