I still feel like a child within. I have a difficult time looking in the mirror and seeing a fully realized mature man. You would have believed the birth of my second child would have changed it, but I still seem to be in self-denial of the aging process.

And regarding aging — or rather putting it off — my dear wife and I moved into a new house and this home possesses enough space in the basement for a exercise room my wife had always desired. Of course, I am seeing dollar signs when I brainstorm all the large and tiny items essential, from the essential but oft-neglected weight benches and mats for exercise to selecting the most versatile stationary bicycle. An exercise bike can be tricky these days. Do I buy an upright or a recumbent exercise bike? Should you select an old-school analog or electronic?

Of course, my dear wife seems determined to get an elliptical trainer too. You read that right. A stationary bike and an elliptical trainer — not only one or the other. My guess is that it will go with the cream for stretch marks she started using after the birth of youngest child. Oh boy I’m gonna get it for that joke.

I must be careful with the budget because our new house is more of a fixer-upper. We desired it to be this way, but we still must carefully budget everything, even to a knob for a cabinet (I’m not kidding). My wife has an ambitious kitchen cabinet refacing design plotted, but must remind her the bathroom sinks she wishes installed shall set us back a pretty penny, too.

Thankfully, we both appreciate the organic, rustic look, so we are furnishing our new house with natural furniture. Of course, it still involves some polishing off, but she and I can keep our expenses down and create better furniture than we could purchase anywhere anyways.

I recently uncovered a great pair of coffee tables with some decent, raw knotting and a console table in matching oak. For our patio outside we are considering an outdoor fireplace and we will furnish with a little inexpensive furniture made with wicker initially.

Furnishing a new house might seem so adult, but I can’t help but sense I am merely playing house. The exercise equipment and furniture just feel like a new era of playthings.

Filed under: Opinion

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