Bad dress rehearsal . . .

Initially today, I was really looking forward to the patch session tonight, but it all went a bit wrong!

First of all I fell asleep on the bus home, which always makes me feel a bit groggy. I think I may have to invest in some multi-vitamins, just to make sure I am getting all I need to keep me feeling energetic. Then on the way up to the rink, something in my lower back went "Twaaaannngg . . ." and it has been feeling decidedly stiff and painful ever since. I have mentioned my freaky genetics before when it comes to my joints - basically they are all hypermobile. Not enough to cause me problems, but occasionally I'll get a bit of a twinge in my back or neck. Luckily, I have a degree in osteopathy, so know what exercises I need to do to make it better! I just have to practice what I preach . . .

So altogether, when I got on the ice, I was a bit "bleugh". I did 3-turns for the majority of the time and they were a bit "bleugh" as well. Somewhere in the middle, the RFO3's were happening reasonably consistently, and the LFO3's were happening a few times. But then it all went horribly wrong again, and I gave up. I only spent about 45 minutes skating today, and didn't really do much else. I did some forward stroking practice, and some lengths of continuous curves on both edges, which all went okay. I also retried the FI3's to see if it made more sense, and it did today. Using the barrier as support, I can actually do the turn quite smoothly. I haven't dared try these properly yet though!

Then I had to wait half an hour for the bus to come home again, standing at the top of Alexandra Palace park where it was really quite chilly. I am sure that has done my back no good at all! But I am all snuggled up in the warm now in my dressing gown with cushions behind me, and painkillers inside me. Hopefully it should have eased by tomorrow - as I have to do the test!

I am hoping that the adage "It'll be alright on the night" rings true - today was not a good dress rehearsal!

One thing that has gone well is the baker boy cap I knitted for my best mate. I only started knitting a couple of months ago, and this was my first attempt at cabling (the twisty rope effect for non-knitters!). It's nice to have someone to knit hats for, as I look really stoopid in them, but they are great to knit! So here are front and back photos of my cap. Not brilliant pictures, but you get the idea . . .