Okay, it’s finally February, so how do we zip through the shortest month of the year rather than trudging like zombies through ever-present snow and slush, all the while shivering in our boots? Well for starters, the Groundhog’s prediction tomorrow might just put a spring in our step. Exercise will do it for you as well. The month of February also marks the 50th annual American Heart Month, which is more than candy and flowers exchanged at Valentine’s Day, but a time to take stock of your diet, overall health and exercise routines – anything that will help to keep your ticker in shape. Twenty-eight years ago today we buried my grandmother who was felled by a massive heart attack three days earlier. Her eight siblings predeceased her, all due to various heart ailments. My mother had a heart arrhythmia. Me – knock on wood – I am as healthy as a horse. I truly do miss my daily walks though, especially my trips to Council Point Park. The first year I began my walking regimen, we had that wonderful Winter with one or two snowfalls, perhaps the occasional dusting of snow and very mild weather. But that season was a fluke, much like this Winter of 2013-2014. In an effort to keep myself in good shape and ready to walk come Spring, I started the exercise bike regimen, yet I have struggled to integrate the bike ride into my morning routine. Throughout the many weeks when I walked, the alarm went off and I bounced out of bed, ready to take on the day. The tedium of this Winter has made it easier to reach over and shut the alarm off and rely on the snooze alarm multiple times instead. How easy and luxurious it is to snuggle further underneath the warm blankets in my polar fleece PJs, and just forego trekking down to the cold basement to sit on the bicycle in my shorts and tee-shirt and go nowhere. Yup, my get-up-and-go has got up and went as the old saying goes. I have only made it downstairs a handful of times in the past few weeks. Well, the calendar page flipped over today and my attitude has as well. I set the alarm last night and abided by it. I got up, ate breakfast and downstairs I went. Sure, it was uncomfortably cold in the basement, but certainly not as frigid as the past few weeks. Of course, the scenery is rather boring – much clutter in a finished basement with just a small end table lamp illuminating the room while I am pedaling. Luckily, in the dim light I don’t see the furniture that should be dusted, nor the carpeting that needs to be vacuumed. Also on the plus side, I know I won’t have to change those darn fluorescent lights if I burn them the entire time I am downstairs. So lowlights it was while I climbed aboard my exercise bike. It’s a time to reflect, or think about the day’s agenda while listening to the whir of the wheels as they go round and round, but I was also wearing my radio headphones for company. I took a small flashlight to keep peering at the odometer, eager to make my goal of three miles today. I peeked at my mileage, then pedaled some more. I stole another glance when it seemed I must’ve gone at least a mile, only to find it was a mere 5/10s of a mile, so I pedaled faster. Then the furnace came on; a hot blast of air that felt like a heat wave and I stopped pedaling and took a breather. Finally the heat abated, and I began anew. I listened to Warren Pierce interview three guests who weighed in on tomorrow’s best Super Bowl ads, heard the news of the day for the second time and today’s changeable weather forecast. Before I knew it my three miles was a done deal and oh joy, I could now head upstairs and do housework (although the prospect of going back to the warm, cozy bed sounded much nicer). Unlike walking, there were no interesting encounters to be had, but a solitary ride, like a solitary walk, gave me the chance to get grounded and I like my morning “me” time. I agree with the adage that you are your own best company.