1st of August

For some, the 1st of August is Yorkshire Day (have a look at Neil's blog for more information). So far, somehow I have never managed to be in Yorkshire for the day, even though I have been going there regularly every year since I first met my husband (a Yorkshire lad) in the year 2000. If you are new to my blog, you'll find plenty of pictures and descriptions from my days and weeks there by simply typing "Yorkshire" in the search box at the top left corner of this blog.

Of course, around the world, every day in the calendar has a different meaning in different places, although there are some that are globally recognized, such as Christmas (but even that can differ for the disciples of various churches) and New Year (again: Chinese New Year is months later than the 1st of January, generally observed in Western countries).

Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that the 1st of August is also National Girlfriends Day.
Did you know this? I only learned about it recently, when I heard about a campaign from Oscar Health Insurance Company.  I think that this post of mine matches the idea of National Girlfriends Day perfectly, so I wanted to write a bit about the day because it is important among friends (and strangers, too) to support each other, even in small ways.

My thoughts on this? OK, here goes:
For example, one of my friends and I regularly go to the gym together. We usually meet on Mondays and Fridays, as these incidentally are the days when both of us are the most flexible for when we can leave work; I often work from home then and can pretty much come and go as I please (a huge luxury, I know!).
With another friend, I go running once a week. We both enjoy those runs just as much for the catching up with each other chat-wise as for the exercise and good feeling it gives us after a long day spent at a desk.

Have I ever actively encouraged a (girl)friend to see her doctor for a checkup? Yes, definitely. And I try to be regular with the usual stuff myself (although not always successful), especially since I've had a few false alerts over the past 10 years or so, and in 2010 needed minor surgery when it was not a false alert.
Everything is fine now with me, healthwise, and I hope it to stay that way for many years to come. I never tire of stressing how important it is that we do our part to keep healthy; I am not a fitness fanatic, and I love my food (especially the "unhealthy" stuff such as bread and cheese, and chocolate), but I contribute to my own well-being in small, inexpensive ways. As a reward, now that I am 47, I am fitter and in better shape than when I was 27.