Skating

Having taken Jack sledding last week, the key winter thing I still wanted to do was go ice skating. (I haven't ruled out skiing; it's possible at some point in the next few weeks.) So today we piled into the car and headed off to Playland.

There's a "kiddie rink," which is for beginners 7 years old and younger. Fortunately they let me on anyway, even though I'm obviously highly experienced, having been on skates I think 2 or 3 times in my life. We got our skates and worked our way over onto the ice. We went a couple of laps around clinging to the rail along the side....then a lap around with just Jack clinging to the rail along the side, and me holding his hand...THEN a lap around with me holding the rail in one hand while Jack skated holding my other hand. And then we went back and forth, and up and down, falling some, without holding the railing. And each time we reached the other side, and grasped the railing, I saw a big grin on his face.

Afterward, with minimal falling and injury, we went to the game room. I played Galaga, and let Jack beat me at air hockey. Or he let me think I let him beat me, one of the two. Then we went to "The Claw" game, where you could grasp a stuffed toy with a metal claw. I explained it was a ripoff, but said I'd try anyway. And indeed, on the second try, I actually picked one of the things up, and the claw just decided it was too heavy halfway up and let go. Five bucks later, we left. I tried to explain to Jack it was a cheat, but it's kind of a difficult thing to do. So I just said, you know, they don't really want you to win these things. And he said, but why? And after some random hemming and hawing I finally said, Well, maybe next time.

We drove home talking about ice skating, and ate Ritz crackers at home.