First time for Everything

This afternoon I skated for awhile, but the days of snow shoveling and navigating icy sidewalks have taken a toll on my lower back so I broke off early. Just as well, I chatted with speedskating mom and watched Stitch do some high bunny hops and edgework. He does look for my nods if that was a good move or not. The speedskating team has a meet on the same day that Stitch competes next, so we'll book it back from the comp to watch our Speedskating friend do his thing.

I turned in time to see Stitch whale into a spin so fast he blurred. He drew back from it, blinked a bit as if thinking, "Did I just do that?"
He then caught my expression of "What the heck did you just do?" and he laughed. He tried it again a few times, but none were like that first one.

We came home and made a quesadilla dinner, watching the game, when Stitch marches out with his First Aid manual and says, "Mom, what is this?" He sits on the sofa and points to his foot.

There's a blister on his arch.

"When did that happen?" I ask.
"Uh, I think while skating."
"Well, congratulations! Your first skating blister! Does it hurt?"
"Only when you touch it like that!"
Okay, so I stop poking.
"So what do I do with it?" he asks.
"First off, don't pop it," I give him a quick rundown of what blisters are and their valid purpose in life. "Just put a band-aid on it and it will heal on it's own within a few days. You're off the ice at least until Wednesday, so that should be enough time. I'll stop by the store tomorrow and get some thinner socks for you. Looks like you're out of normal socks while in skates. Is that the foot you spin on?"
"No, but it's the one I land on."
"Okay." I don't really know what to do with this information, but it's something to tuck away.


Stitch is just looking at his foot.

"Hey," I try to encourage him. "When I was a backpacker, no one took you seriously until your feet were all torn up. And when I was canoeing, no one talked to you unless you had big strawberry bruises all up your thighs. Some injuries are good things."

Stitch still isn't convinced. Come to think of it, it does sound crazy.