On the ball

Today I went to a Pilates class. It was not with that teacher who was teaching me yoga before. It was with another teacher. I did not retain her name.

I am afraid to go back to that other teacher. What if she asked me why I was not staying for her yoga class? I remember last time her telling me that the yoga class was better. The other students told me that too.

What am I supposed to do now, say, ahem, no yoga, I'm Catholic?

"I'm sorry, I am allowed to go to Pilates but not to yoga."

That would go over great!

Howard says I should just say my mother will not let me do it.

Honestly, I sat there at work today worrying about this. I told myself Mary, you can go to her Pilates class. She probably will not talk to you. Even if she talked to you she might not ask about why you have not been in her yoga class.

But still. But still.

I could just picture her asking me about that. In that commanding tone she has.

I  could not go!

So I went to another Pilates class. Not hers. Someone else's. The good news is, the class felt good. These stretches etc. are good for you. Only once did I cause trouble. By mistake I stretched out and hit the hands of the gal next to me. Both of us started laughing and we moved our mats. It is a crowded class. The Buffalo Athletic Club is just packing us in like sardines.

It was a relaxing hour with soft guitar music playing, boing boing, de-boing boing.

Herewith, a Joseph Pilates photo album.

Here is our friend Pilates at 57.

And at 59.

Here he is a little bit older. He is 82! He is as old as Leonard Pennario was when I knew him. Pennario would get a kick out of hearing about my Pilates classes. Sometimes I still wish he were around so I could tell him stuff.

Is Pilates standing in the snow? It looks that way.

Maybe I will be strong like that now that I am studying Pilates instead of yoga. I will be able to go where I want and stand wherever I like barefoot whether there is snow there or not.

I will be a changed person!