6 October 2026, Freewriters Community Daily Writing Prompt Day 3248: going to exercise

Mrs. Thalia Ludlow didn't make a big deal about going to exercise, but her four granddaughters loved mornings with her because she had taught them how to hula hoop and all five of them would be out doing it, and Mrs. Ludlow would just casually be hooping two or more to the girls' amazement.

“Grandma is like the sun – look at those orbits!” eleven-year-old Eleanor often said.

Mrs. Ludlow also had shock-absorbing shoes so she could jump rope too, and kept up even to double-dutch with her granddaughters, and had just as much fun turning the ropes as jumping in them.

“The thing is, Grandma stays up just like Papa does, but she just makes it fun for us!” seven-year-old Amanda said.

“Well, just because I'm 56 doesn't mean I don't want to have fun,” Mrs. Ludlow said, with a smile. “Before y'all came along, I did all this alone, so I love having y'all!”

Eventually, eight-year-old Edwina convinced Eleanor to look up some stuff...

“Grandma … you were a champion hula hooper and jump rope queen in high school!” they said when they found out.

“Yeah,” she said.

“I thought so,” ten-year-old Glendella said. “You've got the easy grace of someone who really knows the hoops.”

“Well we knew Grandma was a champion Grandma!” Amanda said as she came running in full speed for a hug.

This was how Mrs. Ludlow stayed in very good shape: she just had never stopped doing what she enjoyed, but made adjustments for her age as necessary.

Meanwhile, Capt. R.E. Ludlow did his military-grade calisthenics and isometrics and weight training and stayed in very good shape... and made sure to order his wife's jump rope shoes every six months.

“My granddaughters enjoy in the morning,” he said to his cousin Col. R.E. Lee, “and I enjoy and am enjoyed in the evening, provided Thalia and I do not have a day when we both fall out from the beautiful work of loving and raising eight little Ludlows.”