Anyhow, I decided that what he needed was a trampoline. I went online searching for new and old ones without much success; the options ranged from free ones in every state except Victoria to some costing a couple of thousand dollars.
Then I talked to my youngest son who has a trampoline for his two young boys in Melbourne and he said the key to obtaining a reasonably modern trampoline, was acquiring the services of a trampoline whisperer.
Apparently, a trampoline whisperer has well-honed skills, particularly for installing angled fibreglass roads that hold trampolines up and give them some of their spring. They can be dangerous if mishandled I was told.
I was also told that, if buying a used trampoline in Melbourne, the trampoline whisperer's dismantling and reassembling skills are often written into the price, as was the case with my Melbourne grandson's bouncer.
Coincidentally, my delving into trampoline culture, lined up with my new iPhone and the realisation that I was not taking enough exercise. The new phone registers how much exercise I take in a day, in the form of a partially or completed colored circle, within an app.
The idea is to complete the colored circle on the phone, providing an indication that I have made a bit of an effort to keep fit. Surprisingly I find it quite compelling.
My new effort at exercising more, is largely limited to walking three or four kilometres a day and this usually around the lake or Benalla's streets.
Anyway, one longish walk took me along streets I had not walked before and lo and behold as they say, I stumbled over a small, fully assembled trampoline on a nature strip, with a free sign on it.
So later in the day I picked it up with my trailer and a few days later delivered the trampoline to my daughter's small farm near Benalla.
Grandson Freddy was delighted and immediately started using it. But then, seeing I was straightening some uprights and tightening now apparent loose screws, he grabbed a screwdriver from my toolbox and helped.
So quite successful for me, him and his less stressed mother.
David Palmer
November 2023