THE FITBIT CHALLENGE -- 10,000 STEPS PER DAY

Looking down the Snake River from the confluence

Last summer, our insurance provider offered Mike a free Fitbit valued at $50. I laughed. I thought it was a joke that anyone as physically goal-oriented as Mike should need a Fitbit. However, he was intrigued and immediately ordered it.

The Lewis & Clark Center at the confluence

So, the Fitbit came, and he enjoyed seeing his activity stats as recorded by this watch-like device, but then he decided he wanted a better one – one that would do more. Probably most of us would just buy the one we wanted – I know I would – but Mike spent several hours on the phone negotiating through both the folks at the insurance company and Fitbit. He would return the original unit, he said, if they would credit him $50 on the one he wanted. Eventually the details were worked out, but if memory serves, he didn’t like that unit for some reason and returned it for yet another model.

Ducks on the river

Meanwhile, he decided I should have one, too. It took some convincing because my life-goals do not revolve around physical activity. However, I now have a Fitbit, and I admit that I’m a bit obsessive over it.

My first goal, assigned by Fitbit, is to take at least 250 steps every hour for my 12 most active hours of the day. You might laugh – Mike does – but my interests are mainly sedentary and I know it’s important to get up and move. The Fitbit buzzes my wrist if I have not completed the 250 steps at ten minutes before the hour. For instance, it will say, “10 minutes to take 148 steps.” I now have a mental list of household errands to help me amass the needed steps – making the bed, unloading the dishwasher, trips to the shed, replenishing supplies here and there, emptying the compost pail, taking recycling to the garage, etc.

Lewiston from 10th Street in the Orchards

The overarching daily goal is 10,000 steps, and many times I fall short of that, but I’m getting better. The other evening, I noticed that I only had to walk 300 steps to reach the goal, so I walked to the corner and back. Then Fitbit goes wild, throwing a party on my wrist, celebrating my victory.

My Fitbit also keeps track of the hours that I sleep. I don’t know how it knows – perhaps inactivity and heart rate. KW

Mike holding a cache

[The photos here were taken Monday, Jan. 4, as Mike and I were geocaching.]

WALL ART [UPDATED]

Several days ago, we discussed here whether or not I should buy a calendar for my sewing room when we have a stack of many freebies. I was encouraged to buy one that I like, and I chose Mary Engelbreit's "Back to the Drawing Board" calendar.

 

It seems like I just ordered that calendar. It was scheduled to arrive tomorrow, but it came today (Monday)! Oh joy!

I like this nice big calendar -- 12x24 when open. Here's a picture of the January page.

 

And I took the folder and tacked it to the wall as well.

 

It's nice color on the wall, and the whimsical touch is just right. 

 

 

[UPDATE: I discovered that the lower half of the calendar -- the calendar page -- includes a depiction of Mary Engelbreit's original artwork
with the date it was published. I like it! It's a nice comparison.]

POST-CHRISTMAS PERIOD OF ADJUSTMENT

See what I mean? -- a real mess.

I took our Christmas tree down on Saturday, Jan. 2. I had intended to wait a few more days because I really enjoyed the tree this year, but I found myself thinking that it was something I could do and then it would be done. I’m trying to move on with my projects and meeting with some mental resistance, perhaps because organizing my sewing room is real work! In a sense I have taken on more than I can do – AND I want to do more! But – I can’t do anything until I’ve cleaned up that mess. “One step at a time,” I tell myself.

If you’re a holiday crafter, especially for autumn and winter, you have to keep in mind that these holidays will again be upon us, sooner rather than later. Chris at “Miller’s Last Resort” says that she received two Christmas kits that she wants to make for next year. Such projects help us bridge the gap into spring – hopefully, maybe.

And speaking of spring, today is springlike – nice sunshine, 54 degrees. The forecast seems to be for moderate temps over the next ten days. Mike wonders if we’ve had winter. Well, an early spring, or springlike weather in the middle of winter, brings challenges, too.

Mike cleaned out his shelf in the back cupboard today, and I’m gathering my collection of yarn from everywhere I’ve stashed it and separating it into categories. I have a lot of yarn and decreasing interest in worsted weights. I either have to donate it or make another scrap afghan. The trouble with scrap afghans is that they aren’t pretty unless the yarn is color coordinated, or to put it another way, the prettiest afghans are those which are color coordinated and for which you have the right amount of yarn, and having the right amount of yarn is where we end up with a stash of leftover yarn. KW

A NEW YEAR, A NEW WALL CALENDAR

HAPPY NEW YEAR

This is the day when we must hang new calendars on the walls in the kitchen, Mike’s office, and my sewing room. In my estimation, no device takes the place of a good wall calendar.

Mike and I support a few non-profit organizations, and through those donations, we receive not one, not two, but twenty wall calendars every year. We even get wall calendars from organizations we don’t support. Sometimes an organization will send us several calendar mailings. It wouldn’t be so bad except that I don’t want those calendars, but because we receive these freebies, it makes it hard to justify spending for the themed calendar of my choosing. I should have what I want, right? But it always comes up. “Why did you buy this calendar when we have all these free calendars?”

So, in the process of writing this post, I decided I really should buy the calendar I want, but I discovered I don’t know what I want – and I can’t believe the price! -- $15 to $20 for your better calendars. “Free with donation” looks better and better all the time. KW