Icing on the Cake

I grew up at the end of the variety show era and as a kid, I dreamed of having my own. I imagined playing my cello in a long flowing skirt at the edge of a shimmering sheet of ice. I would play some beautiful movement of something beautiful and come to a cadence...handing my cello to a careful stage hand, whip off my long skirt to reveal a somewhat shorter skating skirt and perfectly polished figure skates and skate as no Olympian ever had~ Ha, ha, ha...okay, I was 12 at the time and I had long since forgotten this dream scene..

Until yesterday. My daughters' skating coaches thought it would be nice to have live music at the Christmas ice show and asked me what I thought. I jumped on the opportunity until I realized that my cello requires a lot more than just grabing my axe from the case and tooting away~ I fought the idea on several occassions, protesting to myself and the coaches...but then...

Yesterday, I was given "5 for fighting" and ended up in the penalty box playing my cello. This was to determine if my cello could actually be heard around the arena without amplification. Darn, my dippy cello "for advancing students" has a pretty big sound after all. (No electric cello for this birthday...) Everyone in attendance at the practice thought it sounded really good. I was pretty surprised myself and am still thinking this is all a bit hokey.

Of course, "Coach Jackie" figured (no pun intended) that if it sounds good in the penalty box, why not put me out on the ice...so I precariously scooted out onto the ice to a rubber mat and chair waiting just right of the blue line. Oh, yes it was sooo much better (and hokier by far) on the ice. And while we're at it, why don't I skate out to my spot and pretend I'm a street musician while my oldest skates her rendition to my rendition of "Silver Bells"..."City sidewalks (complete with street musician freezing in the icey old air!) Stay tuned...