Well, we are home from our holiday in Scotland and the Scottish Open competitions. We were very pleased with our compulsory dances, less so with our Free Dance, which we didn't skate well - husband didn't help by measuring his length in the hydroblade at the end during the warm-up, so was tentative in the real thing. Rhythm Blues was okay, but I forgot my extension in one place and was like "Oh bugger!" all the way round - and, indeed, the other two couples were placed clearly ahead of us. Canasta Tango was great, though, and I think the marks were very close - boringly, they aren't up on the Internet yet, so I can't check. Sigh. Anyway, as predicted, 3rd out of 3, but I have a feeling it was closer than that.... Free Dance was always going to be clearly 3rd out of 3, but none the worse for that.

Husband and Other Woman were disappointed to finish 3rd, again out of 3, as the marks seemed to indicate they were 2nd. Again, they've not been posted yet, so I can't check. But 3 bronzes isn't too bad..... even if they were default! Other Woman was silver in her solo dance event.

You should have seen the trouble we had l trying to find ice to
practice on on the Tuesday after we'd met Other Woman at the airport. The town where we were staying had the competition, so that was out. The next nearest rink was "closed for renovations" that week - at half-term?!?! One rink *only* offered club ice, with no provision for visitors. Another "had public skating all day" and didn't think that 3 ice-dancers wanting to practice was a very good idea. Many had curling all day. One, we actually called at to find their Zamboni had broken down and they couldn't offer any ice.
They, finally, referred us to another local rink (whew!) which had ice.
It also was divided into two, with the smaller half on a higher level
than the larger one, and one could skate up and down ramps to get there.
I, of course, landed on my tail-bone the first time I tried. Sigh....
but it was fun.

The rest of the week was also fun - we have family in the area, and were able to see them (my cousin even came to watch us skate), and we did a lot of sightseeing, too. And bought various Christmas presents.....

Edited to add: Forgot to say I woke up on the day of the competition with absolutely no voice at all! Could hardly croak out a word at the competition, it was awful. No way could I shout for my friends - and I hadn't even brought my cowbell or the clappers that Scott gave me with me. Never again will I go to a competition without them, even if I don't use them! Couldn't even bark like Becca!

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Glad you are back and had a great time...................getting all of those medals!!!!!!

Glad to have you back! Pictures???

Pictures!!! Pictures!!!! We want pictures!!!

Welcome back, Annabel!!! And a Bronze medal isn't too bad even though it's default.

I'll settle for a Bronze myself at Skate SF, given how bad I've been skating yesterday afternoon with all those rugrats in the rink.

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

Alas, the photographer is one of those where you need a code to access them (he does many competitions, and obviously the ones involving children have to have some protection), and he has said "Not before 3 November". If there's a decent one of us, I'll post them here.

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Mrs Redboots
~~~~~~~~
I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Congrats! Sounds like a good time!