When the weather gets too hot, humid or wet, I seek a cooler climate for my daily walking. Fortunately, we have one old fashioned mall left in town. While my favorite walking spots are the brick paths of historic Williamsburg, airy boardwalk of Fort Monroe or the Riverwalk in Yorktown, Patrick Henry Mall is a great indoor alternative. I find natural and people scenery makes walking easier and more interesting. Trekking the neighborhood or on one of those horrendous YMCA treadmills turns exercise hour into an endless bore.
I used to snicker at my father and other oldsters plodding the mall in their snappy white tennis shoes. Now its my turn.
Since May I have lost over forty pounds by daily exercising and eating less. I hope to continue this "amazing habit" with a goal of reaching my Army weight (1966-69) by the end of 2017. Cutting out the carbs, sugar, and junk foods while doing an Atkins redux have helped, but the daily exercise is critical to my goal.
I find the mall an interesting venue. As a window shopper, I cannot find a product or service I really need or worthy of the fat mall prices. I have no desire to have my eyebrows done, body parts pierced or finger/toe nails manicured. Also, the clothing items are priced higher than the same slightly used fashions I uncover in my favorite high end thrift or consignment shop. The silver and gold treasures in the kiosks look sleazy and the food court represents the anti thesis to good healthy eats. This mall lacks a hardware, toy, hobby or book shop which might transform my walking into a buying experience. However, I am happy the mall exists and does enough business to feature walkie talkie guards, cleanup people, and good air conditioning.
While walking I have observed several distinct groups of mall visitors. During the week there are young mommies with their baby carts and squirming pre schoolers, older ladies in gangs of two or three toting bags of mall goodies, groups of bag less and giggling teenage boys and girls following each other, mall walking zombies, and stylish young ladies into serious shopping. On weekends complete family groups and seriously styled young men actively seeking those stylish young ladies mix with the weekday groups.
I enjoy the mall as I walk the large aisles of the anchor stores and main connecting walkways. As a non buying visitor I endeavor to avoid getting in the way of sales transactions, shoppers, and employees.
My only distraction has become the mens fragrance counter and testers in the high end department stores. The scents are exotic and expensive, but I find them alluring and a tiny free reward for my exercise. The perfume ladies smile as I spritz and don't seem bothered or anxious to make a sale. I think they understand I'm a harmless mall walker. I enjoy a moment slathering the cooling scents into my face, neck and hands. Out of the mall and into my car, some combinations are
surprisingly pungent especially in the closed space of a warm car.
Too heavily perfumed I wonder if my innocent mall walking will begin to smell like a seventy one year old old street walker ?
I used to snicker at my father and other oldsters plodding the mall in their snappy white tennis shoes. Now its my turn.
Since May I have lost over forty pounds by daily exercising and eating less. I hope to continue this "amazing habit" with a goal of reaching my Army weight (1966-69) by the end of 2017. Cutting out the carbs, sugar, and junk foods while doing an Atkins redux have helped, but the daily exercise is critical to my goal.
I find the mall an interesting venue. As a window shopper, I cannot find a product or service I really need or worthy of the fat mall prices. I have no desire to have my eyebrows done, body parts pierced or finger/toe nails manicured. Also, the clothing items are priced higher than the same slightly used fashions I uncover in my favorite high end thrift or consignment shop. The silver and gold treasures in the kiosks look sleazy and the food court represents the anti thesis to good healthy eats. This mall lacks a hardware, toy, hobby or book shop which might transform my walking into a buying experience. However, I am happy the mall exists and does enough business to feature walkie talkie guards, cleanup people, and good air conditioning.
While walking I have observed several distinct groups of mall visitors. During the week there are young mommies with their baby carts and squirming pre schoolers, older ladies in gangs of two or three toting bags of mall goodies, groups of bag less and giggling teenage boys and girls following each other, mall walking zombies, and stylish young ladies into serious shopping. On weekends complete family groups and seriously styled young men actively seeking those stylish young ladies mix with the weekday groups.
I enjoy the mall as I walk the large aisles of the anchor stores and main connecting walkways. As a non buying visitor I endeavor to avoid getting in the way of sales transactions, shoppers, and employees.
My only distraction has become the mens fragrance counter and testers in the high end department stores. The scents are exotic and expensive, but I find them alluring and a tiny free reward for my exercise. The perfume ladies smile as I spritz and don't seem bothered or anxious to make a sale. I think they understand I'm a harmless mall walker. I enjoy a moment slathering the cooling scents into my face, neck and hands. Out of the mall and into my car, some combinations are
surprisingly pungent especially in the closed space of a warm car.
Too heavily perfumed I wonder if my innocent mall walking will begin to smell like a seventy one year old old street walker ?
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