Growing up in Minnesota ice skating was always on the winter agenda.  We lived across the street from our biggest lake (with 10,000 in the state each burg laid claim to a lot of lakes!) and we would check the status of the ice on a weekly basis, if not more often.

When it was smooth and solid, we would whine until our dad would go shovel the snow off the ice for a 'rink' for us.  I loved my white skates with the colored pom poms and always was surprised at how badly I skated!  My ankles were so weak that I mostly was bow-footed (as opposed to legged) and that was exhausting as well as unattractive!  I did learn to skate backwards and that was about the extent of my Folies on Ice.  I was a much better roller skater and summers I spent a lot of evenings at our roller rink. 

Over the Christmas holidays, here in northern California, the downtown area hosts a little ice skating rink that is flooded for a short period of time.  They rent skates there too.  Every year I swear I am going to go and hang out  but I always miss the limited event.  I am certainly planning on giving it a go this year.  Maybe. 

Link to hilarious bloopers as competitive ice skaters take the most dramatic spills.  (Why is it so funny when people fall down?)