Why Did I Do That?
I grew up in Central NY, living on the lake. In the winter months we would anticipate the freezing over of the Lake. The lake freezing over was exciting for us, as it meant we could get out our skates. We would hike down to the lake, carrying our shovels with us, to clear the snow from an area we would use to skate and play hockey. This was always fun, but one year in particular I learned a valuable lesson. I learned that it’s important to use equipment for its intended purpose.
Putting on our snowsuits, it was a particularly blustery day. The winds were strong and cold, piercing through my scarf around my face. I carried an extra pair of mittens with me, because they usually got wet and cold quickly, and needed to be swapped out for a dryer, warmer pair. Hauling my shovel and hockey stick in my hands, it was easier to just walk to the lake with my skates already on.
Stepping out onto the ice, looking for any holes or cracks that would indicate the ice may not be safe enough; we decided on an area to shovel of and began our task of creating a skating rink. Satisfied that the size and area were sufficient, we set out to play. Skating around, sometimes falling and laughing hysterically, filled our day with amusement. Sometimes, we would take a sheet with us and create a sail from it, and let the wind carry us across the ice, while wearing skates. We called this “Ice Sailing”.
Still wearing our skates, toes cold and numb in them, we headed back up the hill toward home. Not wanting the day to end, we headed for my neighbors back yard to relive our experiences, talking and laughing. As we turned the corner, we noticed that the picnic table was covered in crunchy snow about a foot deep. Using the shovels, we knocked the snow off the table, piling it up at one end into a large mound. Underneath the snow was a smooth, sparkling ice sheet, covering the top of the table. “Wouldn’t it be fun to ice...