Lentil soup is a Monday night tradition around here.  It’s especially nice this quarter, as the husband has an evening class.  I have a quiet evening to putter around, chop vegetables for the soup, maybe clean house a bit or read a book…it’s very relaxing and domestic.  And a pot of soup can simmer and become increasingly yummy for however long it takes the husband to fight through traffic.  Tonight, I switched up my basic lentil soup recipe by replacing the cumin and oregano with fresh sage and thyme, omitting the tomatoes, and adding the juice of a lemon and a splash of white wine.  To go with, I had some green grapes (unpictured) and a few Ak-mak crackers with sheep cheese I bought at the Sunday farmer’s market.  I am addicted to that cheese.  It has a slightly firm, creamy texture a bit like chevre, but less crumbly.  The flavor is sweet and mild and not too salty.  I adore it.  I don’t know what I did before I discovered farmers market cheese makers.

I have decided that it is time to whip an old friend out of the back of my closet:  my beloved pedometer.  I got this little beauty on Amazon for $20 last year and it is the best piece of fitness equipment I could ever have bought.  I feel so much better when I stay active, and for me, walking will always, always be my primary form of exercise.  I love it.  It’s like therapy.  I never get bored of stretching my legs and my lungs, enjoying the fresh air and people-watching.  And better yet, walking is one of the few things that I know I can do no matter how badly my chronically injured foot behaves.

The thing is, I constantly vary my routes.  And depending on my schedule, I may take one long walk or a number of shorter ones.  This is where my pedometer comes in.  By setting a step goal, I can maintain a reasonably consistent level of activity even as I vary my walk routes.  And since I carry it in my pocket everywhere I go, it provides me with extra motivation to do small things like take stairs or get off the bus stop a bit early. 

For months I carried this little guy everywhere with me, but I fell out of the habit during the summer when I spent most of my day in professional clothes without pockets.  But I’ve been falling behind on my walking with the darker days and I think I need a little bit of extra motivation.  So the husband and I are going to start carrying our pedometers again and “race” each other.  We’re big fans of America on the Move, a fun website that lets you record your steps and track your progress against various famous trails and races.  So we’re going to get moving together.  I know I feel so much better when I get my 10,000 steps!