Yesterday I got sad news at the gym where I have been dutifully attending to my yogurt diet. This coming August my YMCA will be closing. I understand exactly why it’s closing – it’s for all of the reasons I love the place:

  • It’s not crowded (low membership)
  • All essentials are there but no frills (not the most up-to-date)
  • The place smells like a gym and makes you want to work out 30+* years of sweat are worn into the place and can’t be cleaned off)

Wonder Boy and I now have to explore our other YMCA options or look into other area gyms. I’m assuming one of the YMCAs will work. Mainly because I hate the other chain gyms we could go to. They’re loud and the girls all try to look coordinated and cute. One of my favorite parts about working out (aside from the frozen yogurt I reward myself with) is the opportunity to read. At so many of the chain gyms there is music blaring and TVs on each machine. With that distraction, concentrating on a book is way more difficult. Blech.

The thing I will miss most about my gym has nothing to do with the people or working out. I love seeing the magnolia tree outside bloom every summer. The deep green waxy leaves and big flowers are just beautiful. When I walk by I can’t help but touch them. Last night I snapped some pictures so I wouldn’t forget:

*I have no idea how long my YMCA location has been there, just that my mom went there pre-me.

This post originally appeared on Kate’s Point of View. © Kate. All rights reserved.