Peanut

Written using the following randomly-chosen words as a prompt:

travel; Europe; information; walk; fet fit; finally

“Keep fit classes,” my GP suggested.
“Before I can join a keep fit class, I have to get fit,” I replied.

I can always find an excuse not to exercise. Osteoarthritis in all my joints, stiffness which goes with Parkinson’s disease, two metal knees, etc etc. The real reason is that I detest the ritual, the hilly neighbourhood I live in, walking the same walks, putting my mind in gear, the list is endless.

I can do random walks when in a strange place (geographically) and can walk round my garden ad infinitum, pull up a weed or two, tie up an unruly Rudbeckia, gather up the expelled Yukka leaves, any amount of pruning. There is always something that needs attention if you have a garden. But exercise …

I do love to dance, but Zumba nearly killed me, I don’t have the coordination or the nerve to do ballroom dancing, what does that leave? I have been known to check that the neighbours are not around, ask Alexa to play Saturday Night Fever  and then gone into my disco diva act. But nowadays I would fall over a lot, so let’s not dwell on that!

Walking holidays were a regular event in my youth; the Peak District, The Lake District and a few cliff top walks in Europe, mainly along the Granite Rose coast of Brittany. Nowadays travel is restricted to wherever I can go without having to endure seemingly endless flights packed with screaming children and drunken revellers, or places that have hospital staff that speak English. This involves a lot of pre-trip information gathering.

Finally, I have decided that I will never be fit enough, so I’ll settle for getting   a little fitter (gas, electric, kitchen, bathroom !!!???)

J Taylor