Walking is Good Exercise

My son is 43 years old and about a year after he was born I began doing daily walks for exercise.  This continued for many years.  I walked a three-mile walk no matter what the outside temperature was.  Summertime walks were great because I sported a really nice tan, not to mention what walking did for my legs and body.  I was walking long before walking became popular as a good exercise.

Did I stop?  No, but did slow down.  Once I went back to work I continued need to walk maybe three evenings a week and then on the weekends. Mark, my son, would ride along on his bike when he was a little boy and that was enjoyable for both of us--our mother/son bonding time, but kids grow up and lose interest in bicycles, chase girls and drive cars instead. We bought a treadmill and I began walking on it in the garage but sometimes it was either too hot or too cold, so I didn't walk as much.

We moved from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Broken Arrow, OK in 2006 and brought the treadmill along. I was still working at my job at the Tulsa Health Department and would get up very early, take my morning walk in the neighborhood, which was a very nice neighborhood, come home, shower and get ready for work by 8:00.  Or I would walk in the evenings during nice weather.  We lived 5 miles from my job, so easy and a quick drive.  We also had a walking track at work but walking during lunch, getting hot and not being able to shower or fix my hair was not an option for me. 

I finally retired from the Health Department after 25 years  in 2010,  we sold our pretty home in Broken Arrow and moved to Texas in 2012.  With both children now married and homes of their own, we felt it was time to move and find a nice retirement place by a lake.  We found Rowlett, Texas!  Well, I have to say it isn't bad, but not the greatest place to live although it is close to the lake built some 20 years ago. It's called Lake Ray Hubbard, named after some well known person around here.  Guess I should check the internet and find out who the guy is but his lake is drying up so I'm not really interested in knowing, probably some politician anyway!  (I'll write about this lake one of these days. It's a shame but they really need more water in this lake.)

I've continued to walk although the neighborhood which is not conducive to a good walk because of uneven sidewalks, barking dogs, traffic, etc.  There are no walking trails close by so I joined a gym.  I tried walking across the bridge on 66th Street because it has a railed concrete path two miles across and two miles back, but cars drive by so fast and the exhaust is overpowering at times.  Now I'm walking on a treadmill again!  Well, it has a TV, air conditioning, a lot of other equipment to use, plenty of young jocks grunting and throwing around heavy weights.  The grunting and clanging is a little annoying but that's what they do.  And, it's only one mile from my house, a nail spa next door and Starbucks down the street.  I can walk on the treadmill and read at the same time.  There are a few older women such as myself, but not many. I see a few come in now and then but they don't seem to stick to the routine much.  Pity.  This is how I read on the treadmill!  

Find Something Interesting to Do

It's spring now, almost summer. Things are shaping up nicely around here with the house and all. Because of spouse's back problems we now have a "lawn" guy. First time ever for us!  But I'm finding there's little or nothing to do around here much anymore except watching grass grow.

I've met some nice old people at McDonalds to have a morning coffee or chat with. They are all nice but not really my type but it's something to do to get out of this house every day.  Starbucks is my kind of place because we are all busy with computers and iPhones and you don't have to visit with them, except the baristas are always friendly.  So I stop by McDonald's first  in my workout clothes, visit for about an hour--sometimes less--sometimes more, then head over to the gym for a 2 or 3 mile walk on the treadmill, then work on legs and another glutei type of machine and sometimes work on the lats and upper arms--yes, they really need it. Even though my arms are not heavy they still have a little underneath wiggle thing going on.  I buy a couple of power bars on the way out.  Oh yes, before I forget, I love to read while walking on the treadmill.  It's pretty simple actually.  There's a small ledge that will hold my iPad securely and I can read and not have to watch some stupid early morning talk show and reading makes a 3 mile walk go by much quicker.  Back to the power bars, so I've bought my power bars and then it's over to Starbucks for a caramel macchiato, nonfat of course, while devouring the power bar cause I'm pretty hungry by that time, some more reading on the iPad, a quick "check-in" on the iPhone and then I've finished with another morning!  Yeah! Sounds kind of boring to you I guess, but it's not all that bad really.

You see, I don't care about doing a lot of other things these days.  I don't care about having a friend to pal around with, cooking, sewing, painting, crafting, swimming, golf, cards, house cleaning, pet sitting or kid sitting, yard work, volunteering to feed the homeless, nursemaid, or any other volunteer type of job, although it would be fun when school starts again to volunteer reading and helping kids learn to write and express their feelings on paper.  It could work for me--might give it a try.  

I love reading, especially vampire stories, Facebook, Pinterest, shopping, lunch out at a sidewalk cafe, drinking wine, going to movies ( I just saw Godzilla in 3d last Friday), pedicures--just easy going type of stuff which is all about me!

I was thinking this morning if I could meet a nice rich old lady (or old man) who might be looking for a traveling companion--not in USA, but abroad, I might consider it.  My granddaughter is studying in England currently and she has visited so many wonderful places so now I really want to go but not alone.  She said she will take me there some day and I'm counting on it.