La versión español está después de la versión inglés.
THERE’S AN ICE-SKATING rink set up for the season at Fuengirola’s fairgrounds. San Geraldo hadn’t been skating for approximately 35 years. So, when our friends Nick and Alyson said they were going, of course he said, “Me too!!!”
I haven’t been ice-skating since I was around 14, and I only went one weekend when we were at the Homowack Lodge (yes, that was really the name) in the Catskill Mountains (about 2 hours north of New York City). My sister Dale, an avid skater and all-round athlete, taught me. I didn’t think it would be a great sciatica treatment this time around, so I didn’t skate. Admittedly, if I didn’t have sciatica I probably would have come up with another excuse. Anyway, someone needed to take pictures.
Nick was a wreck. He and Alyson went skating on their third date. He’s still surprised he didn’t break anything and he’s now about 15 years older. But Alyson, and now SG, really wanted to go.
I was sure they wouldn’t have skates in SG’s size. I was right. But, like one of Cinderella’s step-sisters, he squeezed his size 49s (15 American) into a pair of size 47 (13) skates. The skates were plastic and truly unforgiving, but he managed to make it around the rink a few times.
When their time was up, SG and Nick were covered in sweat. Fortunately, Nick had come prepared with a can of spray deodorant, which he generously shared with SG. Alyson, as always, was fresh as a daisy.
What a great time with these great friends. And have I mentioned lately how much I adore San Geraldo?
Click the images for more ice.
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HAY UNA PISTA de patinaje sobre hielo establecida para la temporada en el recinto ferial de Fuengirola. San Geraldo no había estado patinando por aproximadamente 35 años. Entonces, cuando nuestros amigos Nick y Alyson dijeron que iban, por supuesto dijeron: “¡Yo también!”
No he estado patinando sobre hielo desde que tenía alrededor de 14 años, y solo fui un fin de semana cuando estuvimos en el Homowack Lodge (sí, ese era realmente el nombre) en las montañas Catskill (aproximadamente 2 horas al norte de la ciudad de Nueva York). Mi hermana Dale, una ávida patinadora, me enseñó. Esta vez no pensé que sería un gran tratamiento para la ciática, así que no patiné. Es cierto que si no tuviera ciática probablemente habría encontrado otra excusa. De todos modos, alguien necesitaba tomar fotos.
Nick y Alyson fueron a patinar en su tercera cita romántica. Todavía él está sorprendido de no haber roto nada y ahora es unos 15 años mayor. Pero Alyson, y ahora SG, realmente quería ir.
Estaba seguro de que no tendrían patines del tamaño de SG. Yo tenía razón. Pero, como una de las hermanastras de Cenicienta,, apretó su talla 49 pies (15 estadounidenses) en un par de patines talla 47 (13). Los patines eran de plástico y realmente implacables, pero se las arregló para rodear la pista varias veces.
Cuando se les acabó el tiempo, SG y Nick estaban cubiertos de sudor. Afortunadamente, Nick había venido preparado con una lata de desodorante en aerosol, que compartió generosamente con SG. Alyson, como siempre, estaba fresca como una margarita.
Qué gran momento con estos grandes amigos. ¿Y he mencionado últimamente cuánto adoro a San Geraldo?
Haz clic en las imágenes para obtener más hielo.
And they’re off! / ¡Y se van! 
With a new friend (not ours). / Con un nuevo amigo (no el nuestro). 
“It’s like taking off a girdle!” / “¡Es como quitarse una faja!” 
What a pal. Deodorizing SG’s armpits. / Que amigo. Desodorizando las axilas de SG. 
Deodorizing his own: “Ooh, that’s cold!” / Desodorizando a los suyos: “¡Oh, qué frío!” 
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we ALL adore SG. and that cute puppy!
Anne Marie,
Yep, difficult to choose between SG and the puppy. What am I saying? Not difficult at all. SG. (But the 7-month-old puppy was so sweet.)
Great photos! I love SG’s willing spirit. 🙂
Jennifer,
One of the reasons I love him.
Watching is great fun, I could probably manage sitting on the little bear and having someone push me around, but that is as close as I would get. I never could understand how anyone could stand up on a single blade.
David,
I’m in awe of the skills some people possess. I would love to be pushed around on the bear chair, but friends went last week and shared several videos of people flipping the chairs… violently.
I could never manage to ice skate. But I mostly went to drink the hot cocoa and watch people.
Mistress Maddie,
That would be me. Unfortunately, no hot cocoa that day. It was about 65 degrees!
What fun! SG obviously skated a lot WAY back when……one never forgets. I bet he is sore in places he never knew still existed!!
Jim,
Amazingly SG isn’t sore at all! I was amazed he could stay upright after all these years. He said the too-small plastic skates didn’t help his form, but he had such a good time and the memory will make me smile for a long time to come.
I was never brave enough to ice skate but I enjoy watching the professionals 🙂 SG is soooooo cute and cuddly (as if you didn’t know). Such a big man on such teeny tiny blades! The very picture of grace. Yep, my obsession is unconditional.
Now my personal jam was roller skates, the kind with the built in boot (white for girls, black for boys) and metal wheels. Long before rollerblades, which I, as a clumsy person, consider to be an abomination!
Deedles,
SG made me so happy! Yep, I really do love him. He was a very good roller skater. Two of his great uncles owned rinks. His parents actually met at one of them. They used to dance in skates! His mother was even buried with her roller skates. I wish I had done all these things when I was a kid but wouldn’t want to risk what I’d break at this age!
Nice! Growing up, we very, rarely went to roller rinks. Street skating all the way, baby! We lived on the perfect street for it. Unbroken sidewalk with a hill just made for zooming down. Skating in the street was a blast with those metal wheels. I remember the tickly vibrations in my feet to this day 🙂 That hill seems so much smaller now.
Deedles,
I loved those metal 4-wheel roller skates. I never went to a rink for that. Even better, I remember removing the wheels to make a skateboard! SG and I told our friend’s daughter about skate keys. She was fascinated. Her first statement was: They had keys? Was that so no one else could use them? She thought it was a NYC thing.
NHL, here they come! (I shouldn’t point the finger, of course — the last time I went skating is 1977. I was never a particularly good skater either.)
Debra,
Hard to tell here, but SG and Alyson are both very good. Nick is brave! I s admired my sister. She wasn’t afraid to try anything, and she always became proficient. She loved to ski, too.
I skated lots as a kid as we had our own pond that we cleared the snow off of and skated all winter. I never liked ice rinks though, and haven’t skated in about 15 years. I hate the falling part! They all appear to be good sports 🙂
Cheapchick,
I had terrible self-confidence issues and only did things I knew I would immediately be good at. The first time I did many things i had to be completely alone. At that same ice skating lodge in the ‘60s I snuck off early one morning before anyone was up and went rowing by myself so I wouldn’t be ignorant when I did it In front of others. Sure did limit my childhood experiences. But, yeah, I would hate the falling part.
I like his hoodie x
John:
Isn’t it nice? Northface. Classy and still… hoody.
Looks like you all that a fun time !
Parsnip,
Alyson is very adventurous and keeps us all young.
The first thing I thought, when I saw the top photo of Jerry, was, “Wait, they had rental skates in his size!??” Ha!
Looks like nice fun, anyway, at least the part about joking around and being with friends. I used to skate quite often when I was a little girl, but the last time was when I was about 20, and that was about 10 years after the previous time… whoa…. not fun LOL. Aching ankles. Could barely move. My friend John, who had suggested we skate that night, said, after about 15 minutes, “Are we done having fun yet?”
Judith,
I’m shocked SG wasn’t at all sore the next day or today. But he was exhausted after three times around. They all had such a good time. It makes me smile just thinking about it.
I can never balance well on the ice.
Adam,
I did well when my sister taught me. Now, especially, however, I’m afraid of falling and breaking something.
My goodness! San Geraldo’s feet are even bigger than my son’s. How wonderful it must be to be adored. The two of you are beautiful.
Love,
Janie
Janie,
Thank you so much. Yes, those feet are big! Staff at shoe stores here laugh when he asks for his size… thinking he’s joking.
I want to see SG spinning faster and faster till he disappears in a blur. Perhaps you do too. 😉
Raybeard,
He used to be a really good skater. Could even skate backwards… he very proudly tells everyone. (I’ve seen it.) But spinning? Motion sickness! Besides, I really don’t want him to disappear… very often… No, really never!
Of course you don’t. Me just being flippant. 🙂
Raybeard:
I know. And I was simply saying what really didn’t need to be said.
Is that lodge anywhere near Camp Kissaqueen?
Walt the Fourth,
I just googled Camp Kissaqueen because I thought, now wouldn’t THAT be hilarious.
To paraphrase Nancy Sinatra, my feet are made for walking, but it’s nice that San Geraldo had a good time. I was unable to watch that video with sound, but at least I could animated the man was.
Kirk,
My feet are my for walking, too. And, if you ask SG, he’d tell you those boots were not made for skating.