Good Daddy...Lazy Daddy

"Take us skating daddy!"

 It was a long day.  My head started pounding half-way through the morning and didn't stop until just before it was time to leave.  Same with yesterday except the headache lasted well into the evening.  I was looking forward to getting home, scarfing down some dinner, getting the kids into bed and crashing too.

My kids had other plans.  I walk in the door, glad to be in the shelter of my nice warm home, and my girls start talking about heading to the outdoor rink at the park not too far from our house. My wife tells me that they have agreed it would be a good idea to do some skating after supper, "do you feel like skating?"  Now, if you've ever been in such a situation you know that's not so much a question as it is a statement of what the evening's plans consist of.  These are the moments where you can picture Al Bundy in a devil costume hovering over one shoulder and Ward Cleaver with wings and a halo on the other shoulder. 

 

  AL:

C'mon!  You just got home.  Pour yourself a beer and plop your butt on the couch!!  Better yet, why don't you plop your butt on the couch and get your little woman to pour you a brewskie?!

Ward:  

Now listen here fella', you gotta make the most of the day!  A little quality time with the kids...that sure does sound swell.

Al: 

Relax!!  You've had a long day...put your feet up.  You deserve it.

Ward:  

Gee whiz, don't you go following that odd ball's advice.  Just you mind that still, small voice inside.  You know what you ought to do buddy ol' pal!

*POOF* Al and Ward vanish.  

 

"Yay skating!!  You know you want to!!"

 Do I "feel" like going?  No, not really.  But I know I probably should.  These beautiful winter days are fleeting - the rink is not going to last all winter and we shamefully haven't made it to the outdoor rink yet.  So do I go by feeling or by a reasonable conviction of my duty as a father...a Canadian father.  What kind of a Canadian-father would I be if I didn't make sure my kids got a chance to skate on a real outdoor rink?

Well I sucked it up and took the girls and let me tell you it was a great time.  Evie is so good out there now - she's come so far this season and Noli is a little go-getter working hard on her technique.  It truly was a perfect night for it too.  Temperature was great, hardly any wind and the ice conditions were the best I've seen on this rink.

The girls skated to their hearts' content and drifted off to dreamland mighty quickly tonight.  Now it's time for me to do the same...finally.