February 25 Valley Life Column

February 25 Valley Life column in AG Weekly

Winter Olympics prompts heated discussions about ice

"You were more fun when we were dating." I say this to my husband as we munch popcorn on the sofa and watch the winter Olympics.

We're very different. He'd rather watch the luge and downhill skiers while I prefer the contenders on ice, making the triple axels, combination spins and flying camels look easy. He glances at me, then turns his attention back to the television.

He doesn't speak, not because he doesn’t have anything to say. It's more that he doesn’t want to get into a lengthy debate or miss the commentators' remarks. Besides, we've had this conversation before. In fact, just last December when it was bitter cold and our driveway was glazed with ice.

"This would make a perfect ice skating rink," I said then with enthusiasm as we slipped across the ice to the truck.

When he didn't comment, I continued. "You could level out the gravel with the tractor. We could add water an inch at a time until we had the perfect rink. We could do it right there."

He looked to where I pointed and turned the key in the ignition.

My voice grew more animated as I imagined an ice rink right outside my back door. "It wouldn't be that hard to do," I persisted. "I still have my skates."
When I wouldn't stop nagging he said, "When it melts, where would all the water go."
He didn't say it as a question. He said it more as a fact, reminding me that there is always a downside to my bright ideas.
That's when I said, "You were more fun when we were dating. Remember how we used to skate at Wilson Lake. We'd take a lunch and hot chocolate and skate until our toes turned numb."

"That was years ago," he said as we drove towards town.

He thought I'd forget, but I mention the ice rink again as we munch popcorn and watch Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov cha cha, rumba and samba over the ice.

"I could skate like that if we had an ice rink and someplace to practice."

"Right," he says. "And I can luge down Baldy at 90 miles per hour." He snuggles close, planning to share my bowl of popcorn.

"Get your own." I pull away.

"You know," he says, "sometimes you're right. You were a lot more fun when we were dating."
©Bonnie Dodge