Yet more Skating

This past weekend we didn't skate much. We had to run up north and close up the summer cottage. But with our time growing more precious by the day, we had to squeeze in every second of productivity. Despite the six to seven hour drive ahead of us, we went to lessons Saturday morning.

We got there early, and Stitch got measured for the ice show. I wrote yet another check. We clomped up into the rafters of the Refrigerator, and watched the FS5 classes do their mid-term review things. Sit spins and flying camels. Suddenly I looked up. "Stitch? Did I forget to feed you?"

He giggled.

Good lord, I'd forgotten to feed him breakfast amidst the late packing and planning. We trundled back down to the concession stand for a bagel and chocolate milk. Stitch was pleased with my forgetfulness, but it was painful to watch him try and dodge that loose tooth with a bagel.

Time went on, and I wandered back out to put the Ice Show rehearsal schedule on my calendar. Standing by the office door and trying to manipulate the stupid touchscreen on my stupid phone, I glanced over and saw Coach Y.

"Oh, hello," she smiled at me.

"Hey," I assumed this would be standard greeting time. "How was your week?"

"Good. Listen. I want to ask you something,"

Oh crap. What now? Coach Y apparently runs a Friday afternoon ballet and conditioning session for her skaters. The cost is nominal plus a skate coupon. There is a boy about Stitch's age in the class, and he would benefit greatly from it.

I had to agree. I had tried off-ice stretching and bending at home, but Stitch was far too giggly and silly, and his body would often go limp in my arms which he found a hysterical trick. Yet when I watched him try and control his gangly body on the ice, trying so hard to reach and maintain some semblace of grace, it hurt.

I told Coach Y that the answer was more than likely yes, but I had to ask everyone and I would call her.

During lessons, I watched Stitch spin idly while he waited for his classmates to get evaluated. The Coach would then snap him from his reverie to get him to perform stroking, which he did half-assed. "No extension" the eval would read. Sigh. We could work on that.

I talked to Stitch about the class, which he didn't want to do. Then he spun around and did some kind of ballet move. Yeah, I'm listening to what you DO kid, not what you SAY. "It will keep you from spinning in my living room and trying your jumps on the sidewalk. Do that with the coaches, not me. You're going."

So, yes. Tomorrow is his first Off-Ice Conditioning class.