Back Yard Rink!

We decided to do a small back yard rink this year for the kids to learn how to skate.  We were wanting to do it last year, but never got around to it. We were thankful that we didn't because we had such a mild winter last year that it would have been a waste of time.

This year started about the same.  Pretty mild to start with an up and down January, but mid-way through Jan, we were getting reports that it was going to get cold and stay there for a while, so I jumped on it. Last weekend was gorgeous. It felt like the start of spring in mid March, but it was just a tease because the next week or two were supposed to plummet to -25 or more with wind chill (we got it "easy" as Northern Ontario hit all the way down to -50!!)  So I spent about an hour in the afternoon while Desmond was sleeping to head out with Violet and construct something small. I didn't know what I had to work with, but I had an idea and went with it.  I found enough wood that was long enough (actually left over wood from our deck that I built in Baden - yes, I brought it with me!) to make about a 12x10 foot rink.  I put stakes in the ground for reinforcements on the long sides since those were meagre 1x4's and the other 10 ft sides are made of 2x6 so those were ok.

 

As I started filling, the water was rushing to the back left side and I didn't think it was going to hold enough water to fill the whole thing before spilling over the sides, so I propped up that end with some more scrap wood and hoped for the best!  It seemed to be holding up well and there were no leaks in the tarp that I used, so it was looking good. It was supposed to drop below freezing the next day and then get really cold the rest of the week.  By Sunday night there was a thin layer of ice on it - probably 1 cm or so.  By Monday morning I thought maybe Marn could take the kids on it, but after testing in the morning she broke through with her foot...oops! By Tuesday morning, it was solid. Sweet, let's skate!

I had to stay home late Tuesday morning, so I took Vi and Des out after breakfast. They were both very shaky and scared to fall (understandable - I still am too!).  But it was really fun and neat to see Violet wanting to try it out and not wimp out.  Des wasn't bad, but he didn't want to let go of me.  After the first time he fell, he cried out, "I don't like skating!".  Too funny.  They were both sad to get off the ice when I had to leave for work at around 9:30, so that's a good sign. We went out again that evening, and every day this past week.  They've all been fairly short skates because of the cold, and because by the time we get out there, it's already close to bed time.  But that's ok by me...

"I don't like skating"

2nd time skating and loving it.
She was singing the whole time, "I'm learning to skate... I'm skating.."

practising on her own without the chair

This weekend was nice, it warmed up a bit so wasn't as frigged as this past week. Saturday we went out twice, once in the morning and once in the evening, and today (Sunday) we're doing it again.  Marn had to work this weekend, so we're going to wait for her to get home from work before we head out again.  Desmond is all gun-hoe when getting ready, but in under 5 minutes, he's ready to be done and wants his skates off. It's a bit frustrating and a little odd for him because he's usually the rough and tumble one and ready to tackle new things. I honestly thought that he'd be up and "skating" before Violet was, but she was off of using the chair for assistance on her 3rd skate!  She still prefers to use the chair and can really skate fast with it, but she's coming along really well without it too.