saari's first skating lesson - that nearly didn't happen!

this is part rant, part brag, lol.

so i've been dealing with the minden figureskating club for weeks.

i drove all the way to peterborough because of all the cities i called, there was only one store that had the skates i wanted to get her: adjustable one from size 12 to 1. okay, they're hockey skates and not girl's skates, but whatever. they fit.

i had to apply for community funding - as they instructed - because the fee is a bit of a stiff touch.

i gave them a cheque for the deposit they required and made sure i had the money in the account.

i spent my entire wood allowance and then some getting her the gear she needed: blade guards ($10), skates sharpened ($5), and helmet.

now, the helmet. let me tell you about the helmet.

i called all over the damn place and you just can't buy second-hand helmets. i can see that; i don't have a problem with it. same thing as car seats. you just never know.

canadian tire in orillia - an hour and a half away, the way i drive - had them on sale for $40 but in haliburton they were $60. oh well, go to haliburton. sigh.

and guess what!???

SHE HAS ONE HELLUVA NOGGIN BECAUSE THE DAMNED KIDS' AND YOUTH SIZES DIDN'T FIT!!!!!

the children's sizes just didn't even go on her head. when the children's size L (approx ages 4 to 6) didn't go on, the girl called in another girl who'd been there longer. she tried all the same helmets and they didn't work. she tried the youth size SM and that didn't fit so she called the manager.

the manager was young but he certainly knew his stuff.

youth size medium - didn't fit.

youth size large - he got it on after a brisk thumping on the top and we had to take it off right away as it was clearly squeezing her head.

adult ultra-small - that fit: her head is 52cm around. alas, it only came in black and she had already seen the green one and the blue one.

so she ended up with this one in an adult size small; bit of extra padding and toque and it fits perfectly and when she outgrows it, i can have it!



how much? $85 freaking dollars!


yesterday was her first day of skating, 5pm to 5:50. at 2pm, i get a phone call. it's the skating club. they have now talked to the coaches and it seems the coaches don't want to deal with a beginner, they want to focus on the girls who have end-of-year routines for the whatever-whatever. they will be happy to hang onto my deposit and credit it toward september.

i just about FREAKED! i said "are you telling me now, after all these weeks, that you didn't even talk to the coaches!? and i'm supposed to tell my daughter who's been bouncing all day about going skating that she can't go for six months!?? are you insane or just smoking crack!???" got the expected sniffy rejoinder about no need to be insulting and i just hung up on her.

i called the haliburton arena - "do you have a contact number for the skating club?"

"we sure do.... it's xxx-xxxx. she's the president." - the minden club has NO contact info posted at the arena or noted in the office at all. you have to go there when they're in session.

i called. chat, chat, "omg, i'm so sorry - i've called you at work!"

"no, no, no problem - i always answer this phone." [niiiiiiiice!!!!]

i explained what happened and she was totally aghast. "come on down, we won't say no."

so i took saari in and she TOTALLY rocked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

from the very beginning, she stood up straight and tall, even when the girl was pushing her across the ice. she didn't wibble-wobble her ankles about, she didn't lose her balance even when she looked straight up, straight down, and picked a toy up off the ice. she could get up by herself the rare time she did fall on her bum and she could even bunny-hop!

i was SO amazed!

the coach was very excited about her, too, particularly when she learned that that was saari's 3rd time on skates and the first time actually skating. i explained about trying to help her and she said the big mistake parents make is hovering over the child - it makes the kid pull in their arms and hunch their shoulders and it throws off their balance.

she goes back on thursday.

oh - added bonus? the haliburton club is a bit more expensive but the season starts earlier and ends later.