Skating

After a bit of a transition from vacation, things are back to Normal around here. Everyone has returned to work and school and the weather has returned to freezing. Argos and I have worked off our vacation weight. Also, Argos is off his reduced diet, and has lost interest in stealing (poisonous) food.

As part of our midwestern experience, I really wanted the boys to ice skate. Today we finally went. Joseph was a total nightmare when we got to the Pepsi Cellular One Skating Center. It seriously made me question why I keep hauling this kid out of the house to do anything (maybe we should all just stay home until he goes away to college?) However, Sam really likes getting out and trying new things, so I don't want him to suffer because of Joseph's reticence. At the rink Joseph was crying and screaming about how he was scared of ice and scared of wearing skates. He made a huge scene and everyone was staring at us (although it was mostly families with older kids, so they had kind of sympathetic and nostalgic smiles). After we finally convinced him to put on the skates, he had another freak-out when we got the the ice. Eventually, Danny and I got him to "skate" (actually, to hang like dead weight) between us.

After a few laps, he started to cheer up, and by the Zamboni break, he was really enjoying himself and actually skating.


Sam had a lot of fun. He skates in kind of a shuffling, businesslike way, but he was getting faster and more confident over the time that we were there.



I was worried that I had forgotten how to skate. Although I used to skate as a kid and in college (free skating at Oberlin!) I haven't been in 10 years. As it turned out, I can still skate. Also, I have never skated with Danny, and although he had previously told me that he can't skate, he actually can skate quite well. What a surprise!