So April 6th dawned and I was 50. What was worse was that I actually had to start doing all thes things I've set myself up for - somewhat daunting, particularly as the list is by no means complete!
Anyway, first on the list was ice skating and just after 7 pm we set off - me , my three daughters and my new son-in-law, fresh back from his honeymoon with his new wife, my eldest daughter. It was a fair few miles to our nearest ice rink, Gillingham Silver Blades, and on the journey I felt both apprehensive and excited - like child going on holiday for the first time. Of course my younger two daughters had enjoyed winding me up earlier in the day by telling me that when the skates are handed over you have to prove you won't be a complete liability on the ice by walking in a straight line on the carpet. I have to admit, that although it sounded like complete rubbish, a small part of me worried that it might be true and that I'd fail before even getting on the rink. I'd also worried about what to wear, how many pairs of socks I'd need to pad out the skates, whether I'd be following up the skating with a trip to the local A & E department, if I'd be the oldest person there and so on. Also, we'd planned to go to the Disco Skate - surely it was going to be hard enough to stay upright, I wasn't going to have to dance as well was I??
We arrived and parked, paid our dues and exchanged shoes for skates - no going back now. My eldest daughter confided that like me, she was also an ice skating virgin, so I felt a little reassured that I wouldn't be the only novice, but then she's got 25 years on me and you know what they say, you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
Happily, I'm pleased to report that this old dog did very well thank you! Oh my God, I loved it, every single second of it! I wobbled on to the ice and had a few tips from daughter number two ... lean forwards, keep your weight over the skates and for God's sake stay near the edge and avoid the small children! Luckily there weren't many small children to avoid, but they definitely had it easier with small child sized penguins to push round and hold on to. Taking one out and stealing their penguin was mighty tempting during the first few circuits! I was amazed by what good exercise and how strenuous skating is. When going round I didn't feel tired or like I was breathing any harder, but when I stopped to catch up with one of the family to compare notes on technique or lucky escapes, I was quite out of breath - and I pride myself on being reasonably fit!
By the end of the evening I was skating round quite happily like a professional novice, if not quite like a professional skater. I was able to manoeuvre round other skaters and get out of other people's way with a small amount of skill, if not style, and was overtaking in the same vein as on the motorway, although not at the same speed I hasten to add. I attempted going backwards, but that wasn't happening and I also attempted crossing one leg in front of the other. That didn't go so well either, the back leg being far too easy to get tangled with the front one, but amazingly I managed to stay upright the entire time! Well, that's not entirely true. Yes, I did actually end up on my arse on the ice, although in my defence, it was only once - right at the end of the evening, when i was standing still, about to get off the ice!! I'm not sure if that's a plus - that I didn't fall when physically skating or actually more embarrassing that I slipped when standing still ... your call!
But all in all, a resounding success. The next morning I wanted to go again, in fact I'd go every day if I could, yes, I loved it that much! So when I buy the winning Euromillions lottery ticket (and I'm saving that Fifty Firsts moment until there's a sizeable jackpot) I'll be using the money to build an ice rink here in Folkestone. Everyone should learn to skate, in fact maybe I could petition the Government to have it added to the PE curriculum ...
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