Skating

Yesterday we went skating at the city's free outdoor rink at River Island Park. It was the first time we've skated in a few years. The rink was full of kids who were rosy-cheeked and having fun. We saw the thirteen-year-old girl from our neighborhood who we call "the prettiest girl in the world," and her equally adorable friend. It was their first time skating. There were lots of young kids in colorful padded snowsuits pushing red, brown, and blue plastic milk crates stacked up on the ice for support. I almost knocked over a blonde-haired girl with a pink hat who held onto me for support. We did a little dance, spinning around a few times, both laughing while trying not to fall over. Then she got her younger brother and attached him to my right hand. She resumed her grip on my left. They were both about six or seven years old, trying to stay upright. They were wobbly and slipping and I was doing my best to keep us all vertical. It was hilarious and sweet. The rink attendant lit a fire in the big outdoor fireplace and people gathered to warm their mittens. The late afternoon sun shone through the bare trees, making long shadows across the park. The city's green John Deere tractor has been converted into a mini Zamboni. I accidentally called it the Spumoni, which left me imagining a vanilla-strawberry-chocolate ice cream rink for skating and tasting. This is how Lily enjoys snow, she eats it like ice cream as she's playing in it.