Remember Gym Class?

 I do! I was getting ready for work one day last week and a memory came to mind about a game I loved to play in elementary school. It was called Crab-Ball. When it was raining outside or cold in the winter, Mrs. Fitzgerald, the girls' gym teacher, would let us choose what we wanted to play inside. We always voted for Crab-Ball!

It was a simple enough game: two teams would get on the floor in crab position. Mrs. Fitzgerald would throw this giant, canvas-covered ball onto the floor and we would crab-walk hustle to kick the ball over the opposing team's goal line. It was hilarious: especially since some of the girls weren't too coordinated! This probably explains why I had wrist problems as an adult! Scurrying around, having your butt not touch the floor while you were using your hands and feet to get to the ball and kick it: it was work. But so much fun! And of course there was always someone who got flattened by the ball at least once during each game, and the rest of us would laugh and laugh. Way to be supportive!

Another rainy day gym activity was something called "Chicken Fat". This wasn't as popular as Crab-Ball but was still fun. Mrs. Fitzgerald would put on this record, and it was like a drill sergeant giving instructions for calisthenics and stuff, set to music! Jumping jacks, squat thrusts and other kinds of cardio designed for elementary school kids. I will always remember the last line of the record: "Go you chicken fat go away! Go...you...chicken fat...GO! Da da da da da, da da da da da, da da da da da: DISMISSED!" If you think I'm making this up: go to YouTube and search Chicken Fat Go and it will pop up by Robert Preston! 😁What a hoot! That song has been in my mind for more years than I care to admit. Nice to know you can still find it. 

We also did square dancing. Even back then I didn't care what kind of dancing it was: I was down for it! I was pretty good at it too. After all, I was the queen of doing the mashed potatoes dance as a toddler, ha ha. My parents were so proud of that! Thanks for the song, Dee Dee Sharp 😄

Life was so much simpler then, and it was easy to get your exercise in.  Maybe when I'm done with my physical therapy, I'll start exercising to Chicken Fat Go and relive my elementary school glory days!