Category Archives: Fun for Couples

Jul 08 2013
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Around the House/DIY, Fun for Couples, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Solitary Fun

Day 287: Active Me

Life is different as an active person. I spent a little time reflecting upon the changes I’ve undergone from last summer to this summer. Last summer I walked with a cane. This summer I’ve been hiking, biking, and walked 3.1 miles to raise money and awareness for the Arthritis Foundation. Last summer, after a long day at work, I would most likely have sat on the couch watching tv all evening. Tonight, instead, the hubs and I cooked and ate dinner, picked up around the house and went through a couple “junk drawers” in preparation for our upcoming Iowa garage sale. Then I practiced the dulcimer. We did not turn the tv on all night. (Well, until 9:00 when reruns of How I Met Your Mother come on for an hour).

At the end of the day, I feel so much better having participated in and accomplished all of these things than I ever did “resting” on the couch. While it may still be necessary from time-to-time, resting on the couch is not actually all that restful when done in large doses. I’m loving what feels like a new life!

Jul 07 2013
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Fitness, Fun for Couples, Outdoor Fun, Rheumatoid Arthritis

Day 286: Bikes, Part Two

Ok. More about the bikes. Mine is a Schwinn Legacy Cruiser. That just means it looks vintage but isn’t. Cruisers have one speed and sit low enough that both feet can touch the ground. The hubs got a hybrid which means it rides well on streets and mountains. His is also a Schwinn and green. We look like quite the pair on our lemon yellow and grass green bikes.

Today we took them out for the first official ride. I am planning on using mine to ride to work, a little over one and a half miles away from our place. I really don’t want to ride on Irving Park (pretty busy four-lane street) even though it is the most direct route, so we tested out the more bike friendly, back road way. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be, not the Chicago city streets, but the physical effort. When my RA is more active, I become less active. This often causes my RA to become even more active and thus a vicious cycle of increasing amounts of pain and increasing time of rest. So as much as I try to work out when I can, I often feel out of shape. The bike ride did nothing to dissuade that. It was hard. I was panting and sweaty. It was actually kind of gross. But also freeing and fun. I think I might just need more practice before I can feel good about riding to work, otherwise I’ll look a total mess all day. I’m definitely looking forward to facing this new challenge on my new, bright yellow friend!

Jul 06 2013
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Fitness, Fun for Couples, Outdoor Fun, Rheumatoid Arthritis

Day 285: Bikes!

OMG the hubs and I bought bikes! I don’t know what else to say. It’s so fun!!!!!!!!!

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Jun 30 2013
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Chicago Specific Fun, Friends and Family, Fun for Couples, Nightlife, Outdoor Fun

Day 279: Mike and Joe

The hubs and Chad talk about Mike and Joe like everyone who went to the University of Illinois knows who they are. Like most people in Chicago of a certain age (read early to mid 30’s) worship these cover band gods. This may be true but only because Mike and Joe allow these Illinoisans to cling to their music the way they cling to their college years and lost youth. So you can imagine my disappointment when the legends themselves played at the Southport Festival to a crowd of only 100 or less. Though there were some definite rockers of the early 90’s reliving senior year of high school through this duo’s soothing covers of DMB and Third Eye Blind (the hubs and Chad included). Ok, fine. I was totally jamming out as if my high school boyfriend was introducing me to Weezer all over again. Playing The Sweater Song is what did it for me Mike and Joe.

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Jun 29 2013
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Chicago Specific Fun, Food/Drink Fun, Fun for Couples, Outdoor Fun

Day 278: Art Day

The hubs and I spent the day together looking for Art. First, we hit up the Gold Coast Arts Fair, which is not in the Gold Coast at all but in Grant Park. Last year, we bought some lovely cloud pictures taken by an artist with a kids camera. Unfortunately, we did not really find anything we wanted to spend our money on.

Next, we headed up to the Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival, a short street fair full over home made jewelry, clothing and other crafts. Again, we came home empty handed, but had a great time looking at everything and discussing our opinions of many of the pieces.

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