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Snow melt puzzling

This last weekend was a hockey time for me, watching three family small fry on the ice.

This last weekend was a hockey time for me, watching three family small fry on the ice.

I spent mega hours at the old arena when we had five boys in the minor hockey, all different teams.

I even served on the executive. None of the grandchildren played hockey, they were ball players, so we skipped a generation.

Now GGD#2 (five years old) plays at Total Ice Training Centre, GGSs #1 and #2 at the complex. I do the later games, nothing before 11 a.m. Did the 6 a.m. shifts once and that’s enough for a lifetime.

Nothing much has changed as far as the games go except there are girls on the teams now and the equipment looks to be more expensive.

At this beginning stage, the players look like little bees buzzing around the rink.

Falling down (often group falls) is an integral part of the proceedings, but up they get and away they go.

A highlight for GGD is that she “touched the puck” with her stick.

I’m impressed with the Total Ice Training Centre, where she skates. There obviously was a need for another skating facility, and by the look of it, it’s filling that need well.

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The sudden snow melt last week  has everybody discombobulated. No one can recall so much snow disappearing so quickly at this time of year. Then all that green grass appeared. Whenever we have a cold spell, climate change deniers are quick to snort about global warming.

Haven’t heard any comments about the current state of affairs.

Who remembers when almost every family in town had a skating rink in their back yard? Most schools had one too and there was the big community rink in Kiwanis Park.

They disappeared when winters got warmer and the ice wouldn’t last long enough to justify the work involved in making them. Farmer’s Almanac predicts a mild winter. We’ll see.

Diana French is a freelance columnist for the Tribune. She is a former Tribune editor, retired teacher, historian, and book author.