More than a decade ago, we gave up running because our knees gave out.  More recently, we gave up long-distance biking. Now, we walk a lot, and we are grateful that we can.

Here are our walking itineraries:

The most frequent walk:  Our standard weekend walk is 2¼ miles around the nearby reservoir. Like the U.S. mail, bad weather doesn’t stop us (usually).

The most fun walk: When we are visiting our grandsons, we take the “soccer walk.” It’s an around-the-block walk of about a mile down and up a big hill in their neighborhood, accompanied by a soccer ball or football, depending on the season and often by Josie, the next-door neighbor’s dog.

The cemetery walk:  We live near the oldest garden cemetery in the U.S.  Especially in the spring and fall, this is a beautiful bird-and-flower-filled option.

The after dinner walk:  When the sun sets late, we tour our neighborhood observing newly blooming trees and flowers (and occasionally the neighbors).

The Thanksgiving walk:  At approximately 11:00 a.m. on the fourth Thursday of November, turkey just in the oven, the entire family walks around the reservoir and we ask a random stranger to take the annual family-leaning-against-the-fence picture.

The walk with female friends: It doesn’t matter where because we talk non-stop.

The walk with strangers:  This is a new category.  While walking alone on a weekday recently, a complete stranger caught up to me and said “Looks like we walk at the same pace—would you like to join me?”  It was fun.

Like I said, I am really grateful that I can walk.