Another Good day at Sherwood... mostly

Went for a late morning/early afternoon of figure practice at Sherwood. Got there around 10:25 am and there was one person on the public session. She was very happy because they had made new ice for her even though she felt it was okay - she was completely thrilled, actually, and couldn't believe it! I got on and worked on figures - the ice was pretty good. It is a little "crunchier" than the ice at Valley lately and sometimes my blade would get caught in the tracing of my previous trace on any individual figure. Kind of disconcerting, but partially my fault for wearing dance blades (with a deep hollow) for figures, instead of wearing figure blades which would have a shallower, flatter grind and so I'm guessing I wouldn't have that problem and the blade would also run smoother. Oh, well, that will come later.

I asked if they would turn the lights down as I had heard that they were going to turn the lights lower for the figure competition. The zamboni guy said they hadn't decided exactly what they were going to do yet but he would turn them down for me. That was nice. I liked having the lights turned down because it seemed more calm than with that bright, white, "supermarket" lighting that they sometimes have.

I got off the ice at 11:30 because I thought they would be doing an ice cut for the Coffee Club like they did last week. I asked about it when it became obvious they weren't going to clean the ice and the zamboni guy said no, the ice was fine and I could still do figures on the ice the way it was. I was a little confused because last week the ice had been used much less and yet they cleaned it for the Coffee Club. So we got out and skated and it was fine but I couldn't see the logic in the whole thing, but then again I've seen that logic (or lack thereof) at all of the rinks in the area at one time or another.

On the way home from work this afternoon I stopped by at Valley to ask my coach for a lesson later this week. She said that the ice had not been good there in the morning and that one of her older students had decided that she wasn't going to skate there anymore. It really is too bad that they are losing a lot of people and it's strictly because of the safety of the ice - at least that is what they are saying.

Tomorrow my plan is to go to Lloyd Center for an early afternoon skate. I have to find out when they will be doing an ice-cut and plan to go so that the ice is clean so that I can do some figures. I hope it is not crowded. I like doing figures there because the ice is flat (those curlers have to have it that way!) and the lines they have for the curling really help me set up my figures - I know that my figures should be a certain size to fit within some of the lines - that is great and that is what I need at this point of my practice for the upcoming competition.