Use It Or Lose It

Something strange is happening. 

I don't drive, so I walk everywhere. I always have and I enjoy that. I've lived in this house for more than 34 years and everyday I walk downtown for the mail. That just takes 20 minutes to get there and get back home.  Some days I even do it twice.  No big deal.  I expected to continue to do that for many years to come. All of a sudden everyone seems to want to give me a ride.

I had a phone call Sunday night. A kind friend asked if I had a ride to our Red Hat breakfast the next morning. I laughed and said it was just down the street.  She told me it was going to be the coldest night of the year, and I asked how cold it would be. When she answered that it was going down to minus 23 Celsius, I thought, well, that's not cold for this time of year. I figure everyone is just spoiled with all single digits this year. Anyway, she insisted that she would pick me up, so I agreed.

Then, after the breakfast she was prepared to drive me home again. I said I could go home with my neighbour, who had also decided to drive that morning.  Only after she confirmed that my neighbour would indeed drive me home was she willing to leave without me.  I reminded the two of them that I would be walking over to the medical centre later in the day, and that was even further. 

When I got home, I noticed there was a phone message for me.  When I go to the medical centre, I often stop to visit a friend in that area on the way home.  I had called the night before, to make sure she was available.  The message was from her.  She wanted to know if I needed a ride to my appointment.  I let her know I would be walking and that I'd see her later.  And I did, but then she drove me home. 

This morning I was going to a social gathering downtown again, and my neighbour once again decided to drive me there.  Now, this is becoming a bad habit as it's not just the past couple of days that this has been going on.  It's been happening the past couple of weeks.  I'm wondering, did all these people read my blog entry about falling down, and decide to protect me from any more falls? 

Or maybe the fact that I recently let my hair grow out to it's natural silver makes them realize I'm older than they thought.  I don't know, but if I don't start walking again soon, I likely won't be able to.  Thanks for all your consideration people. There are time when I do indeed need and appreciate a ride someplace, but really, I can still make it downtown under my own power.