18,000 steps - perhaps that is overkill

I dug out my old pedometer (circa 2005) and replaced the batteries over the weekend. I would like to strive to take more than 10,000 steps a day. Since I can drive every where, this means I need to actually WALK at some point throughout my day. Aside from taking Max out for his daily walk, I have to get off my ass and do some serious power walking...the kind that would tire even Max out. Yesterday, I had a chance to take a walk and found that going to the nearest train station and back was only 5000 steps.

So, I (excuse the lame pun) decided to step it up today. I decided on a whim, since it was late in the day and I had not taken a serious power walk yet, to ... ahem ... walk to Ailin's day care and pick her up via stroller. That is 14,000 steps, which I did not realize until I was half way there and seriously regretted what I had done. It was dark, cold, a little windy & I was beginning to not look forward to the long walk home.

Someone had suggested I make the power walks fun by listening to music, so I have been listening to audiobooks. That did help. I also try to choose different areas and routes to walk so I don't get bored.

On the way home, I carried Luka in my ergo pack and made Ailin sit in the stroller. Of course, she wanted to walk at first but I convinced her that would not be a good idea. She kept asking me why I had walked instead of bringing the car, but the explanation about needing exercise in order to lose weight went over her head. (She thinks I am perfect...ha ha.) Finally, she became quiet (and cold even with a blanket covering her) and she sat back in the stroller.

About 3/4 of the way home, Ailin began wailing about her desire to get out and walk. I was really thirsty, and it was about 6pm by now. We should be back in our warm, cozy apartment with the smell of steamed rice and dinner cooking, but we were not.

Then I saw it...like a beacon in the wind. The big yellow arches.

(Side note: Last July, our local Denny's restaurant went out of business and was soon replaced by a McDonalds. I was going to write an entire blog entry about what this would do to the neighborhood, how it would affect our family and especially our kids as they grow up with a McDs so close to our house. It is literally 1 block away.)

But, there it was beckoning us to it. And, I said to Ailin, "Would you like to stop at McDonald's for a rest?" Of course, she immediately said yes and practically began jumping up and down in her stroller.

Once inside the McDonalds, I soon discovered the my wallet was completely empty of cash and that the only change I had added up to $5. After some quick soul searching (and much searching of all my pockets & bags), I decided to sacrifice myself and order a happy meal for Ailin. I figured she could eat her dinner now and then I would not have to make anything when we got home.

So, I sat there watching her eat, begging a few fries off of her and letting Luka play with a few fries himself. All I had was a cup of water. Okay, this was torture, especially with the poster on the wall by our table which shows all the items that are $1 or less. I mean, come on! I didn't even have that much!

Once home, I vowed to always hide a $10 bill in my wallet. The last one that was hidden there was not hidden well and I think Yusuke took it out just last week. (He was asking me if he could use it, and I said no, but I am pretty sure now that he did anyway.) I'll find a better hiding place for it next time.

I also vowed to not walk that far to pick up Ailin. It was a bit much, and it really wore me out. That said, I do have a secret agenda for our old red stroller that has definitely seen better days.

You see, I really want a new one - one of those spiffy double strollers that costs only $300. Yusuke refused to let me buy one, so now I am determined to wear the heck out of this one to the point of literally breaking in half so that I have a good excuse to get a new one. Seriously, I don't think it will take long.