Friday, December 16, 2011

Ice Skating

When I was a kid we used to go skating all winter long at the park that was 1/2 a block away from our house.  They would flood and freeze the baseball fields and we would skate for hours.  We played games like "Chickie" which was really tag on ice or or we'd play "Red Rover," but my favorite was "Crack the Whip" where we would send kids sailing into the snow banks.



My mom and dad both loved to skate, so they taught us all at a really early age.  First they would pull us around the ice on a sled, then we got 4 blade skates that strapped onto our boots.  Once we learned our balance we graduated to double bladed skates and then we hoped and prayed for the day we'd get "real" single blade skates.  It was a special Christmas when we opened that box of brand new, shiny white, figure skates.  I got my second pair of figure skates for Christmas when I was 16 and I still have them and use them.    I try to go skating about twice a year, and I always enjoy it when we go.

Last night Chablis and I went ice skating at an outdoor rink.  I was horrified when I dug my skates out of the garage and discovered that the blade on one of them had gotten some rust on it.  Chablis assured me that a friend of hers at the rink would be able to fix it for me next week, but for the moment I had to wear, gasp, rental skates.  I believe that was the first time in my life I've ever gone skating and not used my own skates.

We had polar bears for company.....


We got there early so we practically had the ice to ourselves....



Chablis thinks she's Dorothy Hamill.....


But little does she know that I looked like Dorothy Hamill when I had her haircut back in the late 70's.  This is Dorothy, not me.....


The rink had Christmas music playing and Christmas lights strung up and it was quite festive and fun.  I just wish it would have been snowing because that would have been really pretty.


They wouldn't allow us to take the camera on the ice so unfortunately I can't show you my Dorothy Hamill moves as I glided and spun around on the ice.  If I could show you, I would perhaps look like this...


The key word is perhaps...... In my dreams I look like Dorothy Hamill.  Instead, after about half an hour of flawless skating technique where I mostly circled the rink and managed to skate backwards twice, I did a huge face plant, resulting in BOTH skate guards racing over to ask me if I was ok.


Yes, I'm fine - the only thing that got hurt was my pride!  But I am SO going back one night when it's snowing!



(all images from google)

7 comments:

  1. Two skate guards had to help " the old lady" up? Vbg. Looks like fun! Where did you go?

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  2. Growing up in South Dakota, we used to shovel off frozen lakes and go ice skating. Here in Oregon we have a couple indoor ice rinks. One is in the middle of a mall. Not the same vibe!

    Looks like you had a great time ice skating.

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  3. You and your partner-in-crime are so cute. I bet you do have some moves on the ice. Christmas Blessings to you. xo

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  4. Sounds like fun...I just love ice-skating!
    x
    Melissah from Coastal Style

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  5. lol! Were you goofing around when you did that face plant? Every time I take a "newbie" to the ice I tell them not to worry about falling down, that I'll probably do it enough times for the both of us! I'm always either goofing off or trying to do some kind of spin or skate backwards (have rarely managed this) and the result is frequently my ass on the ice! Good fun! :D

    I love ice skating even though I'm pretty terrible... I picked up the bug as a kid my first winter in the US (that I can remember, s0 '84, previous ones don't count as no memory!) my parents took us to skating lessons near our house. I've always wanted to skating on a frozen pond... someday perhaps? You could see in my Christmas market post how much I loved the Christmas rink in Liège! ;o)

    Sounds like you guys had a great time! In spite of the rentals ;o)

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  6. I can see you and Chablis had a fun time! I haven't been ice skating for over 20 years. EEEK! I'd face plant for sure lol.

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  7. Looks like so much fun!! I used to dig out my moms skates when we got ice instead of snow and went sailing around the driveway ;-)

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