Vacation Skating

When I was little we used to go to Northcross mall for public sessions.  Sometimes, I'd even borrow a gymnastics outfit from my sister so I could dress like a skater (in retrospect- I looked ridiculous).  As I got older, I sometimes got to stay at the mall by myself while my parents went to eat or see a movie, but mostly, my Dad skated with me, even holding my hands while I did backwards spirals.

When I got my first figure skates (which lasted me almost 20 years... they weren't used that much until I started again as an adult- they must have been too big, or my feet haven't grown since middle school) my Dad got hockey skates. He told me he doesn't think they've been sharpened since he bought them- it might be about time!

So this visit home we headed out to Northcross (which has changed SO much, and is no longer really a mall, and the rink is not in the food court, but in its own little area.) and joined a public skate.  We were the only public skaters there!  Everyone else was figure or hockey skaters, most in lesson. (The hockey lessons were taught by figure coaches-and looked HARD!)

  Here, Dad shows off the ice on his skate- to prove he was really out there!  He did really well, turning from forward to backwards (though that was a bit scary for me! I worried about him) and skating backwards well.  Probably not the skater he was in his youth, but it is fun for me to go out and skate with him still.

 This time, not only did Dad and I skate- Kevin got out there too!  He has skated with me a few times before, but really dislikes it, so this is rare.  He didn't fall at all this time, so I think he has a more positive experience than normal.

You'll notice I'm in gloves, and he's in shorts.  He was a bit cold, and I was a bit warm, but I always wear gloves if I skate in my rings.  I worry about them cracking on the ice, and for some reason I think gloves will help.  I guess if anything, they'll catch a loose diamond.