When I grow up

When I was a kid - like in 8th grade - I lived at the roller skating rink. LIVED THERE. A minimum of two, sometimes three nights a week my friend Nell's mom would drive us to the rink (which was not nearby, mind you) and we'd skate the night away, flirting with boys and winning all the synchronized skating contests. Yes, we were a force to be reckoned with. If I could go back in time to any age, it would be then. Life wasn't too complicated yet, and I was still somewhat innocent.

Then I learned about roller derby, and I wanted to do that, but I was still very shy, and certainly not very tough.

A few years ago Dean and I were at the state fair when we saw the Minnesota RollerGirls table. 

Oh man, the team members had some cool names, like "Barbie Brawl" and "Moto Fluzzi". 

"I could do that!" I told Dean. He shook his head. "No, you can't. You're old now, honey."

"I'm not. I'm not old." I said, as I looked at some of the team members who all appeared to be between 18-25. He was right, I was old.

Then last year I found a new friend on Facebook who just happens to be part of Roller Derby. She encouraged me to get back on my skates. Ok then! I used to take the boys skating for their birthday parties so it hadn't been THAT long since I'd been on wheels. Maybe 10 years? (umm yes 10 years is kind of a long time, isn't it? LOL) My new friend and I decided to meet up for a day of fun skating. Since I was determined to do this and I am an 'all or nothing" kind of person, I went out and bought racing skates. 

I stepped out on the rink. And DOWN I WENT, quite hard, really. I landed on the back of my neck and head. I felt an electrical shock-type feeling go up into my head. I had no idea racing skates were so much faster than my old skates had been! I got back on my feet and skated some more. Slower now, and staying a bit closer to the wall. Hmmm the longer I skated the more I knew I'd really hurt myself with that first fall. First? Yes, there were a couple more after that.

Later that night, since I could no longer move my neck and my head felt like it was going to explode, I decided I should go get checked out. I ended up like this:

2011's attempt to get back on my skates

In the Emergency department the nurses kept asking me, "Did someone hurt you? How did you hurt your neck?" 

Me: "I was rear ended."

Nurse: "Did you file a police report?"

Me: "Wait no, I was skydiving and I did a flip." (sounded way better don't you think?)

Nurse: "What company were you diving with? Do they know you hurt yourself?"

Me: "Maybe I wasn't skydiving. Maybe I was bull riding. I forget."

Nurse: "What were you really doing?" 

Me: "I'm not telling." 

Nurse: "You have bruising on the back of your neck and head. Who did this to you?" 

Me: "Ok fine. I was roller skating....and...and I was on racing skates because I wanted to join the roller derby only Dean was right and I'm TOO OLD!!!!!" The nurses were nice enough to hide their snickers behind their hands.

Then, a couple weeks ago we were at a parade, and the Klondike Kates went by on a float. 

OH MY GOD! I want to be Klondike Kate!!!!!