Skating

A Facebook entry last week about skating on Town Pond set off a long trail of comments from fellow Bonackers who waxed nostalgic about their skating days at Town Pond. They talked about their pom pom skates and their skating skirts, and how busy the pond was whenever the water froze.

My own memories of Town Pond certainly include skating. When we were young my mother took us whenever the ice was safe because she grew up in the Buffalo area and she loved to skate. She would glide around the pond effortlessly with one of us in tow, trying to teach us the basics of staying on our feet. I was never a good skater and my weak ankles proved to be my downfall. But even if I stood talking with friends I enjoyed the times we went.

Once in junior high and high school I do remember the required pom poms on our skates, preferably to match our scarves and hats. I never had a skating skirt like some of the other girls, and I probably would not have liked to wear one anyway - I hated the cold. I envied the girls who could skate well and gracefully slid across the ice to show off near where the boys were playing hockey at the far end.

Being more the indoors type I can honestly say my favorite part of the whole skating thing was that my mother would make hot chocolate when we got home - and usually chocolate chip cookies as well. Now that's a memory to savor....