Creatures of habit

Amazing what creatures of habit we all can be. And how out of sorts we can get if someone comes along and gets in the way of those habits. Today, I went to the gym as I normally do on a Tuesday. I went at the same time, parked in approximately the same place, headed to the same section of the changing room to use the same locker. Ah, but someone had gotten there before me and taken number 88 (two fat ladies). Now, there's a method to my madness because at least I remember where the car is and which locker I've used. But I coped with this hiccup and used 91 instead.

I attempted to run 5K on the treadmill, then headed for my tone class. Now here's where I've trodden on someone else's habits. I've belonged to this gym since it opened. I've gone to this class for a pretty long time but quit going when the lazy fat cow (or should it be fat lazy cow) was teaching it. I always had my spot on the front left. But while I was gone some interlopers had come along and taken the front left. When the LFC left for greener pastures, I decided to return to the class and immediately went back to my front left position. But the interlopers weren't happy with this and would squeeze me out whenever they could or leave their weights in dangerous positions. No matter, I thought. And I persisted in reclaiming my spot. Till a few weeks ago.

I got to the class early and claimed my spot, yanking a mat out from underneath a pensioner who had gone to the Pilates class before and was a little slow leaving. I gathered all my weights, and thought I'd do the same for my friend who goes to the step class that always runs late. So I set myself and my friend up in my favourite spot. Along came the interlopers. The perma-tanned, newly divorced one was setting up her friends as well. One of them assumed my friend's spot was hers. I politely but firmly set her straight. The perma-tanned one wasn't happy and let me know that she sets up for everybody, not just her friends. Funny. I'd never noticed that before or since. Anyway, it was a wee bit awkward, to say the least. After laughing about it with my friend, I decided life was too short to let the interlopers get me down. Maybe the back of the class was just as nice. And so today, I came in determined to show these ladies and their sagging flesh that I could be flexible. I set myself up in the back in the class. And they didn't come. What a disappointment.

I was a bit on autopilot today anyway because hubby informed me yesterday that he could be made redundant by Christmas. Part of me is glad because then he'd be home for a change. But of course we do need someone to make some money around here so I can continue to go to the gym and torment the interlopers. I tell myself that I know people in far, far worse situations than ours. Our house is paid for. My son didn't get into the expensive, snooty, private school. We didn't move. We're both at that age, though, late 40s, that employers don't seem to know what to do with. They're in the habit of employing younger, less experienced people who don't need to or want to or know that they can earn more money. Some creative thinking might be in order here as we try to work out what to do. And we might have to let go of some of our habits.