"Fat to Fittie"

Not sure if it’s because of my approaching 60th in two years, or as inspiration for when I can walk again, but I thought it was about time I wrote a bucket list. Buying a book to record them in seemed like a good start, though the one I chose might be a bit ambitious as it has 101 spaces. I know that you’re not supposed to write your wishes in order of importance, otherwise winning the lottery might be the first on everyone’s list, but I did think whatever I was going to give the number 0ne spot to, should be important. With this in mind I put down “To walk around York city walls with my granddaughters”. You might think this a trivial thing as it’s only two and a half miles and something hundreds of people do every week, but believe me, right now this would be one of the most wonderful days ever, hopefully soon I can tick it off.

With No1 out of the way, I only have another 100 to go, talk about pressure, I tried to think of all the places I wanted to visit. Rome, Pompeii, obviously,….. Memphis, Tombstone, that’s going to be a great trip, taking in a bit of route 66. I Love the wild west, gunfight at the Ok Corral, imaging standing where that happened. Huge Elvis fan so Tennessee is a no brainer and Cars is a great film, so Radiator Springs is definitely on the list. Even though I was on a roll thinking of places I want to go, Normandy, WWI battlefields, Tower of London, (You got to have a couple of easier achievable ones). I found that my list was more taken up with the simpler things, that I should be able to do now, but can’t.

Many years ago I walked Hadrian’s Wall with my two sons, it was one of the best weeks of my life. They were only 11 and 10 at the time, and became a bit of a legend to people doing the same thing that week. One travel writer we met in an overnight pub stay, actually mentioned them in his book, I’d love to do it again and can’t wait for the day when I can. We take for granted the gift of mobility and like everything in life, only miss it when it’s gone. It did get me thinking more about what I’d like to experience whilst on this earth and I was soon jotting down many things to look forward to. Then a thought struck me, what if I don’t get to do them all, what if I peg it before and my bucket list book is read by the family I leave behind. Not quite sure I want them to read no 63, “Re-visit my friend in Amsterdam”, especially when they see the section underneath where the book prompts you to write “Why it’s on my list”.