How is this year shaping up so far? Write a post about your biggest challenges and achievements thus far.
I am alive. In spite of unexpected aches and pains and twinges I have overcome it all up to now. Benches have become an important asset when taking a long walk in the country. My walks have now become few and far between, mainly due to Mr. Swiss that is now in recovery at home, but he will soon be back on the trail and we will pull our aching limbs together and speed through the countryside again. We are very lucky to have this bench, although it seems to be neglected by many. It is situated on the last home stretch (or at the beginning) of the path to the castle. It seems that it has been ignored as it is only the golden oldies that need a bench after a five minute walk for a pause, but we are the survivors.
Actually I feel quite sorry for this bench, left in the middle of a field and being surrounded by dandelions and tall grass, but it serves its purpose.
I did not really know where I was going with this prompt, but I suppose I could make it a posting to the honour of resting places. My map of the local area is not marked with streets, roads or bus stops, but with benches. Places where you can rest your weary legs and think about things. What do these benches do in Winter when it is cold and snowing? Are they covered in ice exposed to temperatures cold enough to freeze off a ducks posterior. No, the Swiss are careful with their benches. They are an important part of golden oldie life. Imagine if there were no benches to welcome the surviving members of the golden oldie club in Spring. There would be an uprising. Hordes of golden oldies would march to the local town hall waving their walking supports, those lucky to have a mobile means of transport would tune up the motors of their wheelchairs and steer on the motorway in a protest movement at speeds to honour being a member of the golden oldie Hell’s Angels.
Of course our local government takes into consideration the raging percent of the population and under this threat of a senior citizen uprising, they remove the benches during the Winter months, as it is recognised that the population of grey haired (perhaps even hairless) members do not take walks that require a bench in the Winter. They are then looking after their stamp collections, writing their memoirs, or filling out their tax forms. Sometimes they even spend time on their computers composing blogs telling everyone all about it. About what? Yes that is the problem, new ideas are disappearing and the golden oldie population becomes frustrated.
Thank goodness for the Spring when the warmer weather arrives. When we can all put away our lineaments, ointments and pain killing tablets for rheumatic joints. We polish our Nikes and walking boots and see that we are again ready to rediscover the wonders of nature. If you were lucky and managed to get out of the house in a pause between frost and snowfalls, you might have been able to take advantage of the January sales when walking boots for golden oldies were at half price. Imagine the glances of jealousy when your 70 year old neighbour notices that your 80 year old feet now wear the most modern air filled trainer shoe soles.
And so we now have the month of May where our annual training programme is well on its way. January the joints began to thaw out, in February it was even possible to take a few hesitant steps into the garden to feed the birds. March was full of winds, so we could watch from behind he window how the leaves were piling up. We could not risk a walk as there was the danger of being blown over and perhaps losing our hairpiece. April is known for its showers, and a warning is issued that damp weather causes the joints to rust and become stiff. That is when we begin our indoor sports, walking with the hoover and exercising the window cleaning arms. When May arrives we are ready. The benches are in position and the paths are cleared.
“Morning Mrs. Smith, nice day for a fresh walk. How are you?”
“Oh, not too bad, although I feel it in my back more than last year. Thank goodness the local council have returned the benches and look, they have given them a fresh makeover. How nice and clean.”
And so Mrs. Smith takes a rest on her favourite bench, just a few steps from her front door and reflects on how the year is shaping up so far. Don’t we all?
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