Keeping up the exercise

I realised this morning that I'm turning into my mother. Much though I adored her, this is a rather worrying development, rather like the moment when you realise that your mother's opinions weren't as silly as you thought when you were younger; indeed, they were actually rather sensible!

Why did I come to this realisation?

When I got up this morning, my first thought - after, "Cup of tea, now!" - was about taking a walk. Where should I go? When? What excuse could I think of for going? I ended up walking to the village for the third time this week. My purpose? Today, it was to go to the bank and buy some birdseed from the greengrocer; yesterday, I needed a bottle of milk. My mother and her friends used to do small amounts of shopping in this way, walking to their local shops every day for a loaf of bread, some cheese, some fruit... It's a way of life that seems to be vanishing as everyone leaps into their cars and heads for the supermarket. But it's good exercise! Staggering back up the hill with 4kg of birdseed and some fruit provided me with quite a comprehensive workout!

I seem to have got into the habit of taking a walk before starting work in the morning. I wonder if I'll keep it up when the weather becomes colder (or hotter)?

For now, though, it's a pleasant way to pass the time, continue to exercise and I'm beginning to recognise - and chat with - people who go out every day for the same purpose. I could, of course, join the ladies' walking group, but I saw them gathering in the village this morning, and they look much too serious for me.

I can hardly believe that after years of feeling too tired to creep to the end of the street, I'm now leaping out of bed ready to take a brisk trot before starting the day!