Something Different

Logan and I have been walking around the neighborhood and admiring all the homes that we usually whiz by. As much as it’s fun to see what’s right in our backyard, I enjoy getting further away – whether it be running errands, or finding something going on. Yesterday, we went out to look at some summer clothes at the outlets as a secondary objective – the primary objective was still getting our walk on.

I quickly realized that shopping for clothes is more difficult than usual. Normally, I have a hard time finding shirts because I have disproportionately long arms for my puny neck. The United States doesn’t sell shirts in my size, although I have found European designers sometimes are more accommodating, and I didn’t have as big a problem finding fitted shirts when I traveled to England. Now that I have an even punier body and my arm length hasn’t changed, I don’t even bother looking for dress shirts – they just don’t exist.  I stuck to the shorts to see if I could find something. Even these I had to decide whether I should buy my ‘normal’ waist size, or go for the size I am right now. As a price conscious shopper, and someone who isn’t a slave to fashion, I stuck with my old ways and decided to shop for the ‘normal’ waist size and allow myself to grow into them. I was able to find some shorts, Logan found some shorts for her, and we got a fair number of steps in for our daily walk.

Later, on our way home, we chose to stop at the Anheuser Busch Factory for a free tour. What’s more ironic than a liver transplant recipient and his live donor going on a Beer Tour to get exercise during their recovery?

I did enjoy eating a bag of free pretzels and watching the beer bottles go down the conveyor belt, but obviously (hopefully if you’ve been paying attention at all) we did not partake in the free beer tasting at the end. [Logan’s note: Even if we could drink beer right now, I would not have chosen the beers offered. I am a beer snob and proud of it.] We then walked down to see the Clydesdales in the stables and even caught a glimpse of the working dalmatian, which was a pleasant surprise. I called one horse “Electric Fence”, because that’s what they named his paddock.

I feel like we’re tourists in our own area. The doctors have encouraged – and demanded – that we exercise and walk as much as possible. That gives us a reason to find other activities that require walking, such as factory tours, shopping, outdoor walks, etc. Once we (I) build up my climbing muscles again, we’ll start back onto hiking trails that allow great views. Until then, we can be mall walkers and tell ourselves that “it’s doctor’s orders.”