Family Day Long Weekend!

I certainly enjoy our 3 day weekends and would gladly sign up for a 4 day week job anytime.    None the less, there never seems to be the time to do everything I want to do, so I am sure 3 days off would soon seem insufficient as well.  I guess I need to wait until I can afford to retire, which in these lean economic times may be a few years more distant than I had thought this time last year.

Yesterday was a wonderful day – reasonably warm and sunny.  I went skating at the “Natrel Rink” at Harbourfront.  

Our Federal Member of Parliament, Olivia Chow, was there.   She had advertised that she was holding a “Family Day Skating Event”.  It is also the preferred location for the "Meet Up" Skating Group I belong to.  The rink was fairly crowded but it was so nice to get out and stretch my legs and get some exercise on a sunny day.  

I decided that I have to work on my skating skills.  I bought new skates this winter and they are a bit different than the standard issue white leather figure skates I had been using since I was 15 (yes, the very same pair all that time!) These skates, available at your local CTC store, are strung with wire which is tightened by a dial.

This makes them easy on/off as lacing them up rinkside, in the cold, is done in a zip!    Unlike the old leather skates, they have a comfortable padded boot which fits like a glove and is really warm.  Some things in life make me really happy.  My skates are in that category.

However, they are as we girls say “boys skates”.  That is they are not figure skates and the change in skate style takes a bit of getting used to.  A bit higher centre of gravity and it seems to me, a bit higher off the ice.  

I was never a strong skater, but I can make my way around the rink quite competently.  I just don’t have the finesse of a good skater.  I am thinking I might take a couple of lessons.   Probably just regular practice would do a lot.  It would be nice to know how to stop properly and how to go backwards.  Maybe one of these days when I get some time I will take a couple of lessons. LOL

As I walked over to Harbourfront from my place I passed Pier 6 which had still a lot of boats in Harbour.  The ships looked very bizarre, which plastic outer “coats” installed.  I guess the owners were living in the boats over the winter and the plastic provides some additional weather protection.  However, it gave the impression of some weird science fiction scene with all  being cocooned in some sort of strange membrane.

Another point of interest was the inner harbour.  There were engaging textures and the fading evening light made for a compelling scene.  I took a few photos to share with you all.

I have such a lot to get done today, as much as I enjoy my blogging activity I must get on with things.  I am however expecting to have a much less busy week this week – Winterlicious is over and my restaurant budget has been blown for several months! 

      I will have more time to blog during the week and have all sorts of ideas about things to blog about.  Stay tuned!