Post Lockdown1 and pre Lockdown2 my friend, a neighbour, held dance classes with a few of the ladies in our ācul de sacā. We were outside and at least two metres apart. We all felt COVID secure and this was important because a number of the participants are over seventy.
Two mornings a week, weather permitting, we met at the end of the close, away from traffic and exercised to pop songs of the late sixties and early seventies. I appreciated my friend, an ex PE teacher, for taking up her time in choreographing and supplying the music. Not being able to go the gym and, when it did open briefly, only offered equipment exercise, which isnāt my scene. I enjoy classes and find it very difficult to self motivate. Embarrassingly I have to own up to not partaking of anything other than marathon walking with my husband as my main form of exercise.
These twice weekly classes were fun and I got to chat to people other than my husband and get to know my neighbours better. I worked as hard as I could to get the most benefit. But then Lockdown2 brought in restrictions only allowing us to meet up with one other person outside. Holding these classes would have made us illegal and subject to a heavy fine if caught!
We all felt saddened and our WhatsApp group became a hive of activity. There was nothing stopping us from meeting up with a neighbour and having a walk. We have a three kilometre circuit outside our back garden so it was decided to meet on Friday, in pairs, at an agreed time. I wasnāt able to join but the text messages afterwards applauded its success.
I had one of my wakeful nights on Friday. I had an idea, which I shared with my friend over the weekend. There was nothing stopping us from meeting in pairs and keeping our distance as we did the circuit walk. But my friend bought into my idea of periodically stopping, doing a couple of minutes of exercises and then carrying on with our walk.
We did ājumping jacksā, āhigh kneesā and arm exercises and then ran up small sections of hills a couple of times. This increased our heart rate and we got vital vitamin D, which in now perceived to be important in the fight against COVID. It boosts immune systems and, at this time of year, the sun isnāt supplying! We were still legal and remained COVID secure! Win! Win!
So this virus isnāt going to be allowed to curtail vital exercise, important for mental and physical wellbeing. Of course, like with most outside activities in this country, the weather is the all deciding factor! But we arenāt going anywhere so can be flexible and take each day as it comes. We should hopefully manage at least twice a week. After these exercises Iāll go on our usual walk with my husband so he will also be catered for!
I have heard that one of the vaccines has out performed itās trials and should become available by the end of this month. Of course Iāll be way down the list but at least the health workers, care homes and those especially vulnerable should get vaccinated by the end of the year. There is talk that we could all be back to normal by the spring. Dare I begin to hope?
I am getting desperate so have decided to live life on the edge! Perhaps itās time to start looking forward to 2021! My husband wants to visit South America after we have seen our son and his family in the US. Iāve taken little notice when he reads out some of the tour details. Perhaps Iāll be a bit more interested? Heaven forbid if I actually start making proper holiday plans! That would see me leaping right out of my box! A rare sight indeed!
Iāll keep you posted! š
Jenny Burrell 