And So It Goes

I only have two words to describe my sentiment about Worlds right now - "Mercy Me!" In ordinary circumstances, I would take all of this in stride, but yesterday was the straw that broke this poor old skating camel's back (not literally, BTW).

The day started with an hour-long 8:00 am dress rehearsal. My beautiful black-and-white dress for my dramatic program has a design flaw. The sleeves are too short, which means the finger loops pull the shoulders down. Coach suggested that I get someone to add an extension to solve this problem. This is one more tasks I cannot attend to at this late date. My solution: Cut off the finger loops and wear the dress as is. Alright, so it won't be perfect, but no one is going to be looking at my sleeves anyway.

Dear Husband attended the entire hour, poor patient man. He got to see - up close and personal - what it's like to skate on a FS session before a major competition.

There was a mother-daughter team doing this snake charmer routine, with the daughter being inside what looked to be a brown garbage can (it's actually supposed to be the basket in which the snake is). Now this posed a number of problems for me. First of all, as Indiana Jones said, 'I HATE SNAKES,' so the very concept of this was abhorrent to me. What possesses a coach to think this is cute? Enough judgment on my part - sorry! In addition, they were right in the path of my program run through, so I had to make a beeline around them because, after all, a four-foot garbage can cannot move easily, let alone see anything. For the daughter's sake (she is the snake), I do hope there are eye holes cut in the basket so she can see out.

This was the first challenge to the first run through of my Passion program. It rather went downhill from there, but Dear Husband gave me a hand-sign (a personal joke of ours) that I skated the program nicely. Little did he know it was riddled with problems, so Coach and I spent 20 minutes working on some of the issues, like this is going to help at this point? As I cannot get down low enough on the ice to do a decent hyroblade, Coach suggested another way to execute the move that is much better. Now if I can just remember this at performance time. Also worked on the lunge exit into the catch-blade arabesque. I was able to do what she suggested and it does help the exit from the lunge look more graceful.

On the positive side, replacing the salchow with a half-flip was a brilliant idea. Coach told me yesterday that my half-flip is higher and bigger than "average" and all I need to do is hold the landing longer to make it even better. Yay! At long last, a jump I can do with some degree of prowess! Amazing. It's hard to believe that we are making changes 5 days before the competition, but so it goes in skating.

Then, on to my technical program run through. In a short, crude phrase, "It sucked." First time, I completely fouled up the opening. Not a good start. The spin was wretched (wouldn't even pass the requirement), and I did something I have never done before: totally missed the dance sequence footwork. Could this be because Dear Husband was there? Who knows? I was nervous, no doubt about it, but this error was unnerving. Coach was very disappointed, I could tell. Maybe it was the garbage-can snake that was the problem! Second run through was better, but certainly not my best. I know I can do much better than this.

I left the rink and went to get some breakfast, only to return two hours later for ensemble practice. By the time we had run through the program 6 times, I was at my maximum saturation point. Most members have an opinion, including me. Mine is "Can't we just be done with this, P-L-E-E-Z-E?" Having noted this, it is a lovely program with beautiful costumes and music, so maybe these things will distract from any errors we make. One can only hope.

When I got home, I was absolutely exhausted beyond words. All I could think of was "Why did I ever do this?" But, it is always darkest before the dawn, so this morning, I feel somewhat renewed and ready for my last dance practice with Coach Chris tomorrow morning. What a joy it will be! I have absolutely no expectations of placing anywhere but last, so there is no pressure on me at all.

I am treating myself to a pedicure today and then a day spent in quilting activities. Dear Husband, thank you a million times for putting up with all of this nonsense. You have truly been a saint about this. And, I loved your comment, "What's up with the garbage can snake?"

Limping onward to San Jose!

Deperately Needed *Down Time*

Here I sit in our spectacular backyard, enjoying a cup of morning java. There is a slight cool breeze in the air; such a respite from the heat wave we've had. Our doggies are inside to avoid the bark-a-thon that is typical of the morning hours when people are walking on the path behind our house and our pooches are outside. Between our two Collies and the neighbor's Irish Wolfhound, the noise gets pretty loud. I am counting my blessings for the luxury (and I know it is) of having a husband who works as hard as mine that allows me to enjoy these relaxing moments. What's the expression about a 'guilty pleasure'? That's mine, I must admit.

I was contemplating skating today, but decided I am in much need of rest from Worlds "mania."

Yesterday was a complete zoo at the rink. Too many skaters, too much chaos, too few freestyle sessions, resulting in a veritable sea of skaters on one sheet of ice. Even the coaches are in high-frustration mode; they can't get all their students in for the last push of lessons before Worlds. The tension is thick in the air. And I wanted to do this, "Why?"

A 15-minute ensemble practice with our Team Captain at the helm was excellent. She put us through our paces with three run-throughs, one right after another. I knew she had leadership skills the minute I met her, which is why I *appointed* her to this position. It was a bold move, as I have no authority over this group of seven skaters, but I knew we needed someone to get us out of the political mayhem that had emerged. Hey, all those years in corporate America paid off for me. Strong decision on my part - and no one seemed to mind, except one skater who currently isn't speaking to me. That's show biz for you!

Tomorrow morning I will do a quick dress rehearsal with Dear Husband present. I tried on all my dresses yesterday, to finalize what I am going to wear for which programs. After much wavering, I decided to wear my "good luck" dress for my technical program, not the new blue dress I acquired from China, which I will use for the dance event. I wore this black and red dress for my first pairs competition and for my technical test. I love it and now that I've lost weight, it fits even better. I'm very comfortable in it and it has some lovely bling that is sophisticated and beautiful.

I will spend today with my doggies, working on my latest quilt. Have a hair appointment to get rid of the "skunk girl" look and cut some of the bulk off the bottom of this bob. I am actually going to try for a "style" rather than continue to live in perpetual bob-land.

Onward we go. The countdown has begun. A week and four hours from now, my technical event will be over! Yay!

Latest Quilt Project

When I first started quilting, I volunteered to make a quilt for the silent auction for our homeowners association Crush (as in grape crushing) Party in September. Dear Husband reminded me that time is ticking away, thus I better get cracking on this piece. Here is a picture of 4 blocks of the pattern. It's the same one I used for "Wine Styles" and "The Grapes of Rhone" but this theme is more olives/olive oil than wine (we have olive trees growing in our development as well as grapes).

I made a good start yesterday, getting two rows completed. This look is a more "country" than I would typically use, but it's Debbie Mumm fabrics that are supposed to be used together. It is coming together well and will work up quickly, which is why I use patterns with these large blocks.

Musings of a Miscellaneous Nature

The heat is really on now, in more than one way. I am glad I picked ice skating as my hobby sport in my advanced years. With the temps hitting 103 to 107 range here in the Sacramento area, the rink is a great place to be. That said, yesterday was a zoo!

You can certainly tell that skaters and coaches alike are revving up for Worlds. I skated the 9:30 freestyle session. Major mistake. Could hardly get anything done and my anxiety level was exacerbated by the many excellent, young skaters doing their programs. There were a number of my adult friends who are going to Worlds also on the ice and, with the exception of one, we all felt the same way - it was a waste of $7.00 for the ice time. That said, I can only imagine what the practice ice will be like in San Jose. Oh horrors!

I managed to limp through both programs, nearly wiping out one young skater who was clueless as to my presence. I am hyper-vigilant when I am on the ice, watching as many other skaters as possible. The littler ones (who I don't think should even be on the FS sessions with teen and adult skaters) just do their thing. I suppose they don't have the realization that danger is all around them with "the big skaters" zooming to and fro.

The two practice runs were alright, but certainly not anything to be proud of. I do hope I skate better than I did yesterday in SJ. I know my programs, like them very much, but I have never grown used to skating with lots of people on the ice. I just am too nervous and this definitely affects my performance quality.

Dear Husband will be coming to the rink this week to see my "dress rehearsal." As he is not going to be at Worlds, I wanted him to see my programs. This is the acid test for my ability to perform. It is always difficult to skate in front of your peers, but in front of your husband is nigh on to terrifying!

After skating at my home rink in the morning, I then had to travel to another rink for additional practice. This rink is pitiful, but I did have the pleasure of seeing my former pairs partner and his new partner in their lesson with my dance coach. OMG, they are looking absolutely fabulous and as if they have been skating together for a long time. It was very cool watching them skate.

My dance coach, Coach Chris, is drilling me on things that I should have learned long ago; rather, he is correcting some very bad habits I developed, like NOT keeping my hips underneath me, which results in a very unattractive tendency to have my bum sticking out. This is the single biggest problem with my dancing. If I can fix this, I can do any dance, I am quite confident.

We started working on the dreaded Ten Fox in anticipation of testing this dance again in the future (like 2012 maybe!). Coach Chris gave me homework - practice the end-pattern running steps into the Mohawk - by myself. He showed me how he wants me to execute the Mohawk. EEK! Blade parallel the other blade at the instep going into the move. Alright, like I can do this? I don't have dance blades, so it's HIGH ANXIETY time, but I will practice this and get it right. I refuse to get another re-try on this dance; one was plenty.

Working with Coach Chris is so great. He has a great sense of what it takes to work with adult skaters and is perfect for me. I suppose I am a pretty high-maintenance student but he doesn't seem to mind the fact that having fun in lessons is a big requirement of mine. And, watching him ice dance is a treat in-and-of-itself. He makes everything looks absolutely effortless. I wish, I wish, I wish that someday I could even come close to this goal.

I am attempting to stay calm as the excitement (and anxiety) builds towards Worlds. This is a great challenge with all the chaos going on at the rink. So, onward we go, getting closer to the big event.

"H-e-e-e-r-e's Barney"

Isn't he cute? This is the second Cabin Fever Block-of-the-Month, Barney the Bear. In total, he took two hours to cut out and sew. I'm sure others could whip him out in one, but I'm still a very slow, deliberate quilter.

The astounding fact? He is exactly 12 1/2 inches square - precisely the size he is supposed to be. I think this is the first time I've managed to get a block the required size. Hooray!

A Thing of Beauty

Here is my completed Japanese Puzzle quilt, nearly five months after I began it. Making this piece caused me to fall in love with batiks. As you can see, they are quite beautiful. I absolutely adore this quilt. It will have a very special place in our home, hanging over our front door in our entry way (inside the house). There is a perfect spot to display it for maximum effect.

As noted long ago, many thanks to Kathy S. at Cabin Fever who taught the Japanese Puzzle class, but also finished the piece for me by adding the magnificent flying geese and gorgeous borders. Without Kathy, this top would still be unfinished I fear. Of all the pieces I have made, this is by far and away my favorite - and Dear Husband's too.

Yesterday, I completed my floral quilt top. Funny thing about this hobby. You can work on a piece and all the while think, "This is too easy" or "I don't really like this," but once it is completed and you see it in its entirety you have a completely different view of it. So it was with this piece. It actually turned out to be quite lovely and the dramatic play between blacks and whites and the vivid colors in the flowers make it quite striking. Lesson learned: Don't judge a quilt top until it is completed. You might really surprise yourself.

Off to work on the latest Cabin Fever BOM, Barney the Bear. Quite adorable. I hope to finish him today.

Onward we go in quilt-land.

"Oh, what a feeling!"

This morning I had the privilege of spending an hour on the ice with my pro-partner, Coach Chris, with whom I am competing at Worlds with the Willow Waltz and Hickory Hoedown. It was a fabulous way to start the day, allowing me to leave the rink feeling as though I had accomplished something while having fun at the same time. Doesn't get any better than this in skating, at least not for me.

Coach Chris is a fabulous ice dancer. He is also a good partner because of his height and stature; in short, we are compatible in terms of looking well-matched on the ice (except for the age thing, of course). What I love about Coach C is his wonderful sense of humor (we do spend lots of time laughing, which is great for me), his belief that I can do these dances, a positive mental attitude, and great instruction skills. I am also able to take 'positive criticism' from him in a way that truly improves my ice dancing.

By way of an example, he pointed out that when we did the Willow without the music on, I did the dance well, with good flow, but when we danced to the music, I became a "frightened little turtle" (his phrase, if I am quoting him precisely). He was absolutely right! I wasn't offended by this observation on his part; rather I appreciated his insight and ability to communicate a need for correction.

We spent a good deal of time on the Hickory today as we hadn't worked on it much last session. I am feeling pretty good about this dance, although it's still isn't as ready for competition as I would like, or I suspect he would like either. Good news is we still have time to work on the dance.

Gosh, there is so much information that my head is just spinning, but it was an immensely productive and enjoyable session. My inner ice dancer was very much present on the ice. There is really nothing in skating quite like being in the arms of a male ice dancer and knowing that you can do things you can't do when you solo dance (which I don't do as my act of skating *civil disobedience* as I express it). It was embarrassing when Coach C asked to see a pattern of the Willow by myself. I think I looked at him like he was asking me to fly to the moon. I had to tell him I don't solo, which he just took in stride and we moved on to do the dance together.

I'm getting so excited about competing in dance with Coach C! I have a lovely dress and a magnificent pro partner who is this incredible ice dancer and with whom I feel comfortable, secure and safe. No matter what my standing at the end of the competition, I know I will feel like a princess out on the ice dancing with Prince Charming. Can't wait.

My best skating buddy watched us dance for a few minutes. Her advice to me: 'SMILE!" She is absolutely right, too. It does make so much difference in terms of presentation and expression.

Onward we continue!

Coming Down Home Stretch and Other News

Worlds is rapidly approaching while I seem terminally stuck in migraine-land. My headaches are firing every other day, in some form or another. I'm trying hard to stay focused on the task at hand (get my programs as good as they are going to get), without completely stressing myself out. As I said to Coach the other day about the spin in my technical program, "It will be what it will be on performance day." That's true for everything in skating, I believe. You can prepare all you want, but at the final moment-of-truth, you are only as good as what happens that day.

I know that Coach feels the programs are at performance level because we only do one or two run throughs during my lesson. That's a sure sign that she believes one has reached a point of diminishing returns. The 'drilling' aspect is over; now it's up to me (and my ice angel) to 'Git her done' (as a former boss used to say) on competition day.

I tried on my competition dresses again. I've decided to wear a different dress for my technical program because the blue one is just too long for a freestyle program. Fortunately, I have a red dress that I bought when I was going to Nationals with a pairs program. It fits even better now that I am down to my all-time-low playing weight (this is not intentional, BTW). The blue dress is too much dress for a free skate performance; it hides too much of the leg line to have a positive impact. Funny that I should even consider such a thing, but one has to pay attention to the details. The dress for my dramatic program is still perfect, thank goodness. I now have two dresses to chose from for the dance competition; I can either use the dress we're using for the ensemble number (without the over-skirt) or the blue dress, the length of which is perfect for dance. I'm certainly not worried about not having the right costumes.

Yesterday was the last session the ensemble group had with Jill Shipstad. It was rather sad to see this lovely lady leave us, but at some point, the mother bird must kick the babies out of the nest. It is up to us - with Coach J's guidance - to take the ice and pull it together. Jill did a great job putting the program together and coaching us over the last few weeks. And the idea of using our over-layer skirts as props was brilliant. It's fun to work with them and adds tremendously to the program. What we need now is major league finishing, like making sure our lines are straight and our arm positions are consistent. I feel very comfortable with the program at this point, since I replaced the right 3-turn with a left Mohawk, as did others. Frankly, I'm not sure we'll come in first, but I think we'll do a nice job and have fun.

I've been hard at work practicing my toe loop for the jump-and-spin competition. I can execute it correctly off-ice, but the minute I try it on the ice, I revert to my old bad habits. Total bummer. I'm pretty sure I can fix this by Worlds, however.

Tomorrow is ice dance day with my pro-partner, Chris. I can't wait! I was hoping to dance with him twice this week, but had a migraine on one of the days and had to cancel, then I had to spend $50.00 on practice ice in San Jose, which left me busted for skating expenditures for the week. This competition has become quite costly so thank goodness it is my last.

Lest anyone think I am no longer quilting, I figured out why I've slowed down my activities in this arena. First, the floral quilt I'm working on is just too simple. I never thought I would say this, but it is true; it just isn't challenging for me. Second, this is also an expensive hobby; so I needed to stop spending money on fabric, quilting, etc. I've set today aside to finish the floral piece and start a more interesting quilt top. And, Saturday is the next Block-of-the-Month at Cabin Fever, which I am really looking forward to. Kathy S. is a great teacher and I will get to see two of my quilting buddies there, which is always a plus.

My volunteer House Manager duties at the Magic Circle Theatre in Roseville have been fun. The newest musical is "My Fair Lady," which is my favorite show of all times. The production is fantastic and very professional. There is such talent in the community and nearly everyone participates on a volunteer basis (this, of course, includes all the actors). My mentor tells me I'm doing a great job; I'm not so sure about that. There are many details to being a House Manager, particularly at the large theatre that holds nearly 600 patrons. My first experience at that theatre had an audience of about 250, which was a manageable size. I've already been called and asked to house manage this weekend. Ah, show biz!

Dear Husband has continued to be very patient and supportive of all my activities, particularly all the prep for Worlds. I suspect he will be quite happy when the competition is over and he can have his wife back. He truly has been a saint, coming home to take care of me when my headaches strike, not asking me how much I'm spending on Worlds, etc. But, even I must say, "Enough is enough." I need to get back to taking care of my family which is my primary purpose in my retirement.

For you blog followers who wrote asking why I hadn't posted for a while, thank you for taking time to read my missives. I know they are very detailed and I do so appreciate your interest in my various adventures.

Onward we go!

"Dancing Through Life"

At last, Pro Partner and I connected to dance together! I admit to some degree of nervousness since it had been years since we'd danced together. I give him very high marks for excellent instruction, patience, and great humor. It's always nice when you are working with a partner to have lots of laughter.

We first tackled the Hickory Hoedown as this is one of the dances we are competing in at Worlds. One pattern - then stop. Never a good sign. With great diplomacy and sensitivity, Chris corrected some of my bad (and they are bad) habits. I tend to flatten the chassis at the opening of the dancing, and use too much of my body for the drop-three the end pattern. He wants to see a t-position for the feet in the drop-three, as this sets one up nicely for the following back edge. These were the two most significant issues. Others were minor, which really surprised me. Chris gives good clues about where I should be looking ("Look right into my eyes now," or "Look at the top of my head") to make head positions more dance-like.

Moved on to the Willow Waltz., I thought the dance was pretty good, as I passed my USFS test with Coach P last October at the ice dance weekend in San Jose. Now I'm not so sure. Major fixes were in dance hold, with a change in arm position. My thumb must go right into his armpit, with pressure from the palm (not fingers) on his shoulder. Pressure on the right hand should be on palms, not my "break-the-fingers" death grip. And, for pity sakes, can I not stop dropping my elbows so my arms look like chicken wings? This really needs attention.

It was a great time dancing with Chris. And, yes, it IS much different dancing with a male partner than my female coach, who has always been such a good sport to dance with me in the absence of a male dance partner. We agreed to get together again (TBD) two or three times before Worlds to continue working on the dances and to tackle the Ten Fox, which I still need to pass to move out of this dang Bronze level. It's getting quite boring now to be here!

Of course, my experience with Chris confirmed (again) how much I love dance and miss it. Must, must, must get serious about it while I am preparing for Worlds, to lay the groundwork for getting back into it in a big way post-Worlds.

Now I have to figure out what dress I am going to wear to compete in dance at Worlds. Think I will use the blue and white one I'm using for my technical program, as the skirt is dance-length. Don't fret, Dear Husband, I am NOT buying another dress for these tests. Light bulb idea: I can wear the dress we are using for the ensemble number. Great idea as it has a very nice length skirt and is very pretty and feminine.

Won't skate again until Tuesday, when I will turn attention back to FS programs. After my dance experience with Chris, my level of anxiety has diminished even more. I am truly looking forward to going to Worlds! Hooray!

Onward we go!

Did This Really Happened? Yep!

Another great skating day! It began with ensemble practice. Because I missed last Friday practice because of a migraine, I was behind the 8-ball to catch up with the rest of the group. This wasn't too difficult. I'm doing fine, even though I cringe at the right three-turn at what seems like break-neck speed. We had a 1 hour on-ice and 45 minute off-ice session. We appear to be steadily improving. One of our members brought our dresses which are very nice. Lots of nude sheer illusion (the entire back and part of the side). "Underpinnings" for these dresses will be a challenge.

At 3:30, I worked with Jill S on my dramatic program. We chatted for a bit then got down to it. I told her what Coach had said yesterday about my 'Passion' program. Was I setting her up? Probably, but not in a devious way. I wanted her to know that I had incorporated what we talked about and had improved.

There were a number of strong, young skaters on the ice, so skating around them was difficult. I skated the program and even before I got up from my ending pose, Jill was clapping. Was she just being nice, I wondered? Another coach whom I know was standing next to Jill. I skated up to Jill who said, "I don't know how I can help you. That was great." The other coach went on at length (yes, I was embarrassed by this) about how I was the 'miracle' skater (so 'NOT,' IMO) and asked if Jill knew about what had happened to me. Thank goodness Jill jumped in and said that she did, but the other coach continued. When she left, Jill said that she did notice that the beatific look was there, but not constant throughout the program. Need to work on this. In my defense, I really had to concentrate on avoiding the others on the ice, so this may explain some lapses in looking appropriately emotional.

I then told Jill about some 'problem' areas for me and she gave me some great solutions, like really pulling the rib cage upward to get up from the lunge to go into the arabesque. This worked perfectly the first time I tried it. Made the exit from the lunge so much easier. We also worked on making the toe loop higher. Again, her tip worked the first time. I was really jazzed at this point. Finally, after it felt like we were out of things to work on in the program (was this possible?), I told her about the troubles I was having with the right three-turn in the ensemble program. Drilled a new entrance into the turn for me and I am feeling more confident now. Will have to keep working hard on this. She confirmed that I was doing well as a member of the group. Sigh of relief!

I finally feel that I have reached the point where I can skate my dramatic program at 'performance' quality (for my level, as my best skating buddy would note). I still have 5 weeks until Worlds, so I can continue to improve and now turn my focus to my technical program, which I know needs more finishing. I can skate the program well, but not consistently at the level I want.

Dear Husband is getting antsy for the home decorating project to be over, so I have to better monitor the pace of our painter and keep him moving. He is in his 'artist' phase now, but did put up the textured ceiling wallpaper in the bath next to my quilting room. It looks fantastic, like Tuscan ceiling tiles. Dear Husband is on vacation next week and wants everything ship-shape; he is tired of the chaos, poor guy. I can't say that I blame him either.

Onward . . . with a small measure of happiness.

Worth the Wait

Yesterday was lesson day. I had every intention of getting to the rink in plenty of time to warm-up before my lesson, but the fellow who was cleaning our outdoor tile cut himself on our fireplace grate. As a result, I ended up taking care of his cut and encouraging him to go to the ER. He is a firefighter/paramedic and insisted he was o.k, but I was worried that the wound was deep and he would be outside in the near degree 100 temps. That said, after this drama, I headed to Skatetown.

While getting my skates on, I talked with a friend who is also competing in one of my categories at Worlds. She said she might scratch some of her events because she is having real physical problems. She is a lovely skater and funny, lively person. We are doing a "Jump and Spin" tandem competition (she is doing the spinning, believe me), that I am looking forward to. She also skates in the ensemble group.

After working on dance (including the Hickory Hoedown, a dance I love and feel confident doing) for about 20 minutes, Coach announced it was time to do my programs. "Oh darn," - thought I could avoid that and only work on dance. Wasn't going to happen, which I knew in advance. I skated my dramatic program first. Coach didn't say much, but noticed that I had left out my back spiral. Ah duh! What a ninny I am! But she commented she thought the program was better without the back spiral (which was "fine, but not good" as she noted). After this, I skated my technical program pretty well, with the exception of an insipid spin that barely made the required 6 revolutions.

Then, I got the big lecture from Coach. The entire gist was that I needed to skate with more emotion and look less stern. I know she is on target, but I concentrate so much when I skate, that this is my biggest challenge. She went on at some length about this and drove her point home in a direct, but caring manner. We then worked on back spins (coming along slowly). Just before the session was over, I suggested that since we had changed my dramatic program by eliminating the back spiral that I skate it once more, which I did.

Now to explain the title of this post. After finishing my last dramatic run-through, Coach skated up to me and said, "Awesome! That was awesome." I realized that I had waited 11 years to hear this about a program I skated. I nearly jumped off the ice I was so excited to receive this from her. So what was different? I adopted a beatific look on my face that I think reflects the entire feeling of the "Passion" music. I could feel it right down to my blades. I wasn't thinking about the elements; I was listening to the music and enjoying it. Perhaps it wasn't skated perfectly (I think I shortened the big lunge in prayer position a bit), but it was skated with emotion. And, apparently, Coach liked this based on her comment afterwards.

So the "art form" will be to reproduce this at Worlds. I think I can do it if I just "let go and let God," as the expression goes. I am skating this program to His glory and must keep this in mind.

The Worlds schedule has been released. I skate on Tuesday (dramatic), Thursday (technical) and Friday (dance, ensemble, jump and spin). After yesterday, I am finally truly excited about Worlds. Today, I will skate my dramatic program for Jill S and hope to do as well today as I did for Coach yesterday.

So as not to ignore my quilting activities, I am still working on my floral lap quilt. With all our home decorating activities, it's been hard to quilt lacking any degree of peace and quiet. Tomorrow, I am taking the entire day and quilting, despite the chaos surrounding me, particularly right across from the bath adjacent to my quilting room. I want to finish this quilt soon.

Do you know the way to San Jose? Onward we go!

The Cat is Out of the Bag Now

Yesterday was a skating day. Let's get the bad news out of the way; I had to skate on the public session. I have become such an ice snob that I forgot was it was like to maneuver around teenage girls who act like they are the only people at the rink. It's difficult to execute a program under these conditions, although most of my skating friends seem to manage far better than I. In light of these little fireflies flitting about clueless as to others, I spent a good bit of time at the boards practicing my back spin. My skating friend, Nancy, was at the session also and showed me a way that one very good skater got into his BS; left inside edge, then right inside edge into the spin. I tried this approach. It worked pretty well. I was really excited to get three or four spins with three full revolutions and nice push out, without holding onto the boards. That said, when Coach came up for my lesson, I could not repeat this, of course. And the car always works fine when you take it to the shop, right? Same principle.

When we were just starting the lesson in earnest, Coach asked me about my migraines and how I felt. She had heard (I think) from Jill S. that I left the rink last Friday as soon as I arrived. Then she asked if I was stressed about going to Worlds and did I think this was causing an increase in the headaches. Bingo, the moment of truth had arrived. I said - in a voice that probably was heard in New York - "Of course I am stressed about going to Worlds! There is no coincidence that the frequency of my headaches increased nearly immediately after I committed to competing again." She was genuinely concerned and asked what she could do to help me with this. I replied, "Nothing. This is just who I am. I need to work through this myself." One of the Coach's qualities that I love is her deep concern for her skaters.

The entire lesson was spent on programs. Three run-throughs of "Passion" and two of my technical program. Made a few tweaks to "Passion" including removing the hydroblade element and replacing it with an undercut spiral (a true ISI element, which Coach thought might play well with the judges). After these we spent some time working on more spins (not back spins, however). Still awful. Why can't I do this when I had it nailed for my test 4 weeks ago? My Lord, this is so frustrating.

Toward the end of the lesson, Coach provided her feedback on the programs as skated in my lesson. She said I am getting more speed, more flow across the ice, and am expressing the music much better. This is all positive as Worlds is only a few weeks away now.

On Friday morning, I meet up with my dance partner (a pro from another rink in Vacaville) who will be my partner for the dance competition at Worlds. This will be the first time we have danced together in years. I'm excited about having the opportunity to practice with him. He is a terrific ice dancer and knows me very well, as he took me through my very first ice dance test so long ago.

Onward we go to San Jose. Only 5 weeks and counting.

OMG, "It's not perfect!" but It Sure is Sweet

Well, how I managed to cut every piece of the Cabin Fever first block-of-the-month correctly, but ended up with the bottom portion being a full 1/4" larger than the top is beyond me! As you can see from this picture, the design is very cute. I overcame my OCD need to match all the lines in the plaid (this was a HUGE accomplishment) when I looked at the picture in the book that showed a sample block in plaid. Guess what? The lines didn't meet. This gave me permission to just "go with the flow" and not worry about that aspect of the block.

I called Kathy S at Cabin Fever after I had made my block to ask whether the 12" requirement was finished (in the quilt) or trimmed. Glad I did. I was getting ready to trim mine to 12" which would be exactly the wrong thing to do. Kathy told me not to trim any of my blocks until they are all completed. She also said that Patrice - another lovely CF employee/quilting expert - wanted to know if I had fun making the block. I think my reputation as a total perfectionist is firmly entrenched at the shop!

Truth be told, I did have fun making this block. But, today I will rip out one seam to see if I can correct my little problem. I'm confident I can fix this with no problem. And, the good news is that my first block is completed. Yay.

Will work on my floral lap quilt today. Our painter is back to start on the guest bath adjacent to my quilting room. I'll just close the door, put on some music, and enjoy sewing. Ah, the awesome power of quilting.

An Unexpected Glimpse at the Skating World

Yesterday was volunteer day for me. I was a runner at a big competition at our local rink. My best skating buddy was there and she showed me the ropes of this activity. The entire process is very official and procedure-driven. The runners take the judges' scoring sheets to the accounting room, then distribute the results sheets to various locations, including posting the final results. While I wasn't running, I certainly did get my share of walking, including going up a flight of steps to the sacred accounting room.

Being a runner was an interesting and fun activity because you get a glimpse "behind the scenes" of a competition. In particular, this competition involved the new international scoring system. Not only were there "6.0" judges, there were also technical specialists judging the elements of the skaters. It was fascinating. Think Olympics on a microcosm and you get the idea. At any one time, there were 10 judges watching the skaters.

The best part of the day was spending so much time with my skating buddy. It was wonderful commenting on the individual skaters, from "Pixie" to Senior Ladies. Some of the competitors were skaters whom we have seen grow up over the years. In particular, two skaters at the Junior Ladies level participated and performed beautifully. At the risk of sounding long in the tooth, I remember these young ladies when they were 7 years old and now they are grown up and truly gifted skaters.

My friend commented that being at a competition like this makes you appreciate how difficult it is to become an elite skater. There were many skaters who were excellent, but it's likely (although I don't know) that maybe one of these - or perhaps none - are going to make it to the Olympics. As good as some of them were (and believe me, there was real talent out on the ice), it takes something beyond exceptional to succeed in this sport.

While watching the Senior Ladies, Rudy Galindo was standing next to me. I was surprised at how small in stature he is. Short and thin. His sister is a coach and had at least one student who was competing, which is perhaps why he was there. Or, he was also coaching some of the participants. As I left, I turned to him and said, "I miss seeing you skate. You are fantastic." He just smiled (I'm sure he gets this all the time), a little sadly I noticed. When I told Dear Husband about this, he said, "Doesn't a guy like him have better things to do than be at a competition at a local rink on a Sunday?" I thought a lot about this. I bet he doesn't, which is sad indeed. This is a sport that chews people up and spits them out, I fear, when their time is over. For Rudy, I think his time was when he came out of the closet. I would suspect his career - and life - changed after that. He was one of my favorite skaters and I truly miss watching him skate. To learn more about Rudy, go to http://www.rudy-galindo.com.

Is This Progress?

On Saturday, I attended the Block-of-the-Month session at Cabin Fever Quilt Shoppe in Auburn. I was actually surprised at the number of people there. This is obviously a popular activity for quilters.

Kathy Sanchez, from whom I have taken classes and who is a great instructor, was teaching the class. There is a book that has 50 wonderful blocks all made from squares and rectangles. There is even one block with an ice skate design. Much potential here.

I was a little nervous as I drove up to Auburn. But, I was pleasantly relieved that once Kathy explained how to make the block, I felt confident that I would be able to make it. Having noted this, I suspect that the drill is to start with the easier blocks and increase the complexity each month (for 9 months).

I am going to make my block this week and am looking forward to doing it. Could this be quilting progress or just beginner's luck? I prefer to think of it as progress, even if it's a baby step.

As I worked on my floral lap quilt, I noticed that my long seams are getting much straighter. I had to strip-sew black and white sections together (5" x WOF) to sub-cut into smaller pieces. When I pressed the completed section, I was happy to see how straight the seams were. YAY! Now this is progress for certain.

I am thinking about a new sewing machine. YIKES. I suggested to Dear Husband that this would be a good Christmas present. I like the Janome brand, but think I need to upgrade. My little "Gold" has served me well and is very easy to transport to classes, but I would like a machine with more functionality. I bet this happens to all new quilters, right?

Migraine Madness, Friendship, Quilting and Training

Yesterday, I got another migraine This was the third one this week. As a result, I didn't get my lesson with Jill S nor participate in the ensemble practice. Total bummer.

I did get to spend some time talking with my best skating buddy about how I'm feeling about my skating right now and the possible link between preparing for Worlds and an increase in headache activity. As my husband says, "It's not about the stress, Karen, it's about your need to be perfect." He is right. As always, my friend gave me great advice which I will certainly try to follow.

Today, I'm going to Cabin Fever for the new Block-of-the-Month session. I'm excited about participating in this activity, although the blocks are above my quilting skill level. Nonetheless, it will be a good learning experience for me.

I'm working on a floral lap quilt right now that is looking very pretty. I decided I would give it to Jill S as a "thank you" for her help in preparing me for Worlds. She reminds me of a beautiful garden, so cheerful and lovely. I do hope she will like it.

On the training front, Dear Husband is completely putting me to shame. He is out on the road every day by 6:00 am without fail. Once he puts his mind to it, he can do anything. This is an example of this quality. He has incorporated more jogging into his training routine, so I'm thinking we'll be able to do the half-marathon by October with little trouble ("Ha!" - we'll see about that). I'm so proud of his progress and dedication. As for my training, it's been walking the dogs around our loop. I really must pick up my pace and distance!

Tomorrow I volunteer at a big competition at the rink. I'm a "runner" who brings the judges' scores to the accountants. My skating buddy is also working the same shift, which will make it fun. And there is the added benefit of being able to watch the skaters perform. Should be fun.

That's it for now. Onward.

Graciousness and Speaking One's Truth

Sometimes something that appears very insignificant at the time can have great significance later. So it was last Friday during my lesson with Jill Shipstad. But first, I must express my gratitude for the opportunity to talk with my best skating buddy, although it was for only a short period of time. We were like school girls talking about some hunk on the football team. All giddy and worked up about an opinion we share. The conversation took me back to days when it seemed that nothing was wrong in the world. So unlike the world's condition now. I cherish the time we spent chatting and missed saying good-bye to her when she left the rink.

Before Jill and I started working together, I said to her, "There is something I need you to know about me. There are very few moments when I am on the ice when I'm not terrified. I think this isn't uncommon for people who have had a serious skating accident, but I just needed you to know that." She replied, "I'm 65 (sidebar: this is unbelievable; she looks 45 at most) and there are times when I'm on the ice that I'm afraid." What a gracious, kind, and sensitive response it was. This totally confirmed my opinion of her. She is off-the-charts amazing in so many ways. The conversation continued as I told her that I had no illusions about my skating ability. I noted, "My goal for Worlds is to look like a confident FS2 skater. I'm not out there thinking I look like Michelle Kwan!" She said she appreciated knowing this, as it would help her to support me in achieving this goal. It's a wonderful characteristic that Jill possesses. It's called graciousness. I wish more people in the world had this quality. The ability to make a person feel valued despite, in this case, the level of one's skating is indeed something splendid. And she has it in spades. Along these lines, I read a wonderful quote the other day: "Try to look pretty as much as possible, try to be nice always, but be gracious even if it kills you." What fantastic advice indeed.

After this self-revealing conversation, we got down to work. I showed Jill the changes to the program, in particular the new lunge in prayer position. She liked it very much. She also told me something that I think is so valuable for my skating; to wit, "You need to sink into the ice. Some people say 'bend,' but I prefer to think of it as sinking." Then she demonstrated the difference - and there truly is. I understand exactly what she is communicating and will attempt this sinking every time I skate. I am going to think of the ice coming up to me, as I sink lower into it. This image works much better for me than "bend your knees." Note to self: Don't forget this. Not only does it make one safer on the ice by stabilizing the body, it also improves the visual effect.

And, thank goodness Jill returned for ensemble practice. We actually got something accomplished last Friday. Hooray! The program is starting to shape up, but we've only got six more weeks to go and a lot of work. We actually seemed to be working as a group, rather than seven individual skaters, which of course is the end game. I love this music and even suggested some hand positions that we adopted - I refer to them as "mystery hands," because they suggest some element of mysteriousness and a mild sense of seduction (in a positive way). We have reached the part when the music tempo shifts, so I suggested we include some Irish step dancing. I think Jill liked this idea, but we'll see this Friday at practice. And, I am glad to say that with Jill's return, there was no political game-playing among some of the group's members.

A nasty, over-the-top migraine prevented me from skating yesterday, but I have my lesson today, which I am looking forward to. I'm contemplating a light entertainment program either to Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff" or "Reviewing the Situation" from 'Oliver!' This program would just be for fun, not for competition purposes. Feel like doing something silly. I miss dance tremendously and today hope to do some during my lesson. I can't spend every single lesson working on these programs for Worlds.

Onward we go into the fray!

Lesson and Less Than . . .

I wish I could write that I made good progress on my programs during my lesson today. Alas, progress was less than I had expected and wished for.

Upon arriving at the rink, I saw that a friend of mine, whom I haven't seen for what seems like a year, was skating. She is a retired physician and a charming, multi-faceted woman. She has strong opinions on just about everything, which is one of the reasons I like her. She also loves to chat, which resulted in our talking for the first 20 minutes of the FS session. Shame on me for wasting expensive ice time. Fortunately, the session was 90 minutes, so I had 60 minutes left to skate. Five minutes after taking the ice, it was lesson time. No real warm-up at all.

Coach and I jumped into my programs. First, my technical program, which was alright, but my spin has totally, utterly, completely fled the jurisdiction. How can you drill for a test, achieve the skill enough to pass, then it vanishes? I don't understand this at all. Some of the program elements are improving (the dance step sequence), some are just "fine." I did get one "Beautiful" from Coach on my change-edge spiral. Well, at least that's something.

Then, we moved to my dramatic program. The first run-through was the worst ever. I can't explain why either. It just didn't come together. We spent 10 minutes on the skills in the program, then I took another stab at it. Coach said it was the best she had seen me skate this program. Go figure. From one end of the skating spectrum to the other in just a few minutes. I am not pleased with the way I skate this program. While I love the music, I haven't perfected the skills yet to put my heart into it, thus I'm not skating with the expression I wish to convey. I wonder if I am going to be there by Worlds.

Coach is quite open to some program changes. We replaced the salchow with a toe loop (her idea). Works much better. The best change is the ending position - it's now a back lunge, which I really like. This change makes the ending even more dramatic than it was already.

I am looking forward to working with Jill Shipstad this Friday. Hope that she likes what Coach and I changed in my "Passion" program. And, that I can perform decently for her! So glad she'll be back to work with the ensemble group also. We must get rid of the politics among some group members. I thought when I retired from corporate America I would leave that behind. Doesn't look that way!

Spent the day at home today due to our redecorating project. Today was the last day the painter was here and he was installing a Tuscan mural (wallpaper). I wanted to make certain it was properly positioned on the wall. The room and adjacent bath turned out beautifully. We went from teddy bears, white tigers, zebras and giraffes to a room that looks like something out of a Tuscan villa. It truly is spectacular, although Dear Husband - who uses this room as his napping venue - is mourning the demise of his little animal friends. We've lived in this house for nearly four years with the wallpaper the previous owners had for their 3-year old son. Enough was enough! I'm so glad that he likes the new decor. He did go on for some time about how lovely it turned out. So, even though he will miss feeling like he is at the zoo, he'll have a tranquil setting for some power weekend napping!

I cut fabric for a new quilt today, which was very rejuvenating. I'm looking forward to starting work on this piece. Yes, it is contemporary, but it's a lovely floral motif and should be beautiful. It's a gift for a friend, so it's very special for me to work on. Also added the sleeve to "The Hills of Tuscany," which was an anniversary present for Dear Husband. We will hang it in our family room this weekend.

Friday is another big skating day. Am really looking forward to it and to seeing my best skating buddy! Onward.

My Heart Just Wasn't In It

In Remembrance: My Friend, Andrei Podell, 1971 - 2008

I hoped going to the free motion class yesterday would help me process the news of my friend, Andrei's, passing. It didn't. I was distracted all day, didn't hear half of what the instructor said.

I could not stop thinking about Andrei and all the intense, philosophical conversations we had, his wonderful sense of humor, his great insights about business and people. He was one of the most intelligent, caring, and sensitive human beings I've known. 

Circumstances resulted in a less than positive free motion quilting experience. That said, the instructor, Jill Schumacher, was excellent. I did appreciate learning more about the subject. It is clear to me that this aspect of quilting is not one that I will pursue. Better leave it to those more qualified and interested in it. I was very impressed with the work of other students in the class, most of whom were experienced quilters. Everyone showed up with beautiful Ohio Star blocks; I was pleased that mine was not a complete disaster. 

By the end of the day, I was emotionally spent and glad to go home. When I arrived, our painter who is working on our guest bedroom redecorating was still at it, so I had to wait until he left to attempt a decompression. It didn't come easily. 

When I checked e-mail, I received a post from Andrei's girlfriend, with details about his death. I was relieved to hear from her. I hope she is healing. She is going to train for the Nike SF Marathon through Team in Training, which is a positive activity for her. If you are reading this Melissa, I'm here to support you every step of the way. 

I am looking forward to the power of the ice to transport me to another place. I have a lesson at 11:00 am. All-in-all, yesterday was a tough day. I will never forget you, Andrei, and will hold you up in my prayers. 

A Terrible Reminder of Life's Fragility

I learned late last night of the death of a young man with whom I had worked. He passed away in August 2008, but I learned of his death when I tried to find him via Goggle. This man was almost 37, full of life, and a joy to be around. I am stunned and saddened that such an extraordinary human being is no longer of this world. 

As I thought about him, I recalled that when he called me last spring, I was in my car on my way to visit my father in the hospital and my cell battery was down to nothing. I told him I would return his call. I didn't. Now, I am left feeling so much grief that I didn't contact him. Now there is no opportunity for that.

This news serves as a reminder that life is indeed so fragile. Dear Readers, knowing this, please do the following today:

1. Make the most of this day, whatever that might look like for you.

2. Make contact with someone you know that you haven't been in touch with. You may never get the chance to do it later.

3. Tell someone that you love them - unconditionally, with an unbridled sense of emotion. 

4. Be good to yourself. Do something physical for your own health. Keep those promises you have made about making time for you. Trite, but true, there is no time like the present.

To you, dear Andrei, I can only hope that you are resting in a wonderful place as full of life and energy as you were. I will miss you forever, my friend.