Tomorrow, I’m coming out of retirement.
My epileptologist cleared me to compete in Stony Mountain on Ice, an annual interprovincial end of season competition.
In 1991, I competed in my first Stony, winning silver – then I added another silver in 1993, But in 1994, vying for a medal less than five months after a second brain surgery – carrying an extra ten pounds or so. I placed fourth in Juvenile Free Skate after falling slooooowly on a double toe loop.
And 22 years later, I’m competing in adult introductory interpretive. Music, “Breathe Me” by Sia.
While I still represent the Arborg Skating Club, there have been a lot of changes in twenty-two years.
I won’t wear a dress made by my mom or a streamstress. Though I’m sure I could stretch my favourite spandex one to the max that my mom made me in grade eight – a hot pink dress with a white lace underskirt and a hot pink lace v-neck.
Instead, I’ll be wearing a black dress, black tights with a sweater inspired by Sia’s hair.
There won’t be any high flying jumps or maximum rotation spins in my program. One, I don’t have high flying jumps, and two, interpretive is drama on ice.
I skate in the evening. Rather than arriving early morning or noon, I’ll enter the rink at 6 p.m., hand in my music – CDs rather than cassettes – and prepare for warm up an hour later, taking my opening stance and be marked in points rather than ordinals.
One thing that hasn’t changed is my skating bear, Nicky. He was a gift in grade seven, and ever since, he’s with me at competitions and ice shows.
There’s only two competitors in my division, and I have a 50/50 shot for top spot on the podium. But, let’s face it – I have two silvers from Stony. I want the gold. But after the last two weeks, I don’t consider silver last place.
It’s a stepping stone.
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A modified version of this post will be included in a memoir about my figure skating career and published 2026
Skating Scene 