Tonight’s exercise was just a brisk walk.
Around 5kms but just a walk. I think I may have been pushing it a bit and I realised that, as I diet and lose the weight I need to, I also need to develop a lifestyle I can maintain.
Running every night may not be possible. So slipping in a brisk walk may work to my advantage in the long run.
It also made me realise something else. Exercise when you can … because you may not always be able to.
A friend of mine passed away today.
We hadn’t spoken in years, just because our lives took different paths. There was no ill will at all. Just one of those things on life’s journey. As my wife and I prepare for 25 years of marriage next year (a trip to FBH’s home town in Italy) we were going to talk to our friend’s wife who is a travel agent. She has been working from his bedside recently.
FBH was on her way to the hospital where John was staying and, just as a thought, decided to call ahead to ensure he was taking visitors. He had just passed away! 
While we hadn’t spoken in years, it was John who walked FBH down the aisle and did the “giving away” when her parents decided not to come to the wedding. (water under the bridge, no need to ask, all good now!)
John was one of those guys who, while being quite short, was also larger than life. Always welcoming, never turn you away, always had a coffee on, kind of guy. He will be missed. For FBH and me it is like an era has passed. John was always around, like he would be forever.
So my walk tonight involved my iPod but it also involved a lot of memories of John. He was a sound engineer who produced albums for people like Hank Marvin, mixed concerts in Perth when Elton John came through (many years ago) and peroduced and managed one of Perth’s most famous rock bands, The Jets.
To many of us he was just “Johnny Villani”. But he had such a rapport and ability with music that he often turned junk into … music!
And now, obviously, I wish I had caught up with him in the last couple of years. Just to say hi! And to talk about nothing much really because you didn’t have to. We just used to hang out when we were with John.
Now, I better clarify, I wasn’t John’s best buddy. I wasn’t a second brother or anything like that. But with John, no matter who was around, you always knew you belonged. It wasn’t like there was a ranking and I’d just snuck into the gang.
So, sorry for a sad post but I have to say, the loss of John Villani makes ther world just that little worse off.
