Happening – something that happens
an event or series of events designed to evoke a spontaneous reaction
Last Monday I slipped into my Assistant Tour Director role going with some very sprightly (when they ‘drive’ their ‘chariots’) ladies along with their gentleman ‘escort’ to lunch at a home right on the water, down the bay in Aspendale.
Lots of jokes about why they hadn’t worn their bathers – not one of them under 85 but they reckoned they still ‘had it’ and if it’d been a bit warmer they might have – how it had been a perfect day – bit cloudy in the morning but they’d seen yachts and sea gulls, walked along the board walk (but weren’t too happy about looking like ‘those old people you see who go to the beach and spend their time sitting on a bench staring out to sea’) – they agreed they’d had the best beach lunch of fish and chips and ‘fizzy lemonade’ and to top it all off the sun finally made an appearance just before they left to come home
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Tuesday was pool day!
After being on the go most of Monday I needed the quiet warm water cure – slow movement to rejuvenate my weary bones.
So it seemed did many others.
It reminded me of the saying – ‘the gang’s all here’…several (some I’d never seen before) turned up the same time as me all intent on doing the same thing, so there was a bit of (what I thought was) light hearted banter ‘move on down the bus’ as we jostled spread out trying to get a spot on the side.
The slope means I (and other shorties) can only move so far down or the water’ll be over my head – which could be a problem- so the taller ones (most of were the ‘new people’) decided there was nothing for them to do but reluctantly ‘move on down’. There was a bit of ‘muttering’ (that I wasn’t the only person to hear) about how there should be seperate times for all these ‘clapped out oldies’ so that those ‘exercising’ could have room to do so – which isn’t what this pool is designed for.
And I could swear (like teenagers) some of the clapped out oldies altered the distance between each other so there appeared to be less room for the ‘new ones’😊
Each time I use the warm pool I’m reminded of a comment once made by a physio about how – “You don’t have to be a ‘marathon man’ to be devoted to fitness’ – slow and sure (like the tortoise) will achieve my needs. So I make sure I’m doing all he suggested (plus more from other sources)
Yes it’s in French but seemingly it was one of the best instruction charts he had because it actually showed the muscles you were working
Sometimes life doesn’t play nice and ‘we’ have to accept the limitations that are almost thrust upon us if pre-existing ‘ailments’ decide through no fault of our own to worsen.
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And this is last week’s overheard gem from a regular:-
“I’m trying a new way of eating. I’m eating foods that are ingredients- not foods that have ingredients”.
“What about bread?” her walking partner asked. “It’s got lots of ingredients”
“Oh that’s different, you have to have bread to put salad on and make a sandwich”
Monday Musings – a time to think and ponder
What are you thinking about this Monday morning
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Wednesday Words and Whimsy can be found HERE.
Deb and Sue will be hosting until Min is able to return
Still Waters 
Your outing reminds me of going out with mother and her friends…not for nothing were they nicknamed the ‘naughty nineties’! It was like herding cats!
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They really are/were a fun group and yes, ‘we’re going this way – no, not that way’
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Oh gosh… I remember doing water aerobics when we were in Illinois. That was a long time ago.
It’s still Sunday here in Hawaii. 🙂
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Maybe time to return Kay – if there’s a pool near you. Take Art along as well. Sea walking is also good for your muscles- if you live near the beach😊
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That was a nice day out for the oldies.
The chart looks very useful. I’ve never seen one like that before.
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The chart in that form was something new to me Andrew. I’m a visual person so it definitely helped.
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the salad on bread has me ROFL.. i have said many times that bob and I and others our age that I obeserve are regressing back to Toddler Hood. sounds like you have a lot of aging back to Toddlerhood in your pool. I can attest to all these pool excerises that years of doing them has me still walking. I am the last one walking in five of my friends and we are all the same age.
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They really do help don’t they Sandra. You do have an advantage over many of us by having the pool in your own backyard, the year pleasant year round weather plus the joy of not having to jostle for a spot.
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those pool exercises look the part. My mum’s late life partner had copd and used to daily walk multiple lengths of the local pool. Brilliantly they had built the complex with a diving pool and several swimming pools, the main one of which was the same depth all over so anyone but a 3 year old could walk lengths. And they laned off a bit of it specifically for walking exercisers – young and old.
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All on one level would be handy for us who are ‘height disadvantaged’- wouldn’t have to worry about being swallowed up. Can’t complain though, many don’t have access to a pool never mind a special needs one.
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I think the sprightly ladies have it figured out. And I love sitting on a bench watching a body of water. Human nature is the same everywhere. I smiled as I read your account of exercising in the water. I attended a water aerobics class for a number of years.
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Next time sea bathing for all!
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I relish my time in the sea during the winter in tropical Queensland – the water down here in Victoria is a different matter. It flows up from the Antarctic so has to be a really hot day before I’d dip my toes into it
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I remember taking my MIL and some of her aged care resident friends to Redcliffe where we sat by the water and had fish and chips. They had such fun. Another fun outing was taking a ride on the City Cat ferries up and down the Brisbane River. It doesn’t take much to bring joy to others, does it? Like you, Cathy, I’m 5’2″ so can only walk so far in the pool before I’m under water! Thanks for linking up to #WWWhimsy and have a lovely week. x
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You know Sue, one of the best things I’ve done in the past 10 yrs is to begin volunteering for this aged care facility. It’s a win win situation- I love it, love and enjoy the company of those older than myself plus get great satisfaction from being there using skills acquired many years ago – and I know from remarks made by administration they love having me there. No resident has shied away from me either😊
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I finished when my MIL passed away but there is an aged care near where I live now so I might revisit. I loved getting to know everyone and some of them never had visitors. My husband and I would visit them when we went to visit his Mum which as several times a week. They probably got sick of us LOL 🙂
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What a fun day out you had with the chariots Cathy! The benefits of aqua aerobics are many and I must admit I’ve been lax about attending our classes this summer, although I have good excuses. My bike riding is my fun activity with the wind blowing through my hair!
Thanks for joining us for #wwwhimsy (and for noting that Sue and I are guest co-hosting for Min), it’s a fun linkup and we get to connect with other lovely bloggers like you!
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