Suddenly Fall is PINK!

As we all enjoy the final fleeting and oh so sunny days of summer’s outdoor activities, school supplies and haybales begin to appear in store aisles. Thunder struck, we wander aimlessly through rows of sweaters and winter coats noting that it’s 80 degrees outside but flipping our seasonal reset switch to “Brrrrr.”  Noting the pens, pencils and notebooks of varied sizes, thoughts of outgrown clothes and shoes strike our collective consciousness. Mental lists fill each brain; the fall planning cycle begins, arriving earlier every year.

Now the real plans begin to take shape. Lists with headings like school supplies, apparel, activities, lessons, and equipment get taped to the refrigerator. The new white board calendar is prepared to schedule appointments, holidays, lessons, and reminders for each family member. Football, cheerleading, dance, skating….SKATING! Good heavens, do her skates fit? That’s when you realize that the skate bag residing in the front hall closet hasn’t been opened since the last ice show. Lysol can and fabric softener sheets in hand, the bag is retrieved and cautiously unzipped.

            “Spray first, ask questions later!” has always been my motto.

Through the Lysol cloud, you quickly pull out any laundry that attempts to walk out on its own and add some scented fabric softener sheets to reduce any unpleasant odor. You see soakers on the blades, not plastic guards, and smile with relief that the rust monster must not be battled this year. If they fit, that is. Desperate to remember the last time your skater got larger shoes, the insoles are carefully removed from the skates to check the placement of toe indentations and you realize she had a growth spurt in July.

Pre-Season Skating Checklist:

• Check size - Remove insoles and have skater stand on those, making sure heel is properly placed in back. Are any toes touching or over the front edge? Can the toes get punched out or stretched to get one more season? Are the skates stable enough to hold the skater upright without rolling to the inside or outside?
• Are new skates needed for size, stability or advancing skill level? There is a convenient guide to choosing skates on our website Buyers Guide:  https://skaterslanding.com/pages/choosing-figure-skates Our technicians can always help you choose appropriate skates that stay in budget.
• Blades - Do they have any rust? If the skates still fit and will work with current skill level, it is always a good idea to have blades sharpened at the beginning of the season. Remember to dry them thoroughly and keep a small can of WD40 handy to avoid potential rusting if stored for a greater length of time.
• Equipment:  Check interior of hard guards for rust or dirt. Just run through the dishwasher and allow to dry completely. Soakers can be easily laundered. If you need new ones due to wear, just add them over the others as an extra layer. Better padding and more absorbency. https://skaterslanding.com/collections/guards-and-soakers 
• Extras: You may need extra skating socks https://skaterslanding.com/collections/tights/products/thinees-skating-socks-thin-1 or a cushioned gel sleeve for easy break in: https://skaterslanding.com/collections/protective-gear/products/silipos-gel-sleeve. Keep a few plastic bags handy for dirty socks or tights. 

            “Finish cleaning out skate bag” goes on your skater’s check list.

 “Sign up for next level of lessons and buy new skates” goes on yours. You had hoped that they might last until the holidays, but toes are still necessary on and off the ice.

The holidays. A quiet smile crosses your lips as you recall skating last winter; light snow falling outside, hot chocolate in the snack bar and the excitement of watching her master a new skill as she skated to the boards, eyes shining with pride and satisfaction.

            “Did you see me? It’s a Waltz Jump! I landed it and didn’t fall!”

You asked her to do it again and captured it all on your phone for her to watch 34 times on the drive home. Suddenly, new skates don’t seem so daunting, and you wonder, misty eyed. if you should keep those stinky skates from the skate bag so she could remember her first jump as clearly as you do.  You even wonder if they have your size at the shop. You skated as a girl; they say it’s never too late to skate and it would fit right into your fitness routine.

            “I can do this!” you convince yourself.” It will be a bonding experience. It will be fun!”

            “That’s 2 things off the list,” you tell yourself confidently as, after a few phone calls, you put “Skate fitting for 2 at Skaters Landing” (203 542 0555) and “Skate Lessons begin” on the new calendar.

Half-way across the kitchen you remember that her world has turned pink since seeing the “Barbie” movie, and brace yourself for a season of pink soakers, guards, gloves, water bottle, official Barbie towel, and a skate bag.

“That much pink should come with a warning label,” you sigh, as enough dirty tights, knee highs, sport socks, crew socks, and sportswear to outfit a small army is loaded into the washer and set to heavy duty load.

“Buy Lysol!” goes on the list; “and a heating pad; a pink one!”