A "day off" skate

Took a day off in lieu today, which was nice. Such a beautiful day!

Today was also my first skate since my horrendous one last Tuesday. It was definitely a better one, but even though my outward symptoms of whatever I had last week have mostly passed, my stamina was rubbish, and by the time I got home and had some lunch, I fell asleep on the sofa for half an hour! Being a Monday morning though, the ice was lovely and quiet, although there was a bit of an incident where a lad had to be taken off the ice on a stretcher by paramedics, after hurting his back.

Also not helping is my weight. It is fantastic that I have lost over 3 stone now, but I don't think it is helping my skating in some respects, mostly that my centre of gravity is always shifting. I am wondering if that is impeding my progress a little on things like mohawks. Oh well - I am not going to stop losing weight just yet, so will just have to put up with it! Roll on the day that I get to my nine and a half stone goal . . .

Practiced a variety of things - did various mohawk, 3-turn and stroking drills. Ran through the Dutch Waltz, Canasta Tango and Rhythm Blues a few times - the tango is one of the things that notice my weight distrubition problems. The slip chasses have really started feeling like I am going to land on my backside when I do them. Sigh . . . .

Did some element stuff - I think that finally I am learning to "sit" down into my Ina Bauer, as they felt a little more secure and I can come up from them (albeit slightly inelegantly) more smoothly. Inside spreadeagles also felt a little better, although I am still not doing them at the speed D wants me to do.

Twizzles were terrible. Well, that's not true - my single twizzles are feeling better and better, but those confounded doubles are still eluding me. And spins eluded me as well today - I don't know if this is because I am still not 100% on the ice, or if it is because the ice was extremely hard today, but never mind. I know they are beginning to happen - I don't mind if they are slightly temperamental!

Then after my nap, I went up to Wood Green to do a little bit of shopping, buying a couple of tops that actually fit (rather swimming in my clothes now), some Egyptian cotton sheets that were reduced in Woolworths, and a few bits from TKMaxx, including a pair of Pineapple yoga pants to skate in. I find it hilarious that Pineapples sizing for Large is a UK 12-14! I can get them on, but they are a little tight around my rear! But another few weeks, and they will fit perfectly :)