Thanks!
A little before my birthday, Mom put together a really neat post and poem to get people thinking that this was a good idea. If I recall, it was shortly after she interrogated me about my birthday wishes and squeezed out my desire for a good (not dry leather and plaid) pair of ice skates. I settled on hockey skates since I figured the kids might want to play hockey some day and because Rachel didn't think I could handle the toe pick on figure skates.
I was excited to find a really good pair of used skates so I didn't have to buy a new pair of "recreational" hockey skates. The kids were excited to try them out with me, but that was about the time of the big thaw. I'm looking forward to giving them a try this winter. When the portage ices over, I should be able to skate to work.
Many thanks again to those who contributed. And to those who didn't, let me just say... I can't really remember who didn't chip in.
