Fa – the Green Dragon

A Place for the Odd Musings of an Expat Bristolian

Category Archives: Health and well-being


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My Local Community Center

A Good Place to Belong

My local community center has played a significant role in my life over the past year. I have been attending regularly, except for a five-month break that was necessary due to an injury. In December 2025, I returned and resumed a modest walking and exercise routine, which I follow on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Since coming back, I have experienced remarkable support from the community of people who use the facility. From the very first day of my return, countless fellow exercisers greeted me warmly, welcomed me back, and expressed that I had been missed. Many even greeted me by my first name, which was both comforting and surprising.

Today, I completed 40 laps of the indoor track—about two and a half miles—with 30 laps using a walker and 10 laps without it. Afterward, I participated in a one-hour chair yoga session. This routine is helping me mend, and I am truly grateful to be part of a caring and supportive community.


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My shoes were made for walking

Did not go to the community center today. Instead, I found myself at a shopping mall. I don’t have the patience for shopping, so I walked about instead. Difficult to say for sure how far but close to a mile. Did me good.


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Yesterday and Tomorrow.

Yesterday I was able to walk with my walker for balance, about 4800yards i.e. 30 laps of the indoor walking track at my local community center. I followed that with a 1-hour group session of chair yoga.

Tomorrow I plan to do the same, and depending how I feel, will try for an additional 5 laps. We’ll see how it goes.


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Strength and Stamina are Improving

While the title is true, I have found that the Honey Do’s are increasing. Saturday was spent doing errands together with my dear spouse coupled with a few more around the house chores when that was done. I’m glad to be getting better but I was feeling quite “pooped” by the end of the day. Hence no post from yours truly, in spite of my goal to be more consistent. anyway, all is well on the mid-western front. However, the temperatures are extremely cold. On Saturday n we experienced -27F which is -29C. My sister in Warwickshire had a simple remark – “blimey”. Will post again soon.


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I did it again!

Today I walked again for one and a half miles and then participated in a one-hour chair yoga session. Feeling a little pooped but happy. At this rate Johnny, (my walker) will need an oil change and wheel rotation soon.


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Onward and Upward

A happy day today. Even with my walker, for my still unsteady balance. I was able to walk for a mile and a half. Albeit with frequent breaks, but I did it. Then I participated in a chair yoga session. Came away very pleased. Looking forward to doing the same again on Thursday.


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Silver Sneakers

On discharge from the Transition Care Unit, I was assigned home visits by a physical and occupational therapists. When they felt I was able to manage things by myself, they gave me the go ahead to resume my activities at my local community center. There, I am able to walk an indoor track as part of a program for senior citizens which they call Silver Sneakers. So I go there on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I try to arrive by about 7:15 a.m. I walk until 8:15 and then take a break for 15 minutes. I resume walking at about 8:30 and walk until 9:15. Then I make my way to a large gymnasium where I join a group of about 40 other seniors to participate in an instructor- guided Chair Yoga class for 1 hour.

This moderate exercise has done wonders for me. And while it can be a little tiring, I find it quite exhilarating. If it’s something you have never done before, it might worth considering.