Holiday Update

Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for a Wonderful 2011.

Where has the time gone? Can it really be only a matter of days until Christmas 2010? And, finally, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."


I'm almost done with Christmas shopping, though I have a few more gifts to go. Typical behavior on my part, however.


Been quilting up a storm. The most important top is a Christmas gift for DH that memorializes the dogs we've had in our married life - Samoyeds and Collies. I absolutely love this quilt and cannot wait until he opens this gift. I believe he will really be touched by it. As I was working on it, I thought of Winston, our first magnificent Sammie, then Henry - our "once-in-a-lifetime-dog" as our vet called him, DeeDee, our beautiful Collie girl with the most fabulous looks ever, and then our dear, sweet older gentleman, Merlin, who touches our hearts every day when we look into those sad, wise eyes and wonder how anyone could not have wanted him. These four-legged creatures teach us every day the meaning of this season - love so pure and unconditional that there are few words that describe its beautiful and profound meaning in our lives. 


Amid the holiday rush is our annual cookie exchange and exhibition this Friday, 12/17. I will be skating my Free Dance 5 program with Coach Chris. I have come to enjoy this skating discipline so much; I wish I had discovered it long ago. The program is set to music from "Legends of the Fall" thanks to my best skating buddy and amazing friend, Janet. 


Janet gave me "Legends" for a solo program. At the time, I never imagined I would be skating to it in the arms of a 27 year old, Hollywood good-looks, extraordinarily talented ice dance coach. Were it not for Coaches Chris and Jayne this would never have come to pass. Can't wait to get back on the ice and skate this program, maybe for the last time. I'm working on Free Dance 6 to "Does Your Mother Know?" from Mama Mia. Quite a change from beautiful and lilting to near hysteria in a musical beat. Coach Chris is really excited about working on this program; I'm really nervous!


Merlin has been ill for quite some time with an e-coli urinary tract infection. His stupid human parents didn't "get" the concept that dogs just don't bark in a high-pitched, shrill sound and awake at 3:00 and 4:00 am without a reason. It took peeing on the Persian carpet and general mayhem for us (and the vet, I must add) to finally realize that something was seriously wrong (besides just being an elderly dog) with our sweet boy. Two days after being on antibiotics, he was an new dog! But, two days after his last dose, he was nearly back to his previous condition, so he is back on another round. We are hopeful this will knock out the infection once-and-for-all. 


Today is a quiet stay at home day, spent quilting and being with the doggies. I bought an adorable green velvet color with reindeer bells on it for Merlin. He looks so precious with it on. We went out yesterday and he proudly wore it, jingling away letting the world know that he is our "official" Christmas doggie. We didn't see anyone on our walk, so I'm hoping today we will. I know he wants to show off his new collar. 

As the poem goes, "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!"

One Happy Clogging Girl

Having missed Tuesday's clogging class as a result of migraine miasma, I was anxious to take my new beautiful clogging shoes and dance today. 


What a terrific day to clog. Weather beautiful, class filled - but not packed - and feet encased in beautiful black leather shoes with fabulous double taps. What more could a girl ask for? Well, let's not get started on that.


After practicing steps, we did a really cute dance. I got through the entire pattern without one mistake! When we were done, I threw my arms up in the air and let out a "whoop" of sorts, catching the attention of our fantastic instructor, Kathy Kaplan, who came over and gave me a big hug. Then, others in the class gave me a round of sprinkled applause. Remember, I'm the only beginner in this class, so the other ladies (and one gentleman) have to put up with me not knowing what they do. They are so supportive, patient, and fun.


The huge difference between clogging and ice skating (besides the obvious - no ice involved) is that there is absolutely no pressure, no competition, no stolen looks to see who is doing what. I love the tons of laughter and the ladies who continue to introduce themselves and tell me how fast I've caught on. Bless their hearts. They are so welcoming and friendly. 


The second dance we did wasn't so easy. For the most part, I kept up, but there was one section that I just couldn't get the hang of. During the break, this sweet woman (who is 85) motioned me to join the front line. I felt like I had somehow arrived (I usually dance at the back or in the middle line). Maybe I went from total beginner to "confident beginner" (as we say in quilting). 


I stayed a few minutes to watch the intermediate class. Wow! The dance these ladies did was quite fast and included adorable steps from the Charleston and Lindy. It was so cool. I know someday I'll be able to do these dances and really look forward to joining the intermediate ranks. 


I have some friends who want to come clogging with me; one used to ice skate but gave it up to go back to work to "launch" her daughter's college education. She is not working now and loves to dance. I spoke with our instructor today and she said they should wait until January when the new class starts. I'm really hoping some of these people take the class. 


Just read on the Web that clogging burns 400 calories an/hour, so it is great exercise. Doubt that is how many I am burning, but who cares when you are having so much fun. :)


Tomorrow is a skating day. Working on a program for our annual holiday cookie exchange exhibition at the rink. Don't know if I'll be ready to perform, but it's fun to work on. 


Clog, quilt and skate on! 

Applique Quilt & Las Vegas

I finally finished the Country Sewing Center Block-of-the-Month top that I've been working on for what seems like a lifetime. 

There are only four applique blocks - at each corner - because I ran out of time. This is a gift, so I need to get it to the long arm quilter's studio by November 1 to have it in time for Christmas. 

The design called for all the blocks to be appliqued. I adjusted the pattern once I determined I wasn't going to complete all nine using this method. While the top isn't as pretty as the original design I really like the contrasting colors and feminine look. The French feel of the Moda fabric is lovely. I think the pattern was something like "A Breath of Avignon," but don't go looking for it using that name. 

I did the applique by hand, which took longer than I anticipated, and truly enjoyed the process. I know machine applique goes faster, but the in-and-out of the needle that goes with hand applique was very relaxing for me. The first block looks a little "primitive" but by the fourth block, my technique had improved significantly. This project turned out to not only be a good learning project, but opened up a whole world of possibilities to add to my quilting activities.

I signed up for the fall BOM at the Country Sewing Center, which also features applique blocks. This time I will finish the top completing all the blocks using applique. 

As for the ISI Adult Championship in Las Vegas, the experience was great fun. I skated "clean" which was my objective. As the field for my category was small, I was lucky enough to come in first and brought home a blue ribbon to prove it. Had a great time with my friend Maddie, with whom I shared a room. We saw "The Lion King" and "Phantom of the Opera" and both were fantastic and very over-sized, over-the-top, overly expensive, typical Las Vegas experiences! Glad we went even though I had seen Phantom before in Vegas. Worth the price of going again just to see Maddie's look of total wonderment and joy. Tickets to shows: Too costly. Seeing Maddie's enjoyment: Priceless. 

So, my competing days are over, over, over. BTW, my friend Maddie took first place in both her events, despite the fact that she is turning 69 next week. She was radiant on the ice; the skating director at the event rink even told her that he gave her 12s for each event (the maximum being 6). She loves to perform, is very talented, and it really shows in her skating. 

My three other skating buddies also did extremely well in their events, so many blue ribbons and points were accrued by Skatetown in Roseville. I was proud to represent the rink. In addition, I made some skating friends from across the country, which was an added benefit to attending the competition. 

I was very happy to leave Las Vegas and come home to the peace and quiet of our country setting. And, while I am writing about "country" while I was walking the dogs early yesterday morning, we spotted a bobcat in our development. He was about 20 yards away from us. Pretty darn amazing. From now on, I am waiting until it is completely light before taking the doggies out. They absolutely froze even before I saw the bobcat; they obviously knew something was amiss! 

Back on the ice later today. Had a great time clogging yesterday. Learned two dances, so we are now beyond only learning steps. Still completely entranced by this dance form, but still don't have my shoes :(

Clogging onward. 

This Is It!

All the practice, the time, the concerns - and did I mention $$$? - come to fruition next Saturday, October 9, at 10:10 am in Las Vegas. Two minutes on the ice, that's it. In preparation for this skating event, I found this quote that I will print and keep with me, next to a beautiful one provided by my best skating buddy, Janet. Truly hope this will help as I practice on Friday at the event rink and perform my program on Saturday.

"Think big and your deeds will grow. Think that you can, and you will. It's all in the state of mind. If you think you're out classed, you are. You've got to think high to rise. You've got to be sure of yourself before you can ever win a prize. Life's battle doesn't always go to the stronger or faster man; but sooner or later, the man who wins is the fellow who thinks he can." Author unknown

I am so grateful to Dear Husband who has put up with my fears, complaining, funded this expensive hobby, and been a stand-up guy while doing all the cooking, too! What more could a girl ask for? 

I am skating to "Home," music from The Wiz. It's a beautiful song with an equally lovely message: "When I think of home, I think of a place where's there's love overflowing." So true for me. 

My friend, Madeleine, and I leave on Thursday mid-day, to give us plenty of time to get to Las Vegas and settled in before others arrive. Friday night, four of us are taking Coach Jayne out to dinner at The Venetian as a "thank you" for everything she has done to help us prepare for this competition. She is THE best. Should be a really great evening. Sunday night (after all the hysteria of the event is over), Maddie and I are going to dinner and then to see "Phantom of the Opera" at The Venetian. Really looking forward to that. I've seen it already in Vegas and it's absolutely incredible. 

I so appreciate all the support I have gotten from my skating friends (especially Janet) who have been in the thick of this with me from the moment I said "Yes" to Madeleine's idea that we participate in this competition. What would I do without you, J? 

Onward with confidence, optimism and excitement! 

Witches in Stitches and Something Silly

Sometimes I make a quilt just because I can. So it was with this whimsical Halloween top. My friend and long arm quilter, Jenine Brothers of The Meandering Needle in Rocklin, California, found the focus fabric (the stylish witches on broomsticks) and I had to do something with it. This pattern is called "Simple Simon" and lives up to its name. I whipped it out in very little time. The only complaint was some degree of boredom that started after making the second or third row. 


This is a great example of the importance of contrast, one of the most critical lessons I have learned in quilting. Really like how the black makes everything around it just 'pop' as they say on the television interior design programs. 


I'm looking forward to having this up for Halloween. It will replace "Sunday in the Park" which is in our living room now. Between Halloween and Christmas I have a new top that is elegant and very Italian looking. Excited about having it as a design element in our home.


Now for the really silly part. I took one of the dumb quizzes on Facebook, this one entitled "What kind of historical woman are you?" Here is the result/summary:


Princess Diana
Your greatest strength is communication. Your elegant style and warm character make you appealing to all. Your goal is peace and your weapon is charm.

Go figure! Who would have thought I'd be like Princess Di?????? Dear Husband will get a kick out of this as he thought she was a superficial, vapid, attention-seeking twit. I, on the other hand, thought she was beautiful and charming. I cried buckets watching her funeral on the telly. Poor DH, married to a wanna-be Princess Diana. Now the truth is out.

Off to clogging class today. My shoes are scheduled to be delivered tomorrow. Then I will feel like an 'official' clogger. A new student joined the class so I am no longer the only beginner. Thank goodness! 


Clog on! 

All Fun, No Fear

As some Dear Readers may note, my blog title now includes the word "clogging." 


Never one to let grass grow under my feet - and also planning for that inevitable day when ice skating is no longer an option for me - this week I started clogging lessons in Auburn, a lovely little town (for those who do not know) in the California foothills beyond Sacramento.


The first lesson was an absolute BLAST! Silly me for thinking there wouldn't be enough students to make up the class. Ha! Not only were there enough, there were nearly too many. I was the only beginning clogger. Some of the ladies (there were more than 25) have been clogging together for 20 years. They don't perform or compete; they are there to have fun, for the exercise, and companionship. How refreshing!


It was absolutely wonderful to hear the sound of taps on the wooden floor. I caught on fairly fast. All the ladies were so nice to me. They introduced themselves, told me I'd pick clogging up fast since I had taken tap, and how glad they were to have a new face in the class. The ages ranged from, I would estimate, 35 - 90 (yes, as in 90 years old).


I stayed and watched the intermediate class which follows my class and the women were extraordinary! I was so impressed. The class used to be free through Placer County, but due to the budget crisis, they now have to charge. It amounts to $1.63 per lesson (for 45 minutes) if you buy a coupon book. Can you believe that? 



I also got a free pair of tap shoes. There was a pair (practically new) that someone had donated to the class. Bloch, size 8. Perfect for me. I will eventually buy clogging shoes (they are different than tap shoes), but for now the tap shoes are fine, the instructor told me. I had just given away my old tap shoes a couple of weeks ago. Oh darn.


Today I attend my second lesson. I am very excited and looking forward to it. Unlike ice skating, there is no fear in clogging, just pure fun. Cool.


Onward into clogging land. 

Good Week for Quilt Tops And Forging Ahead

Despite this only being Wednesday, this has been a productive week for completing some projects that were time-bound.


This picture is a wall hanging I finished today for the Sacramento SPCA's big fund raiser - Reigning Cats and Dogs - that is held in October. It is not a large piece, but a dog fancier may take to it and bid on it during the auction portion of the event. I am delivering this to my quilter tomorrow, so there won't be problems with getting it to the SPCA in time for the event. 


I also finished the t-shirt quilt I made for my friend's daughter. That top is quite large and is nearly reversible. It turned out to be very sweet, whimsical, and unique. I am so hoping that the young lady for whom it was made will cherish it. It was created from t-shirts given to her and her classmates when they went on field trips during her elementary school years. 


Finally, I am over the ice dance test "retry" experience of last Saturday and am now focusing on some serious practice to prepare for the ice skating competition in Las Vegas in October! It won't be long now.


Onward. 

Some Days are Diamonds, Some Days are Dust

I had one very dusty day yesterday. I did not (again) pass my Ten Fox test. I had a good, relaxed warm up, but got nervous when it was time to dance in front of the three-judge panel. 


After warm-up, I saw my freestyle coach sitting in the stands. I asked her if she saw my warm-up, she replied, "Yes." That was it; just "Yes." I knew at that moment what she thought - "No way is she going to pass this test." I asked her what she thought. Her response was "I don't know. It's the Mohawk; it's a problem." I NEVER should have had this conversation with her right before the test. Lesson learned: Don't ask a question if you can't handle the answer. Ah duh!


One judge passed me, the other two, including his wife, gave me the big "Retry." I'm not surprised. I knew the minute I got off the ice that I had not passed the test.


Here's what I got from the test:

• I skated *clean*, meaning no falls or major mistakes, like missing steps, falling out of pattern, etc.
• I certainly got judges' feedback (read BIG criticism) that I wanted. To wit: "No expression," "Edges too shallow," "Walking steps, not running." Oddly, no comments about the outside Mohawk and drop three-turns, although as my friend Janet said, "It was probably the whole picture that they were looking at" (or something like that.)
• I did get to dance with a drop-dead stunning *fab* ice dancer, great human being and friend in Coach Chris. He was amazing yesterday. So supportive, stayed with me the entire time from when he arrived until I got the results, tried to keep me calm. Coach C, you get very high marks for being there for me!
• I did get to listen to "Slow Boat to China" for the last time. I will never use this music again for anything.
• I know what I need to work on, but don't know if I will ever be able to accomplish what the judges are looking for. I will never ice dance like a 40 year-old. Just isn't going to happen, I fear. 

Here's what I didn't get from the test:

• Being able to recognize that not passing is not a metaphor for my life. Going to have to work on this one. I'm feeling pretty down right now about this result. So much hard work (not to mention money) for a less than positive outcome is hard to accept. 

I am spending the day at home licking my wounds from yet another "Retry" and working on a quilt for a silent auction for Sacramento SPCA's big fundraiser in October.

Onward through life. 

A Long Haul

Today is the culmination of what seems like a very long, arduous journey to retry an ice dance that I had tested two years ago. 


After receiving an "Invitation to Retry" the Ten Fox when I tested in San Jose so long ago, I've been working toward taking USFS up on that offer. 


As the expression goes, "Be careful what you ask for!" when you do things like submit an application to re-test thinking to yourself, "The Club will not be able to find three dance judges in August in the Sacramento area who want to spend a Saturday afternoon watching, among others, a mature, adult ice dancer try once more to pass a Bronze level dance. Come on - certainly these folks have others things to do during the dog days of summer, like watching their zucchini grow or watching paint dry."


Apparently that is not the case because at about 2:30 today I will take the ice, with some shred of pride that I am even testing this dance again, knowing that at least I will be dancing with a drop-dead stunning young man who is a *fab* ice dancer and great human being/friend. Sidebar: Thank you, Coach Chris, for getting me to this point. You've been THE best about all of the travails associated with getting to test day.


What do I want from this test? Not in this order, here's the long answer (there is no short one, I'm afraid):

• I want 2 of 3 (although 3 would be totally-over-the-top cool) judges to mark the "Pass" box so I can put this dance behind me. 
• I'd like Coach Chris (and Coach Jayne) to be proud of the job I do.
• I don't care about overs, but I do care about getting feedback (read 'criticism') to improve my dance skills. 
• I never want to hear "Slow Boat to China" again (and I picked that song "Why?").
• I want to skate a clean dance, put out the best performance I can, and leave the ice with my head held high. 
• I want to accept that if I get another "Retry," it doesn't mean that I'm not a great wife, good dog Mom, loyal friend, and/or decent quilter. In short, not passing this test is not a metaphor for my life; it is a point-in-time event over which I have little control given the highly subjective nature of judging (maybe the judges will hate having to listen to "Slow Boat to China" and mark me down because of that - who knows? could happen!)

That's it in a nutshell. So, onward through a day that, like any other day, is 24 hours, during which less than two minutes will be spent taking this test. Nameste.

Work-in-Progress

I am not a fan of quilts with millions of small pieces; in fact, I manage to avoid them at all cost, but when it was time to decide on a Christmas quilt for our living room, I plunged into the fray, purchased a Thimbleberries pattern (top photo) and am now firmly ensconced in this sweet Village Patchwork design.


Yesterday I constructed the first row (bottom photo). I've been working on this top for what seems like an eternity. You can't really tell from the picture, but there are probably 30-40 pieces - maybe more - in each house and star block.


I started on the tree blocks and have made 17 of the needed 60 branch pieces to construct these. That translates into 60-1 1/2 inch x 4 1/2 inch rectangles and 120-1 1/2 inch squares. I have half of the sections (30) either sewn or pinned and ready to sew. This afternoon, I will work on the other half. 


This top isn't so difficult to make as it is tedious and unforgiving. You can't squeak by making small mistakes the way you can when working with large pieces. I've re-made a number of block sections, but the work paid off when I made the first row and everything fit together perfectly. "Whoopee!" she cried. 


I am also working on a t-shirt quilt for a dear friend's daughter. Today, I go to my long arm quilter's home for the second of private lessons in how to make one of these tops. We are designing it together and it is quite an enjoyable experience. I have all the interfacing fused to the back of the t-shirts, so today we'll probably get out the design wall and put up the pieces to see what we have. The creative process in action!


Tomorrow I have a dance lesson with Coach Chris. Only one more lesson left (after tomorrow) before I test the Ten Fox on August 21. Passing this test is a roll-of-the-dice. Given what has happened to my best skating buddy with her last two dance tests (completely unfair judging) I am going into this test with a good deal of trepidation. But testing with a Hollywood good looks, Gold-level ice dancer helps a lot! 


Onward in quilt land. 

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Merlin, 11.5 years old

DeeDee, 8 years old

These pictures are too adorable not to post.


The left *pic* is our "old gentleman" curled up in his doughnut bed, enjoying every moment of his nap. I think this bed is really too small for him (he is a big boy at 65 pounds), but he seems to think it is just fine for him.


By way of contrast, DeeDee is showing her most ignoble pose as she snoozes away in one of her favorite places, up against the wall. We refer to this as her "upside-down-pretzel-dog" position. I think she has her best REM periods in this position. 


You gotta love dogs, right? 


Expenses:

• Photos by Dear Husband, our resident pet photographer: One Skinny Cow Ice Cream Bar.
• Adorable doggies: Priceless.

I'm Still Here

I have not been a very faithful blogger lately due to other pressing matters requiring my attention. Here is an update on what's happening at our end of the pond:

1. The Big Kitchen Dig at O'Brien Manor is over. Thank goodness! Dear Husband could not be happier. He did a fantastic job designing the space. Taking down the elevated breakfast bar was a fantastic idea; it really opened up the room tremendously (see picture above). Everything is so beautiful and functional too.

2. Quilting continues. I now have a number of projects going at the same time. After teaching myself how to hand applique by watching a YouTube video, I am so enjoying spending time with my needle and thread tacking down the pieces I applique via fusible web (love this method). I am working on a quilt top (it will be called "Seasons of Sicily") for a class, am making a t-shirt quilt for a friend's daughter, and am hard at work on a Christmas quilt for our living room. Then there is the dog-theme quilt I am making for the SPCA benefit in October. 

3. Toying with learning to make jewelry. I am dabbling in jewelry making, with the ultimate objective to make vintage-style jewelry for gifts. Just getting started with this so it is too soon to tell whether I will like this hobby and stick with it, as I have quilting.

4. The "skate" goes on. Still preparing for the October competition and working on Free Dance 5 test. I am not skating nearly as much as I 'should' but life gets in the way and the schedules for ice time at the rink have been changed numerous time due to summer camps for kids. That said, I had a good run through of my "Fallen Embers" (Bronze Open) program last week. Coach even looked happy with it and that's saying something!

5. Doggies are hot. While it is true that our dogs are primarily indoor pups, they like to go outside and also have to. It's too darn hot for Collies right now. We got DeeDee an adorable little summer cut (not shaved; just trimmed her skirt, tummy and feathers) so she is no longer dragging in entire rose bushes when she comes in from the backyard. She seems to be happy with her new "do" and we think she looks cute as can be. Definitely planning on leaving her this way. Our old boy, Merlin, is hanging in, but continues to slow down. Can't write about that now. Just makes me too sad. We love them both very much and are honored to give them their forever home.

6. Migraines are . . . well, still migraines. I've been to the UCSF Headache Clinic and will be starting a new treatment regimen there on August 19th. After a few weeks relative peace, I'm back in a bad patch getting four major migraines in the last 9 days. Such a drag!

Onward with hope, optimism and a wish that the heat would end soon. But then again, I say this every summer, so what else is new?

The Big Kitchen Dig

Things are moving along with the kitchen remodel! We now have the granite slabs on the counter tops, the new sink and fixtures and the appliances installed (but not all functional). Woo-hoo!

Dear Husband did a fab job of picking out the granite. The fireplace (left in background) is still in progress. The fascia (granite) has been affixed, but not the mantel, which will perhaps be done next week.

Still left to be completed is the back splash, lighting, plumbing and clean-up (ugh!). There is not one drawer or cabinet that isn't filled with some building material. Then, there is the matter of putting everything back in its proper place.

All things being equal - which of course they rarely are - we should be done by the end of next week. Could this be true? Dear Husband says this process has been more painful for him than the master bath suite remodel. No way, DH! Nine weeks sharing a small bathroom was torture for me. O.K., that's a little dramatic, I admit it.

Congrats to DH for being the designer extraordinaire. I didn't renew my interior design license after the disaster with the first attempt to "upgrade" the master bath that resulted in the major remodel in that room. I'll stick to something I can actually do marginally well - like quilting.

"Grilling" is the word for this July 4th. DH's famous veggie potato salad, BBQ chicken, grilled veggies and perhaps some homemade cobbler for the finishing touch. 2,000 calories on a plate.

Happy July 4th, Dear Readers.

Onward, happy to be almost finished with the kitchen dig.

Thought for the Day and A Little More

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy. They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”

—Marcel Proust

After visiting my little veggie patch this morning - as I do each morning - I stumbled on this quote. What a simple and beautiful thought to hold as we cherish this day we've been given. Just wanted to share it with Dear Readers in the hope it will make you smile. 

Off to skate today and practice the footwork that Coach C conjured up to torture me. I'm certain I will, by the end of two hours, feel much more comfortable with it than I did on Wednesday. 

Big Dig in the kitchen is moving along nicely. Think we will actually have some parts of the kitchen back and in usable condition by this holiday weekend. It's getting a bit old using the laundry room as a place to prepare food, feed the dogs, wash clothes, etc., etc. Don't think it's very hygienic either. :(

Going to do some hand applique for a bit while I have morning coffee and spend some quiet time with the doggies, who having had their breakfast at 5:00 am are peacefully sleeping. Not so probably for the neighbors they woke with their barking when I let them out after eating. Oops! 

Happy 4th to one and all. At O'Brien Manor, we treasure our freedom and honor the lives lost and changed in the protection of it. 

Humbling At Best, Public Humiliation at Worst (And It's A Long One)

Yesterday was one of those days when I came face-to-face with reality. Not a pleasant experience, if one is in the "Perhaps-I'm-getting-a-little-better-at-this-ice-skating-stuff" mode. Let me explain.

I went to a rink 65 miles away from my home to have a 'marathon' lesson with Coach Chris. The objective was to finish setting my ISI Free Dance 5 program so I can attempt to test (read "Pass") this level to compete with Coach C in Las Vegas.

The drive was nice, listening to Beethoven all the way down, with my venti soy decaf sugar-free vanilla latte. I made great time and had a little extra to visit the Ross for Less store at the Vacaville outlets.

The rink makes me appreciate even more my home rink, Skatetown in Roseville, CA. The Vacaville venue is this strange, rather other-worldly combo that looks like it doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it an ice rink, a gymnastic facility, or huge cave for general sitting around activity? Weird. I always feel a little strange going to another rink; one doesn't know the "local secret rules" - like how you can play your music on the overhead speakers, who gets to do what, which coaches you want to avoid, etc., etc. It's all part of this sport called figure skating.

I won't go into my lengthy list of complaints I instantly voiced to Coach C, such as "This ice is wavy," "It's too hot in here," etc., etc. Of course, these were all distractions to avoid the getting-down-to-business part. He might not have recognized my ability to delay the inevitable, for which I was paying. Go figure! I was excited, but a tad nervous too. After all, he is an exceptional skater (and did I mention, as you can see from the pic above, his Hollywood good looks?) and I the lowly "mature adult skater" (yuck, I hate thinking of myself in those terms). But, Coach is always very gracious to me and so we launched in.

First item of business that sprung from Coach's mouth: "I changed the beginning." I'm thinking, "O.K., I'm fine with that." Then he asks, "Can you do toe steps?" I'm now nearly quaking, as he has chosen one of about ten things in skating that I really don't like; anything having to do with toe picks scare the living jelly beans out of me. But, like the big faker I am, I say, "Sure." He demonstrates, I copy. The result: BIG SPLAT and we aren't even a minute into the 120 minute lesson. First big hit to my pride. I was so humiliated that I wanted the ice monster to appear and drag me to his lair and take me away from all this. Coach inquires, "Are you alright?" I'm thinking, "Wait, if all my body parts of still attached, I must be alright." Up I stand, brush off the ice, and onward we go. I'm musing to myself, "This poor young man, he has 119 more minutes to put up with. Boy, he doesn't make nearly enough money!"

We move on to the dance spin, which we agree is stupid. It's 3 revolutions in a camel position, then 3 in arabesque position. Coach thought this would be the most difficult part of the program. Surprise! We hadn't gotten to the footwork yet. Alright, now it's about 37 seconds into the required two minutes. I'm wondering whether they serve adult beverages in this rink; a Cosmo sounded like a great idea at this point, even though I haven't had even one ounce of hard liquor since I was in college. No kidding. My wonderful friend Mary - my Cosmo expert and sophisticate extraordinaire who takes me to Neiman Marcus to drink champagne while trying on furs, which she knows all about - would have encouraged me to "make it a double." I'm musing, "Still haven't broken anything. Good sign!"

We peregrinated through much of the program. I took a very ungraceful fall on a change edge spiral (give me credit, Coach; you did make a left turn without telling me), but again, nothing more than my pride is suffering at this point. However, mind you, we were still on a public session, which was sparsely populated anyway. I really enjoyed what Coach had done with the dance lifts. He is a brilliant choreographer with a real sense for how things should flow. I'm really liking what he has included.

We get off the ice for the cut, before the 1:30 FS session. I must mention that I was happy to find a lack of pre-teen/teen skaters staring at me like, "Oh, are you pulling your daughter's skate bag? How nice of you." I always want to yell, "I am not the skating Mom. I'm the skater!" By-and-large, most of the skaters just ignored me, although the hero worship for Coach C was evident and even greater than at Skatetown. I'm sure some of those girls thought, "Oh poor Coach Chris having to skate with that older woman." Unlike my home rink, the "eye rolling" was minimal, even when I accidentally cut off a teen skater who was probably going to execute a triple salchow, double loop - or something else incredibly impressive. She just veered the other way.

Then it was truly time to walk the figurative plank; it was time to focus on footwork. How to describe this? Oh, I know, "The wheels totally came off." Not only could I not remember anything, I could not get into my head directions, elements, or how to do things (like a twizzle), which I had just shown him. The footwork is cool, but hard for me right now. Rather, I should note that parts of it are difficult. But, I like this aspect because it is challenging, a growth-opportunity, and terrifying - all wrapped up in 11 steps. Doesn't seem like much to some, I know, but it's Mount Everest to me.

At one point, when we had worked for 15 minutes on maybe 5 steps, Coach put his hands over his eyes. I skated over to him and said, "Oh God, please don't do that." He looked so incredibly frustrated. He most likely wanted to flee the jurisdiction - or at least find a way to get far from me. Being a very kind, caring person, he asked if I was tired. I was beyond tired, I had moved into the next galaxy of exhaustion. My mind was mush, I was starving, and I was embarrassed. Public humiliation is not my favorite experience. Here I was at Coach's home rink, among his colleagues and students and I'm skating something akin to a first year skater. Ugh!

I drove home with a blazing headache, but thinking that this is a beautiful program, to the theme from "Legends of the Fall" complements of my best skating buddy. The program is set, so now it's practice, practice, practice to get ready to test in a month, maybe six weeks if we're lucky. I don't know if I can do this, but I am certainly going to try. I love Free Dance skating and do feel rejuvenated in my skating pursuing this discipline.

Anything that's new for me is always difficult. As I explained to Coach C, "You will have to show and or tell me something a thousand times, but once I 'get' it, I will take it to my grave." This is how I learn.

Despite all this humor, self-deprecating, wry content, it was a wonderful two hours spent with a fabulous ice dance coach. I'm on a new path and the journey will be an interesting, challenging one. Now, if anyone has any patience they'd like to sell me, money is no object!

Onward we go!

Sunday in the Park

It was with some measure of pride that Dear Husband and I hung my most recently completed quilt, "Sunday in the Park." This is the most difficult top I have made. As some readers may recall, this fabric reflects my favorite painting by George Seurat. 

While I did the piecing which required learning new techniques, it was quilted by my friend and long arm quilter, Jenine Brothers, owner of The Meandering Needle. As always, she did a masterful job, adding so much to the beauty of this piece.

This quilt will be displayed in our living room (as shown on the left) until the fall, when it will be replaced by another top, Florence Regal. In the meantime, we can enjoy the fantastic design, colors, and the feeling that the fabric depicts - a beautiful summer day in Paris.

There is not much I take credit for, but I am quite happy with the way this top turned out. It represents my best quilting effort yet. Of course, while I can always find some "flaws" (which I refuse to point out to any Dear Readers), all-in-all, it looks nice to me. And - most important - Dear Husband likes it. A real compliment! 

Shown below is a close-up of a section of one block. This fabric is magnificent in every way imaginable. Summer has arrived in Loomis, CA, not only in fact (it will be close to 100 degrees today), but in the scenes of this lovely representation of a spectacular painting. 

As you can see from the picture, our Collie, DeeDee, is also happy to have a new quilt above one of her favorite places to nap - the living room sofa. It's good to be a doggie in our home. 

Onward to quilt land with a sense of accomplishment. 

A New Neighbor

One of the wonderful benefits of living in the country is sights like this. Meet our new neighbor - a baby donkey who is about a month old. He is so adorable. As you can tell, he is enjoying the shade and being with his Mama. Whenever I drive to the grocery store in Loomis, I pass the field where these donkeys reside, so it's a treat to see them. Sometimes they are off grazing and out of sight, but frequently they are right at the fence by the road, as they are in this great picture, taken by Dear Husband.

Donkeys certainly don't get any cuter than this guy. What is really adorable about him is that his head and ears are very large in proportion to the rest of his body. He has some growing to do to "even" things out, but this makes him even more precious. He also has black spots, just like Mom.

I can't help but get a big smile on my face when I see him. Ah, country living at its finest! We are taking great pleasure in watching him grow. When one of us sees him, we almost always call the other person and say, "Hey, guess who I just saw? The baby donkey!"

Onward in animal land. Hee-haw!

Inspiration on the Ice

At long last! I am finally, finally, finally truly and absolutely inspired to get my "bum" out on the ice to do something completely and utterly fun - and without any fear involved. This surge of enthusiasm is the result of my lesson Thursday with Coach J.

I went to the rink knowing that I would be skating on a "half sheet, no music allowed" freestyle. There is a kids' skating camp all week, so the FS sessions have been scarce. Oh, what an ice elitist I've become!

Coach J and I plunged into ISI Free Dance. We worked through all the elements through FD5, at which point Coach announced there isn't anything in these levels that I cannot do. So-o-o-o-o, we set the goal of testing through Free Dance 5 by July 15. The kicker is that we need Coach Chris to test Free Dance 5 with me, which comprises skating a 2 minute FD program, which includes all the FD5 elements. Music is picked ("Adagio in G Minor") so that's one thing that is done.

I will test the individual elements of each of the first four levels with Coach J. It is NOT necessary to skate these in the context of a program, just to demonstrate to the judge (our Skating Director) that one has competence in these. I felt as though I could have probably done that yesterday, but the Skating Director was teaching so we couldn't interrupt her. Besides which, you have to test all the levels on the same day or else you actually have to skate a program for each of the levels. "No thank you!"

Coach J and I had a wonderful, inspiring time checking each element off the list, with high-5s all around for all the things I could do without batting an eye. She was very happy with my ability to pick up the required footwork sequences quite quickly.

My dress for the FD5 program should arrive this weekend. Can't wait to see it. I am SO excited about this program. I feel that skating Free Dance is the second best thing I've done in skating, after skating pairs. There is a lot of work to do between now and July 15 with Coach Chris, who is going to have to set the Free Dance 5 program and we'll have to nail it in testing. That gives me three weeks to learn the program and gain competence enough to pass the test. Lots of work, but the good kind.

Also worked on my jump sequence for Bronze Open program. Now a half-lutz, r-inside three, toe tap, salchow, toe loop. Finally got the entrance and exit down. Coach was happy with progress on this too. This program is coming along really well.

Coach J and I had a great time working on the Free Dance elements. I could tell she enjoyed it nearly as much as I did. It was a real partnership activity. There is simply nothing like skating with a partner to inspire one to improve and work hard.

Onward with optimism and inspiration!