Over the years my health was like a wave. Some years it’d go up and I’d be doing great. Other years it would go down and I’d feel like shit. It all depended on what life was throwing at me at the time.

At some point along the way I began collecting up fitness equipment. Free weights and dumb bells, benches, etc.

Well, up north here I finally have a space I’ve been able to put all of that stuff in. It’s my new home gym.

It was actually one of the first projects I did here last fall. I repainted the space, added some rubber flooring, and a sound system. The I obviously put my equipment in there. Toss in a treadmill, a rowing machine, and some pullup bars from the ceiling and well’a, a gym is born. Yet it wasn’t quite ready to show off.

As I settled in to the place and unpacked boxes, I came across those boxes that get moved a lot but never opened. Years of navy memorabilia. What the hell do I do with that stuff? Frankly, it’s all stuff no one is going to want. It won’t mean anything to my boys after I’m gone. I can’t take it with me. I almost had a fire and tossed the lot of it right on. But then it occurred to me.

I had painted the gym the traditional blue and gold of the US Navy. I must have know at the time what was coming. I decided to hang all my plaques up out there. I’ve been adding in some photos I think are pretty neat. And an array of flags.

Now it’s a gym. One that I’m proud to show off. What’s more, I love going out there and working out.

Let’s start at the before picture. This area doesn’t look like much.

This is what a bit of paint can do!

That’s it for the tour. I’ll continue to add photos and other items on the wall as I come across them. It’s fun.