Dec 30 - back and forth

We made a very quick back and forth to Parry Sound, picking up wine at the LCBO that had been waiting since October and a few groceries.  The other must-do errand was going into Canadian Tire and buying skates for both of us.  We needed to get back home in time to use them because a glare ice lake is a fleeting thing.

We got last-a-lifetime skates.  When you're our ages and purchase some things, they're bound to last for the rest of your life.  I don't expect that we'll even get them broken in !  

I think that the last time we both had skates was in Mississauga.  We probably gave them away in the move.  Mine didn't fit that well, were uncomfortable from the get-go.  Sandy had typical women's figure skates ... toe-pick !  Now she's got hockey-style skates, junior boys, I think. 

Home and lunch, we got organized and out on the lake.  Sandy felt unsure enough of herself that she sent me inside to find her ski helmet.  We skated over to where the Carters were out on the ice, chatted with them for a while and then skated to the Lodge.  That's probably the furthest that I've skated ever in a straight line, and certainly, by the time we got home, the longest that I've been on skates since I was a kid.  We used to take David and Stef skating at Toronto City Hall, but that wasn't exactly long distance skating !

The following was taken close to our townhouse in Erin Mills in 1979.  In the center is our neighbour's kid Douglas.  

Below we have one from City Hall, 1985, Stef behind Jeffrey flanked by two of her friends. 

 

Below Sandy and Jeffrey.  Jeffrey's ankles look pretty crooked ... why are they skating against the flow ?

On the way back from the Lodge, Matt and Shelly (Carter) joined us because they wanted to see our place.  They came in for a bit, toured, chatted a bit but headed back to their cottage (I keep wanting to call it Jim and Bonnie's) because their daughter and her fiance were going to be headed for Edmonton on Thursday, New Years Day.  

David and I are going to make chili today that he can take home, bagged and frozen for meals.   That was part of the grocery shopping.  We also picked up steaks for dinner tonight.  No fondue for a change on New Year's Eve.

We're supposed to get some snow flurries but hopefully it will hold off long enough to get in some more skating.  More snow is predicted for Saturday and Sunday but we'll be on our way by then ... hopefully !

It's 0F out there right now; -18C.   Cold, yes, but it's getting even colder on the weekend, predicted at -27C for Saturday night.   We're getting out just in time.

Onward ?  Southward shortly ?  I certainly hope so !  It's supposed to be 83F for our arrival on Sunday in NSB.