Tossies at the Ready for Sectionals!

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My little friends are ready for Sectionals!

Sectionals start tomorrow, and I’m trying to be ready! I’m hanging out in my hotel room in Cerritos, CA with just these little buddies for company. Throwing gifts onto the ice just after a skater’s performance is part of skating tradition and adult competitors hold up that tradition enthusiastically. The gifts are called “tossies,’ and this is the first year that I’ve been organized enough to bring some with me instead of trying to buy something appropriate once I’m at the event. True, bringing them with me meant hitting up a local Goodwill immediately prior to driving to the airport, but I’ll take whatever advance planning I can manage.

I’ve been here in LA since last night. Today I had a good practice with coach Gary and enjoyed hanging out with him and his very nice student who I’m getting to know. We had our lesson at the competition arena and lots of other coaches and adult skaters were there, too. It’s always good to have a chance to get out onto the ice where you are going to compete. I probably jumped and spun a bit too much, since my knees are irritated. I’m using a trick that I’ve done before: icing with the help of a couple of gallon zip-locks and the hotel’s ice machine.

making the knees happy

I have practice ice at 7 a.m., which I might or might not take, then a day of spectating, some unofficial practice ice in the afternoon, and dinner with skating friends. By the end of the day my little stuffed animals will have been launched into new hands. It ought to be a fun day, then on Saturday I have my event!