Last week I had major orthopedic surgery on my foot. A bunion was the least of my problems. I'll be on crutches and in an air cast for six weeks, and won't return to the ice for at least six months. Realistically, I won't be back to form for a year.

On Wednesday a repairman came to the house. "What happened to you?!" he said. I told him that I had had foot problems for some time, and they were aggravated by stabbing a toe pick into the ice for the past three years.

"Skating!" he said. "You're too old for that! Why don't you try golfing instead?"

Forty years old and too aged to skate. Hunh.

So I offer a toast:

To those of us who weigh three figures, who cram in sessions between work, who nurse aches in the bathtub. Who find joy not in nailing triples or completing programs, but in breathing deeply and strongly, in catching glimpses of our graceful selves in the Plexi and honestly wondering -- for a moment, a split second -- "Who IS that skater?" Who don't need an audience.

To those of us too old to skate.

Cheers.

and, from a fellow member of the "coming back from injury" club, I hope you have a speedy and uneventful recovery.

Bravo - hope all our injured skate warriors heal fast and easy.

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At 57 I went to see an orthopedic surgeon. When I mentioned that I was having trouble with my layback, he looked at my records and said, "You're 57, give it up." (and not in a jokey voice either).

Golf--what a stupid sport. No on walks anymore, they ride around.

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Great forum quotes:
On Falling: '...it doesn't matter, it's what you do AFTER you fall that's more important' ISK8NYC

Salut!

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This space has been put on hiatus for retuning....

I'll stop skating only because they won't allow wheelchairs on the ice! Until then I'm on!

I hope you have a speedy recovery, and that time flies by for you!

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Aw I seriously applaud all the adult skaters out there, because come graduation day in May (way too soon) I will be joining your ranks. Right now it is great, I work part time at the rink. So no need to juggle the work and skating part, I have in the past literally gotten off the ice, put the guards on, and walked into the office.

It's the classes and homework part that is always a challenge, so to reward myself after 3 solid years of hard work, I am taking a physical education credit in....you guessed it skating.

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~Always Dream!~

Check my progress at www.freewebs.com/sk8tegirl06

To a prosperous year!!! (a standard toast between my husband and I)

GOLF?!!! Are you fricken' KIDDING ME?!!

Cheers! Here's to all of us who KNOW we aren't "too old" to skate and pity those who think they are!

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

Slainte! A toast to all of us out there for the joy of skating and the ability to have the physical therapist on speed dial.

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

L'chaim! The orthopedist who fixed my broken wrist said he noticed all the skaters were eager to get back on the ice. Happy healing and a speedy return to all the injured among us.

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bottoms up! (but not on the ice)

There are skaters at my rink who are over 80 - okay, granted they don't do what they used, but they still potter around very happily. It doesn't get any easier as you get older, I'm finding!

One skater (in her early 60s, I think, but might be late 50s) came in this morning with a bandaged hand - she had been dancing with someone, and they had slipped, and she had hurt her thumb (been there, done that). She had been to the chemist to get some support for it, and apparently fascinated the entire shop by her story of how it happened!

Of course, Torvill & Dean are still skating in the public eye here, and they are in their 50s now (just checked - Chris is 51 and Jayne is 52!), and some of the competitors in Dancing on Ice have been older, so older people skating is much more acknowledged in this country. Some mornings at our rink you'd think they were the only people who skated!

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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!

A toast to all of us!

When I started skating at age 43, my mom was horrified - she said that skating was for kids, and I needed to stop acting like one. Obviously, 12 years later, I paid no attention to her, couldn't care less about her opinion.

Of course, the next week she called me to boast about a new violin student she had gotten (she taught violin and piano), the lady had never played in her life and was 50 years old. So, being a bit hurt and snarky, I told her that violin playing was for kids and the lady needed to stop acting like one - just kidding! It didn't go over well......

Petlover - Too funny!!!!

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet