Need some exercise?

There is a country where the Government has become so transparently corrupt that even the Law Courts are ruling against them. Explanations are being required for payments made to friends who had no experience in the field in question. They have also given themselves sweeping powers to pass laws without debate or the usual channels of scrutiny. The Government now want to pass a law that bans protest and demonstrations except under their own defined circumstances thereby suppressing dissent. Unbelievably, British people are staring into the face of oppression and corruption. And perhaps, by the time you read this, the outrage at the heavy handed police response to a peaceful womens protest might have gone around the world. 

Picture: sky news

Meanwhile, some loud mouth has walked off a tv show for using his loud mouth claiming free speech as his shield. My parents always used to say that if you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all. Oh, if only we were all heeding such guidance.

We’re still in a lockdown. Jeez. The living room fire surround has been replaced and the job finally complete. The kitchen is still only 2/3rds finished and we desperately now need to livery up the van and erect a monster shed in the garden. The cat has worms. Some people my age have retired  – but I think I would find it dull.

I think a dose of worms might help me lose a few lockdown pounds but better to exercise, I suspect. For someone who would cycle a couple of thousand miles a year I have noticed my fitness nose dive during the last 15 months or so. And, like many people, the notion of being fit is laudable but the exercise bit can be a challenge when it’s easier and cosier to stay home and read a good book. Exercising the mind, of course.

A strange sensation sometimes comes over me as though I just want to run wild, anywhere anyhow. A jail break from the confines we find ourselves under.

I’m sure I’m not the only one. But if I did, I’d be panting in no time. Alcohol intake hasn’t been too bad. But the lack of inspiration, of any sort of external stimulus, has really dulled the senses. I always realised that going to the gym was a discipline and the first hurdle was to get into the car and drive there. I actually enjoyed it when there though. I could feel myself getting fitter and the post workout coffee and newspaper was part of the routine too. But with the lack of routine with external stimuli comes a routine with no external stimuli you realise that actually getting out of your pyjamas is the first hurdle of the day. And to be honest, I was never much of a hurdler. Three strides – hup – three strides – hup   I couldn’t even jump to conclusions.

When the kids were young we would often pull out the furniture into the middle of the room and run around to Talking Heads. It was great. We all loved it and still recall the fun today. Kids are smaller and take up less space – as adults I think the same thing would turn into a conga line.

But what better then than to grab your funniest hat and do the modern version instead … I need to work on flexing a creaky knee.