Toe pick!

Every time I think about ice skating, I think of Moira Kelly saying "toe pick" in The Cutting Edge. Yesterday was no exception. I visited our local ice skating rink for the first time since we moved here. Really though, I wouldn't have a reason to go there before, as I can't ice skate to save my life. I tried back in college and failed ever-so-miserably. I don't have the ankle strength to support myself on ice skates. I felt bad not being able to help my son today when he went skating at a friend's birthday party. However, I was so proud to see how determined he was to figure it out. He got help from a friend of ours (the father of the birthday boy), which I totally appreciated. Then he grabbed onto the side and kept moving. Eventually, he decided to move away from the wall, but kept the distance short.

Watching my son made me think of all the times I would go roller skating as a kid. I used to love roller skating! At first, it was as scary to me as ice skating. However, there's more of a balance with four wheels set two in a row than one long blade. I eventually got the hang of it, and stopped hanging on to other people for dear life. Once I got going on my own, I didn't want to stop. I used to go to a rink called Village Skate out in Mundelein, Illinois. This was way before it became all sketchy. On Tuesday nights, I think they had a special deal going on. I was there almost every Tuesday night for that reason. They would turn down the lights, put on the disco ball, get out the fog machine and play music videos. I could have skated for hours. It was so relaxing. 

When I was in college, I tried to roller skate again. However, just like with hula hooping, I completely lost the skill. I was volunteering at a Boys and Girls Club event out by my school. They were having a roller skating night in a gymnasium. I tried to hold my own for a while, but I didn't possess nearly half the grace I did as a kid. I managed to fall right on my back and ended up sore for a while after that. It was the last time I ever roller skated and I can't even fathom trying it now. I think I'll just live vicariously through my kids, especially since my son wants ice skating lessons now....

Letting go of the wall...