Skating in January, 2003

The monsters are learning to skate this winter at the McCann Ice Arena in Poughkeepsie NY. Interestingly enough (Since the kids had NEVER seen ice skates before, except on TV), they seem to be taking to it quite easily.

Eddie and Tina seem to be quite the naturals at it, and for some reason their feet don't mind the break-in period that new ice skates require. Dad and Allie both wish their skates would hurry up and get broken in.


Tina getting up off the ice.


All three monsters vying for attention. (I wonder why the instructor let them off their leashes?)


And there they are (Planning to do something nasty, I'm sure.)

Also, for the first time in many years, the Hudson River has frozen over. I guess that's what happens when you get a week of nights at 5 below zero (F).


The Poughkeepsie Bridge


The Hudson River


The Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge.

And here we are, at our personal ice rink. While there are many sites on making them, the nicest web site is over at Howard's Corner of the web. (No, we don't know him, but that's what he calls his site. ;-) Some folks go all out making ice rinks, but we (Well, Eric...) was just really experimenting to see if it could be done. It turned out to be 20 by 32 feet in size.

We fought a huge slope in the back yard to make this. :-(

Next year, it goes in the front yard which is a LOT flatter.

And one of the major downsides of a rink in the backyard, is now you have that much MORE snow to shovel...


Eddie taking off his skate guards. (Funny, it's REALLY hard for us to take off the skate guards while balancing on one foot.)


Eddie was thinking (Is this ice rink really going to work?


Allie and Tina


Eddie, Allie and Tina. Note the hockey stick in Eddie's hands. This could get VERY expensive.


And yes, that's Eric in the corner


And that's Eric in the corner again. And yes, that's a very scary place to be. While it is not clear in this picture, there is a 30 inch crop from the top of the rink, to the ground below. If it hadn't been for those very cold nights, we never would have been able to fight the slope. Eric also stole snow from most of the backyard to help build up 28 inches of the rink. (Shovel snow, water, freeze; repeat for 12 days. Next winter, it goes in the front yard.)


Tina, Eddie, and Eric


Allie and Tina


Allie and Eddie


This is a collision waiting to happen


And Tina is just so casual about the whole skating thing.


And here are two of the neighbor girls (Zena and Amira) admiring our ice rink. Too bad they don't own skates, it's more fun with more kids on the rink.