Gym, Jab, Mahjong

 Friday was a back-and-forth kind of day.

        

  In the morning I was noble and good, and went off to my Boomer Boot Camp class at the Y. I noted that the 90+ year-old lady who is usually positioned across the gym from me was back. I’ve lost track of her age, but I think it was two years ago that we all celebrated her 90^th birthday. She’s about as big as a minute, and often dressed in plum.

          Friday’s instructor is a fit 60ish, who strolled around beforehand wishing everyone a good morning. I call her the Talker, since she provides an unnecessary and completely indecipherable (in the echoing gym) commentary as we work out. Someone should tell her about the writers’ mantra of “Show, Don’t Tell.”

          Shower, lunch, and I was off again – this time for my over 65 flu shot. I’m still deciding about whether to get the RSV one, too, although I probably will. I’m happy to say that, as usual, I’ve had no reaction to this year’s Covid or flu shots.

          From there I traveled a good 25 minutes to the library of another town. One advantage to a new library is the chance to snag authors I’ve use up at mine, this time a Joanna Trollope and a Donald Westlake. If you’ve never read one of Westlake’s caper novels (he's also written hard-boiled detective, but not my cup of tea) you’re missing out. I really do have an embarrassment of riches right now since I’m both savoring and rushing through a Martha Grimes, so good I can’t get enough but know how sorry I’ll be when it’s over. Brilliant writing, brilliant characterizations.

          Anyway. I was also there to check out not just books, but their Friday Mahjong group. The weather’s closing in and I need some indoor fun.  

          I’ve played at a neighboring senior center, a smallish room with walls full of books and overstuffed couches covered chintz. A little claustrophobic, although the women (mostly earnest church-lady types) were very nice.

          I also tried our own senior center, such as it is, really only a couple of rooms at one end of the YMCA. We were in a catch-all kind of room, with exercise bikes and boxes. Not a problem, except everyone wore a mask. I gamely stayed and played for a bit, but I haven’t been back to see if the mask rule is still in effect. No interest here in wearing a mask for 2+ hours.

          This other library was recently built and its floor-to-ceiling windows have an eye-popping view of falls that roar past. (I’ll try to remember to take a picture next time) The Mahjong gang was spread out in a large airy room with plenty of that vista. I think I’ll be back.