I found an institutional way of looking at what my level of activity has been and is moving towards.

I've been at "ADL" level and am moving towards IADL level: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activities_of_daily_living.

ADL seems to be at about 2,500 steps per day (or lower if one is in a smaller home). A daily additional trip to the mailbox is the activity I am adding now-- muscles and bones feel it as a stress but once I acclimate to that I'll add another. Our mailbox is 350 steps from the back door's low stair-steps (fewer via the front door but with steeper stairs). So when I can do the front steps comfortably and/or find myself adding more outdoor stuff before coming back in, it will be time to measure and plan the next item to add.

As I posted earlier, living in camping mode for a month (with lots of shade, lake-swimming, and little or no steep stairs) seems to boost me way above that ADL level each summer, and the challenge is keeping it up there in the winter. The great thing is that the yard is already set for me to resume the boosted level as soon as it's warm enough for outdoor tea in the morning, as it was today for the first time; spring seems to have been about 3 weeks late this year.

An activity I have been wanting to add is taking Faulkner for therapy-dog trips to the local assisted living place to increase my walking, there, on the flat. I can practice with our friend Ed who is still living at home.

~Susan