ice skates

I have a shiny pair of ice skates. They are not new--I have had them since my first or second year of university. I got them in a little sports store on the main street of the little town in Minnesota where I went to school. I was not willing to buy the cheapest skates, but I was, after all, on a budget. Last night I put them on my feet for the first time in two years, possibly more. Pleased to see they still appear to fit. Sorry to see the leather has gotten stiff from neglect. Need to find out what one does to loosen old but untrammeled leather...if anything.

Motivation: the canal is frozen. Yesterday I was walking over the canal on a bridge and saw people skating along the canal, which has been ploughed and will be maintained as long as the weather sees fit to keep it solid. People were right, there's a sense of, "what century is this, anyway?" People skating on the canal. Skating to work, even. Skating with baby carriages. Toto, we're not in Kansas. Not even close. I think it's great. :-)