Walking and Reading

Because I had a free morning last week before I flew out of Chicago, I decided to take a long walk to a sporting goods store both to get a bit of exercise before a 9 1/2 hour (or so) flight and to look for a particular item we had in the exercise room at Mundelein Seminary.

I had no idea what they were called, but they were pieces of formed plastic that fit over a treadmill on which you could place a book. A "lip" formed into the plastic kept a book open for you so you could use the treadmill or elliptical machine without difficulty. These plastic these were so simple but so brilliant, as well.

For years, I've been looking for one without success (otherwise I wouldn't have continued looking). Chicago, though, being what it is, I thought my chances of finding one in the Windy City would be high.

I was, however, mistaken (though I did find a nice pair of light, athletic gloves that will be helpful in the chilly but very humid winters of Italy). Even so, the employee with whom I spoke took me a computer and offered to help track one of these plastic devices down. Since he had never heard of one and I did not know what they were called, he googled "treadmill accessories" and found one for me, which he offered to order for me so I could pick it up in a few days. Since I would be in Rome, I asked if he could print the page for me so I could order it myself; he kindly agreed and the item - to my great surprise - arrived from U.S.A. yesterday (I ordered it on October 2nd).

Without a book

With a book

Now I can once again get a little exercise without wasting time.