I slept in for the first time in a long while, then got to the task of unpacking. It's amazing how much fit in our little SUV. I think we might have to name it, which is something I've never done with a vehicle, but it's not a car or a truck and really to little to call an SUV and I think it's going to be with us for a while so what should we name it?
Also went online to start finding out about Atlanta and how we were going to fit in . Skye and I took a nice walk to a Whole Foods Market down the street. It's around a mile and a half away so a bit to far to walk loaded down with groceries. However bicycling is a different matter.
Managed to find a gym within minutes of the house that has Brazilian Juijitsu classes, so I called up an made an appointment to take a class that evening.
So I went to this place X3 Sports not knowing what to expect and got my Gi on and started stretching and such, looking around taking it all in. For starters, pretty much everyone in the place was much younger than me. The warm-up was much more like when I first started many years ago. It was a workout in itself. Then we went over technique and drills and then open mat work. After rolling with a couple of the students, I worked out with the instructor, a black belt who also owned the gym. It was a very different style than I was used to and I became aware of several flaws in my game that were less apparent at the LA school as well as learning a few new tricks and techniques. I was happy to have found this gym, so close to our house.
Tuesday
After finding X3Sports with its juijitsu and yoga for me and potentially kickboxing for Skye, as well as having an aerial arts school to try out, the PE part of our Atlanta life was checked off now to look into local home school groups as well as the farmer's market scene.
I found a website that had a few farmer's markets and their dates as well as the Dekalb Farmers Market which Cindy had mentioned. It was open daily and in a regular building so I imagined something akin to the Ferry Building in San Francisco with goods from local vendors, although one comment on the website made my believe other wise which turned out to be the case. The market was in a huge warehouse building and the sign read Your Dekalb Farmers Market- A World Market. Inside it was huge with food from all over the world. There might have been a local section but since we weren't prepared to really do a shopping trip,(we were going to a home school park day after) and the place was over-lit, too cold and too much hustle and bustle, I overloaded and got us out of there.
We went the a park that was in the Atlanta Suburbs around thirty minutes north of us. The park was huge with stables on one end, several rec centers and playgrounds and shaded picnic pavilions. The website had conflicting times and it seemed that we were a bit early so we did some "car-schooling" while waiting. When people did get there it was a little intimidating, to approach a new group of "moms" and do introductions and such and then try to "fit" in, more of an outsider than normal. But the group was very polite and inclusive and Skye was off with one of the girls and then joined in on games of tag and climbing and in general hanging out. I was glad Skye had a good time, but it made me miss our life in LA, something I hadn't done much yet.
Wednesday
I went for a run today. It was the first time since the LA marathon and because I hadn't been able to find my running shoes I wore my Vibram 5 fingers. I only went for 4 miles, but between the humidity, not having exercised much recently and mostly the bare-foot aspect of things it was a rough 4 miles. I began to worry about the upcoming Tough Mudder.
Passed this on the run, will need to do some research.
Then it was off to kickboxing class. It would be the first time Skye had ever done something like it. For me it was a typical kickbox fitness class, not as much fun as the Kick, Fly, Breath class I had started doing back in LA, but Skye loved it. I mean really loved it and couldn't wait to get her own gear and do another class.
Now to go check out one of their farmer's market. I didn't expect too much because it was one Cindy hadn't heard of and it seemed to be small according to the website description. It was small but all local and the vendors were very nice. There just wasn't anywhere near the selection that there is at even the smallest farmers market in LA.
It was pretty windy, with high wind warnings, so maybe it was smaller and less attended than normal.
Thursday
I did my first yoga class in years which was great. What struck me was the make up of the class, four guys including myself and one woman. Interesting.
My calves were incredibly tight due to bare-foot run the other day and the kickbox class I'm sure added to my overall soreness. Skye was pretty sore as well so we pretty much chilled out and worked on her studies, getting organized and settling in.
Friday
We took a circus class today. It was a bit jumbled with new students, new instructors along with more advanced students and us. There was a lot to sort out in regards to accessing our basic skills on the various apparatus so we didn't get as much time on the trapeze as we had hoped for and none on the silk, but we did get to dabble with in things we hadn't really done before, like tight rope and the Spanish web, a long rope which has been covered by a soft cotton sleeve. An interesting place.
Skye did kickboxing class while I did Juijitsu which works out quite well. Again she had a great time.
All in all it was a great start to our new life on location.
