Right at the rink

I mentioned yesterday that the kids went skating for the first time on the pond in the pasture behind the house. It's a "new" pond for us, one that had been dry for years and years until this year's spring rains, and it's big enough for hockey games and, more importantly, close by the house and easy for the kids to get to on their own several times a day. Our other "rink" is the dugout about a mile north of the house, which pretty much requires Tom or me to go with the kids. So everyone is thrilled with the new rink, the kids because they can go skating often, and me because I can go skating once a day and the rest of the time keep an eye on them from the house. We'll have to get some small square straw bales out there for benches, but in the meantime Davy pulls the wagon along, for sitting on while they pull on their skates.

While Laura and Daniel were at art lessons yesterday, Davy and I ran a few errands that turned out to be skating-related. We picked up some more Fry's Cocoa and mini marshmallows for hot chocolate. Then, while dropping off yet another box of outgrown toys and clothing at the Goodwill shop, Davy found a pair of skates for himself (for all of $3.50, and in good shape, too). And at the hardware store, I decided to spring for three blaze orange safety vests for the kids to wear over their parkas and two orange watchcaps complete with deer patches on the front (Daniel is using my father's orange Cabela's cap with earflaps, so he didn't need a watchcap). The thing is, while I bought these items for the kids to wear while hunting with Tom in the early mornings -- and yes, they all went out again today -- they are dandy for skating. Or rather, for keeping an eye on skaters; if I can see three little orange heads bobbing around like pumpkins, I know that all is right at the rink.