Not my usual patch . . .

Well, after the disappointment of last night and the gas leak, I made it up to Ally Pally today for patch. It felt quite odd - out of routine, and I don't normally go to patch unless I have a lesson, but I had a nice skate! Worth the absolute pain in the arse of getting there from Kentish Town. I really should look at getting my driving licence . . .

I am still not quite 100% after the Evil Winter Virus, so didn't overdo it today. After my "going back to basics so I don't collapse" lesson last week, I practiced some nice vanilla forward and backward stroking. I also tried some more backward power pushes - still a little pathetic!

I also concentrated on getting my feet sorted out in the crossed chasses. They don't feel quite as evil as they used to any more, but finding that my left leg crosses under much more happily than my right leg?! Maybe I've got one leg that is much chunkier than the other . . . Closed / FO mohawks still aren't making much sense. They do on the barrier, but a complete disaster away from it. Never mind - I think it took a couple of weeks for open / FI mohawks to fall into place. I also did a few 3-turns and FI mohawks, to keep them going and a few BO "landing positons".

Patch was busy to start with, but quietened down, and I managed to get at least one sequence in of the Canasta Tango and the Dutch Waltz. Mostly I was just trying to sort the pattern out in my head, now the steps are there, as I was losing my way a little on some of the edges. It was time well spent - they are feeling more comfortable and the steps / edges are pattern-correct now (in my head at least!).