Pleather and cheap padding

The longer we’re here the more I love not only Alaska, but this town, this community. These have got to be the nicest, most trusting people ever. Every day we meet someone new and they invite us out to an event or over to their house for dinner.

Today, I spent the morning writing until the sun came up. Then I had the delightful treat of a little QT with my Marma on Skype. It was wonderful! One thing about Alaska in the winter is if the sun is up you need to go outside. It doesn’t matter what you do or where you go, you just need to be out in the sun. Not really having any plans in particular on what I was going to do, I headed out. It’s another glorious day so I decided to head up to a part of the island I haven’t been yet. On my way, I passed a large frozen lake called Swan Lake, true story. And what, might I ask, should I find out on this frozen lake but ice skaters. Swan Lake on ice anyone?

After wrapping my head around the fact they weren’t about to all fall in and drown; I walked down to take some pictures and investigate further. It was ice skating, you know I couldn’t resist. I sat there skeptically, mentally scolding the parents for putting their children in such deliberate danger. Oh how high and mighty the ignorant can be. I walked over to the edge to “test the waters” and low and behold I could see it was frozen a good six inches through.

Timidly, I stepped out to experience walking on water (ice rinks don’t count). Lacking in my Jesus abilities, I quickly made my way back to the solid earth. An older woman was gingerly skating along near the shore I was sitting on. Truly wondering, I asked her how she knew when the lake was safe to skate on. Her answer… “Well you don’t, you just skate out a ways and if you see cracks, you go back.” Brilliant. *hand hitting forehead*

But since this is the friendliest community ever she skated over to talk to me. She told me her name and confided that she used to be much better at skating when she was younger and lighter on her feet. I told her I used to skate as well, but didn’t bring my skates with me.

“Oh, well that’s my grey car over there and I so happen to have an extra pair of skates in it if you wanted to go grab them.”

“Wow, I would love that.” Feeling touched by her generosity.

Angel on my shoulder: Wait… didn’t we just establish there wasn’t a really great way to know if this idea was safe?

Devil on my other shoulder: Safe-shmafe, I want to skate!

 I could feel my inner skater gearing up and getting ready for my great return.

After retrieving the skates I came back down to reality when I saw they were made of pleather and cheap padding. The blades had no edges and only one lace in the pair. I figured since my greatest concern should be falling through the frozen lake to my death, a beat up, half rate pair of skates was the least of my worries. Besides, it was the thought that counted and beggars can’t be choosers. Luckily I found half of an old shoe lace that was long enough to lace up the top half of the deficient boot. It was quite a sight but I was ready to go.

Thankfully, I pretty well knew what I was doing so I was able to keep myself from breaking my neck or other important body parts. I puttered around near the shore like a big ole’ scardy-cat but relished every moment.

We hope all of our friends and family in Arkansas are staying safe and warm against the snow storm there. Who knew it would take moving to Alaska to escape snow storms?

All our love,

S/A